Bulgaria Adoption
– Featured Bulgarian Adoption Story –
– Updated Dec, 4, 2018 –
– “Paperwork Ready” Adoption Benefit –
Saint Mary International Adoptions’ Bulgaria Program
Our agency is uniquely positioned to do Bulgarian adoptions because our Agency President is Bulgarian born. Our first ever adoption was from Bulgaria, back in 2002.
Currently, there are many Bulgarian adoptions taking place each year! We have seen an increasing number of Bulgarian applications for our agency in recent years.
Check out some numbers from the Department of State’s website about recent Bulgarian adoptions to the US.
Total Adoptions for 2017
- Ages 1-2 4.76%
- Ages 3-4 17.69%
- Ages 5 – 12 48.98%
Total Adoptions for 2016
- Ages 1-2 1.0%
- Ages 3-4 31.34%
- Ages 5 – 12 46.27%
Below, we invite you to see some of the awesome parents whom we are currently serving with a Bulgarian adoption.
To us, they are the true heroes pursuing a path of hardship and sacrifice that leaves the world with less orphans, and also cool families!
We hope and pray their stories will encourage you!
– Featured Bulgarian Adoption Story –
– UPDATE: Received Referral –
– Home since January, 2018 –
Steps Explained..
Step 1 - View Waiting Children
Bulgaria is an exception to this rule, because the Bulgarian MOJ will give future parents the benefit of the doubt that they will in fact complete those requirements. If the MOJ approves your application to adopt a child listed on their list, they will take the child off the list for 6 months – while you work to get your CIS approval and other papers. If you fail to do so, the planned adoption would not continue.
Understand that this permission is done at a government level, not agency level. Agencies don’t have that authority. Agencies have not authority to “hold” a child until you become approved. So as you are researching ask these questions. We do not charge adoptive parents to help them prepare the application needed for MOJ.
Step 2 - Consult a Doctor
Children who are on the waiting lists will sometimes be on these lists because their needs are more severe than other children. That is more reason to make sure that you are not acting on impulse, but that you’ve done what you can to prepare yourselves for some of the struggles ahead of you in helping your child overcome whatever issues he or she may be dealing with.
Don’t rush into a life long decision without talking to a doctor.
Step 3 - Complete MOJ Application
So, don’t fall in love with a child who may or may not be there. Don’t rush in on an impulse. Along with that, be aware of agencies who make it seem as if though you need to send in your application and fee very quickly because there is another family who might do it any minute.
Though, it is true that there are other adoptive parents who may adopt a child you’re considering, don’t worry. Don’t worry because God has a plan for you and your family. He is not going to mess it up if you’re a “few days late”. Besides, no agency has the legal right to “secure” a child for you. These children are under the jurisdiction of foreign countries’ governments.
The Bulgarian Ministry of Justice has an application. Before you even become our client, we’ll give you this application. You’ll fill it out. We’ll submit it to Bulgarian Central Authority – Ministry of Justice. If they approve it, then we can help you. Then we’ll ask you to become our client. Then, we’ll give you our application which is the first time a fee is due to the agency ($300).
After we approve your application, then we continue with the agency’s contract and the fee due with that. However, we don’t want to lead you on, charge you for services which aren’t really ours to provide. We’ll want to be certain that we’ll be able to help you adopt the child that you want to adopt before we accept you as a client.
Bulgarian Adoption Cost – Waiting Child Route:
Documented agency fees – precisely $21,500 AND 8,000 Euros (Roughly $30,000). It is spread over time.
Our fees are precise, not “estimated” – so you can expect they will NOT change.
Financing – Monthly Payments Available
|
Waiting Child Fee Schedule |
||
| MOJ Application Preparation | Free | (most agencies charge for this) |
| Upon submission of Application to MOJ | 1,600 Euro | Wire to Bulgaria |
| Agency Applicaiton Fee | $300 | Due with application |
| Agency Fee | $6,200 | Payment Plan Available |
| IAAME Overseight Fee | $500 | Per child – Payable to IAAME – Due w contract |
| Dossier Fee | $6,500 | Due 6 – 9 months after Agency Fee |
| 1,000 Euro | Wire to Bulgaria | |
| MOJ Approval of Dossier | 5,400 Euros |
Due about 3 months after dossier wire to Bulgaria
|
| First Trip | $5,000 | Due shortly before travel |
| PayPal Available | ||
| Second Trip | $3,000 | Due shortly before travel |
| PayPal Available | ||
| Total | $21,500 and 8,000 Euro |
Bulgarian Adoption Cost – Simplified.
If you qualify for one of our financing options, for a $20,000 Adoption Loan with a 60 month term at 5.99% APR, the monthly payment can be approximately as low as $387.
NOT Included in Fees:
| The fees Do NOT include: |
| Home Study Fees (likely payable to a local agency in your state, unless you’re in NC) |
| Airplane Tickets |
| Cost of staying overseas and taking care of yourself and your child while in Bulgaria |
| State and federally regulated certification or processing fees |
| Mailing expenses |
| Other third party fees |
| All of these fees are variable in nature |
These expenses listed above, not payable to our agency, typically add another $8,000 – $10,000 for adoptive parents.
1…2…3…
Step 1 - Apply With Our Agency
After deciding that adoption is what you’d like to pursue, the two biggest questions that follow are what country and what agency? You should probably look at country first, since different countries have different requirements, like age, that may not work for you. Then agency is a big one also. Different agencies work very differently from one another.
You would be surprised as to how different your experience can be based on the agency you select. We’re specialized and focused on 2 countries in close proximity to each other. We have nearly 20 years of experience with each and we confident that we know how to help our parents navigate through their process for each.
Step 2 - Do Paperwork
Preparing your paperwork is the first way you’ll experience that agencies do things differently. With us, you will work with person that tells you about the process before you become a client. That person will be your contact the whole time, from start to finish. You will not get passed on to others as you advance thru the process. Prepareing the paperwork, in addition to being a legal task, is also important in terms of cultural interpretation. Preparing the paperwork in mind with how a country works and what it wants to see is a big step.
That is why being an expert on few countries rather offering many is a business strategy that we have chosen. We think it allows us to serve our clients better.
Our president and founder is Bulgarian born and educated. That gives the agency an even deeper understanding of Bulgaria in particular and Eastern Europe as a region.
– Back to Bulgaria Main Page or contact us here.
Step 3 - Apply to CIS
First major milestone is to get the approval of USCIS. Consistent with the laws guiding your international adoption, an approval from government is needed in order for you to be considered by the foreign government. Therefore, once prepared, your home study is turned into USCIS. USCIS will do their own fingerprints (in addition to the ones we ran on you) and based on our social worker’s recommendation, will issue their approval for you as adoptive parents. This document plays a key role of your dossier.
In addition to meeting state and federal requirements, the home study that you are submitting to CIS must also meet the foreign country’s requirements.
– Back to Bulgaria Main Page or contact us here.
Our fees are precise, not “estimated” – so you can expect they will NOT change.
Bulgaria Adoption Cost – Traditional Route
Our fees are precise, not “estimated” – so you can expect they will NOT change.
| Traditional Fee Structure | ||
| Applicaiton Fee | $300 | Due with application |
| Agency Fee | $6,200 | Payment Plan Available (Due with signed contract -PayPal or check) |
| IAAME Overseight Fee | $500 | Per child – Payable to IAAME – Due w contract |
| Dossier Fee | $6,500 | On your time table – when you complete your dossier (PayPal or check) |
| 1,000 Euro | Wire to Bulgaria | |
| Foreign Fees | ||
| First Trip | 5,000 Euros and $5,000 | After you’ve been matched and accepted your child. (Wire and PayPal) |
| Second Trip | 2,000 Euros and $3,000 | After court date has approved you as parents. (Wire and PayPal) |
| Total | $21,500 and 8,000 Euro |
NOT Included in Fees:
| The fees Do NOT include: |
| Home Study Fees (likely payable to a local agency in your state, unless you’re in NC) |
| Airplane Tickets |
| Cost of staying overseas and taking care of yourself and your child while in Bulgaria |
| State and federally regulated certification or processing fees |
| Mailing expenses |
| Other third party fees |
| All of these fees are variable in nature |
These expenses listed above, not payable to our agency, typically add another $8,000 – $10,000 for adoptive parents.
Bulgarian Adoption Cost – Simplified.
If you qualify for one of our financing options, for a $20,000 Adoption Loan with a 60 month term at 5.99% APR, the monthly payment can be approximately as low as $387.
Adoptive Mom Shares Her Bulgarian Adoption – July 2017
Blogs
Traditional Adoption vs Waiting Child
Compare and Contrast “Traditional” vs “Waiting Child”
Bulgarian Traditional Adoption 2018
Adopting from Bulgaria.
What is the Adoption Dossier
What is the adoption dossier?
Learn More..Get in touch with us..
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FACTS ABOUT BULGARIA
We think it is important for adoptive parents to understand the cultural and economic facts about the country they are planning to adopt from. It is helpful to understand the situation and the circumstances surrounding the people and children. Below are a few facts we took from CIA’s website. To read in depth about Bulgaria, click on the map and it will take you to this source.
- Religion: Eastern Orthodox 59.4%; Unspecified 27.4%
- Literacy: Total population: 98.4%
- Population: 7.1 million
- Unemployment: 28.4%
Verse of Day - December 6, 2018
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.