Bulgaria Adoption

Bulgaria has some of the most easy going requirements of all countries.

• Older parents accepted. (50+)
• Short trips: About 7 days each.
• Parent must be at least 15 years older than child.
• No marriage length requirement.
• History of divorce is okay.

To be found eligible, you have to pass your home study and get a CIS approval. 

To show you’re eligible, you have to complete a home study and a dossier.  Adoption is highly regulated for the protection of the kids.  In order to adopt, you have to hire an Accredited Agency approved by the US government to help you meet eligibility criteria.  These documents will be approved by the US Government at USCIS through the submission of your I-800A Form.  Your agency will then present your completed dossier to the Bulgarian Ministry of Justice.

You dossier will consist of about 12 documents, which may change with changing requirements.  Some of the reoccurring docs, for example, are background clearances done during the home study, the medical evaluation, child abuse clearances, and your home study agency’s license.   Photos are also required.

Related Topics

Why Do I Need an Accredited Agency?

Can I do My Home Study First?

How to Fill Out I800A Form?

Though children living in orphanages will likely have issues you’d have to help them overcome, not all of them necessarily have “special needs”.  The laws governing international adoption say that the child’s country of origin is considered first.  That is true of all international adoption.  Therefore, many kids who are considered healthy are adopted domestically.  However, international adoption is made available because there are more orphans than people wishing to adopt them domestically.  Therefore, not all children available for international adoption are necessarily “special needs”.  See this blog with 3 separate adoptive parents share their thoughts on what the orphanage is like?

See Lori’s Interview from 2017.

See Jessica’s Interview from 2019. 

See Christian and Cassie’s Interview from 2021.

Most children growing up in orphanages will not be in perfect health. 

• Health and special needs may vary.
• Bulgaria will actually listen to what needs/risk factors you are willing to accept.
• You can eliminate medical diagnosis you can’t take on.
• Children with less needs are available, but may require a longer wait.
• Younger children (1-4) are available, but may require a longer wait.
• Children, 7 and up, who are medically healthy typically take less than 1 year wait, sometimes less than 6 mo wait.
• Our latest family waited only 3 months for siblings age 9 and 10 who are healthy.  See their story here.
• See waiting children here.  Read more about children who are available here.  
• See our parents talk about Bulgarian Orphanages.
• See Lori’s Interview from 2017.
• See Jessica’s Interview from 2019.
• See Christian and Cassie’s Interview from 2021.

Once your agency helps you meet the USCIS requirements, they are authorized to submit your dossier to the foreign country.  In Bulgaria, the MOJ is the governing body that oversees adoption.  As part of the Hague Convention, they are responsible to ensure that the child you will adopt meets the criteria for an “orphan”.  They will attempt to match your family with a child based on the description of the child’s characteristics in your home study.  The attempted match is considred to be in the “child’s best interest” by the MOJ. 

See some of our Recent Success Stories Here!

Once your agency helps you meet the USCIS requirements, they are authorized to submit your dossier to the foreign country.  In Bulgaria, the MOJ is the governing body that oversees adoption.  As part of the Hague Convention, they are responsible to ensure that the child you will adopt meets the criteria for an “orphan”.  They will attempt to match your family with a child based on the description of the child’s characteristics in your home study.  The attempted match is considred to be in the “child’s best interest” by the MOJ. 

See some of our Recent Success Stories Here!

Similarly to the gov role carried out by CIS here, the foreign country has a gov commission that uses your paperwork to match you with a child.  Another source that explains this is Dept of State here. 

International adoption is closed and final.  Kids who become eligible to be adopted have been met the definition of an “orphan” as set by CIS here in compliance with the Hague.

The adoption commission’s job is to ensure that any and every placement is in the “child’s best interest”.

We’ve never had a client be rejected by a commission.  There is a wait which can vary, but ultimately all of our clients have been given the chance to adopt a child – which means they were approved by the commission. 

For all adoption, it is considered the child’s best interest to (1) stay with bio parents, (2) be adopted domestically, and (3) be adopted internationally.  When the first 2 options are exhausted, international adoption is made available.  Keep in mind, in many countries, there are more orphans than people wishing to adopt them domestically. 

If you are good with paperwork, you can greatly reduce your overall process.  If you’re open to a child 5 or older, the wait would be much less. 

You can manage this cost with time and fiancing the same wway you manage other big costs.  See if qualify for grants. Don’t forget the $14,300 tax credit!