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Adopting while stationed in Korea

Posted by KMascoll to Korea Adoptive Families on Feb 04, 2012 at 12:47pm | 3 Comments | Post a reply

I have been volunteering at an orphanage while stationed here in Seoul and fell in love with this little Korean girl who I would love to adopt. I am stationed in Korea but my husband and 2 sons are still stateside. My husband and I have discussed adopting, and we have both decided this is what we want to do. I have read that it is difficult to adopt while stationed in Korea but I was wondering how difficult it would be if my family is still in the states while I am in Korea. I have also sent pictures to my husband of (hopefully) our future daughter, and he is in agreement. Please help if you can. Thank you.

Replies

Have you tried contacting any adoption agencies? Holt International (http://www.holtinternational.org/) is one you could contact to figure out next steps.

Posted by adoptedmom on Feb 04, 2012 at 7:18pm

No I haven’t contacted anyone yet but I will definitely check out this website, thank you very much.

Posted by KMascoll on Feb 05, 2012 at 12:46pm

Hi.

I would try to hold back some of your hopes until you have explored this very thoroughly and know that it is a possibility, which is unlikely to be the case—at least for now.

First, you will need to inquire as to whether this child is even available to BE adopted. Some children are cared for in orphanages because their original family can’t provide the nurture and care they need, and/or will not sign off on parental rights.

Additionally, older children are no longer permitted to be internationally adopted. If she is over the age of two, this is likely going to be a barrier, even if she has no legal parents in the picture. No orphanage or adoption agency would place a child “on hold” on the hope that you will return home, adjust, make your way through the adoption process, and someday be ready to bring this child to the USA.

Secondly, you probably would not be able to begin the adoption process until you and your husband and children are all living together once again. Neither he nor you could undergo a home study investigation, while your spouse is living elsewhere. Not only would this be logistically impossible with your current situation, but you and your husband will need a period of readjustment after your return, and so will your children. To be honest, it would not be fair to any of the children—the two you now have, or the child you’d like to add— to have you bring home an additional child at the time or shortly after you return home.

Here, though, is a positive in all of this. Having met and fallen in love with this child, perhaps you and your husband’s desire to adopt has been ignited. While you may or may not be able to adopt this, particular, little girl, there are lots of children who ARE in need of permanent families, and one of them very likely could become yours.

Jane A. Brown, MSW

Posted by Jane Brown on Feb 07, 2012 at 10:27pm