Japan
Children Available
Mostly newborns, age 5-10 weeks at travel. No gender or complexion preferences accepted. Children are generally very healthy and receive excellent care in a family environment in Japan until parents travel.
Who May Adopt?
Couples who have been married three years or more. Prospective parents must be age 43 or younger at time of application and in good health. At least one parent must be a U.S. citizen. Japan is not currently accepting new applications from families with other children. Japanese or other Asian heritage in at least one parent may be preferred but other backgrounds are also considered.
Time Frame
After a dossier is completed, it may take 12-18 months before a referral.
Travel
Both parents must travel for one trip of about 14 days. Parents stay in an executive apartment in Tokyo with a kitchenette and washer/dryer. Applicants must make a pre-adoption trip to Northern California to meet our coordinator.
The Process
Under our guidance, parents complete a home study, obtain U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) approval and build a dossier of documents needed for Japan. They also write a short letter introducing themselves and prepare a small album of pictures. The letter and album are shown to birth mothers who come to adoption at various stages of pregnancy, or sometimes even after giving birth. The birth mothers make the final decision about who adopts their child. The mother and child generally remain in the hospital for a week after delivery. Birth mothers sign relinquishments giving custody directly to the adoptive parents and complete other needed documentation while the child is lovingly cared for at the small placement center until the prospective parents arrive. Parents then receive pictures and some preliminary medical information. Upon arrival in Tokyo, parents receive physical custody and complete the visa procedure at the U.S. embassy. Children enter the U.S. as legal permanent residents. Adoptions are completed in the parents' home state after required post-placement visits and children then acquire U.S. citizenship. The final step is to register the fact of the adoption with the Japanese consulate in the United States.
Fees and Expenses
Program fees encompass all professional services, including the cost of medical and other care for the birth mother and child. Additional expenses include pre-adoption costs such as the home study, CIS fees, travel, U.S. visa fees and the cost of finalizing the adoption in the U.S.
