Colombia is a country of 43 million people located in the northern part of South America.  It is the 4th largest country in South America and is rich in history and culture. Colombia is ethnically and religiously diverse and the majority of the population is mestizo, (being a mixture of European and South American Indian ancestry).  Since the early 90's the country of Colombia has had a small but well organized and consistent international adoption program. Children from infancy through early teens await families. In addition to infants, there are many older children and sibling groups available, as well as children with special needs. The success of this program lies with the cooperation of the Colombian government, the stability and consistency of the program, and the comparatively good health of the children.

La Vida is a private non-profit organization that is Hague Accredited  by the Council on Accreditation and approved by the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare, ICBF (Both a necessity to complete adoptions from Colombia) and we are therefore eligible to assist families with the completion of an adoption from Colombia.  The procedures for completing an adoption from Colombia are straightforward and manageable. The Colombian government has been cooperative and the adoption process is well structured and regulated. The ICBF processes all adoptions and oversees the licensing of agencies.

Program History: Adoptions of children from Colombia have remained consistent since the early 1990�s. Each year of the program�s existence, between 230 and over 520 children have joined families in the United States. The Colombian government views adoptions positively and is supportive and cooperative. The Colombia adoption regulations have been consistently applied and this has resulted in a stable and reasonably predictable program. The cost of adoptions from Colombia is significantly less expensive than other more popular South American international adoption programs available. There is a tremendous need for loving families for waiting children who often come into the care of the Colombian government primarily due to poverty.

The Children Who Need Families: Most of the children available for adoption have been voluntarily placed in orphanage due to poor economic conditions in their families of origin. Many of these orphanages are public and approximately 2/3 of the children are from the Bogota area. Please click here to learn more about Bogota. Most children are of Spanish or mixed Spanish/South American Indian descent. The youngest children available are 3-to-6 months old at the time of child assignment and children as old as young teens also await families. Colombia currently has over 4,000 children waiting for families who are either older (age 9 and older), part of sibling groups, or who have special needs. When a child is assigned, generally, photograph(s), a general health report, results of certain blood tests (including a test for Hepatitis B and HIV), and brief written social/developmental description of the child are provided.

ICBF prefers that parents do not specify the gender of the child, however if you already have a child or children of one gender in the household, consideration may be given. Families wishing to adopt sibling sets can request a set with both a boy and a girl. Requests for a sibling set of 2 or 3 children can be matched as quickly as within 2 to 4 months. The time for a match will likely increase if gender preferences are stated and if younger children are requested.

Health of the Children: Overall, children from South America have been considerably healthier than children from certain other areas of the world. Medical information and child's developmental reports have generally been accurate and truthful.

La Vida's Licensing and Approval: La Vida is directly licensed and approved to place children for adoption by ICBF.

La Vida's Representative in Colombia: La Vida has an experienced legal representative in Colombia. He is also approved by ICBF and has been helping families to adopt children from Colombia for 12 years. During this time he has provided legal assistance and guided over 500 families through the adoption process during their visit to Colombia. Our representative and those who assist him have established working relationships with Colombian authorities, expertise in the adoption process, and a sincere desire to help families and children.

Family Eligibility: Married couples and single men and women are eligible for adoption from Colombia. Single applicants are permitted to adopt children over age 7. Married couples' ages at the time of child assignment determine the age of child they are eligible to adopt. When there are significant differences in the ages of married couples, the age of the parent who will provide most care to the child will be used to determine the age of child that the couple is eligible to adopt. Applicants are welcome to request a child older than the category into which they fit. As a general rule, adoption guidelines require a minimum 15 year age difference between parent and child. Below are guidelines for eligibility. 

Important note:  ICBF prefers that families be open to adopting a child within the entire age range indicated below.  For example, if the primary caregiver is 37 years of age, ICBF prefers that the family be open to a child of any age up to 35 months.  Families may request children younger than the entire age range, however waiting times may be longer.  Ultimately the age of the child assigned is at the discretion of ICBF and may be anywhere within the range.

Families between 25 and 38 years - must willing to accept a child up to 35 months or may request an older child.

Families between 39 and 41 years - must willing to accept a child 36 to 59 months or may request an older child.

Families between 42 and 44 years - must willing to accept a child 60 to 83 months or may request an older child.

Families between 45 and 55 years - must willing to accept a child 84 months or older.

*preferred age of primary caretaker parent

Families must have no more than 2 children in the home and each applicant may have no more than one divorce. Occasional exceptions are made. The length of marriage for couples must be 3 years. Exceptions may be made for couples who have lived together prior to marriage. If documentation of infertility is available, then only a one-year length of marriage is required. Families with minor criminal histories may be considered. Please call us to discuss your individual circumstances.

Family Income Guidelines: There are no minimum income requirements, however families must be financially stable and able to meet the needs of a child(ren). As with any international adoption, a family's income must be sufficient to satisfy U.S. State and federal requirements.

Overview of the Colombia Adoption Process: Completing an international adoption involves multiple tasks performed here in the United States and then travel to the foreign country to complete your adoption. La Vida will guide you step by step through each of the tasks briefly outlined below. A more detailed discussion of the steps involved in adopting internationally can be found elsewhere in this guide in the section entitled "Steps and Time Lines for Adoption From Colombia".

1.  Complete a La Vida application. Upon receipt of your application, we will review it and generally notify you of your eligibility within 1 to 2 business days.

2.  Create a Letter of Intent to adopt, which will be sent to ICBF. La Vida will provide samples and guide you through this process.

3.  ICBF usually responds within 15 to 30 days of receipt of the Letter of Intent.

4.  Complete an application to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). La Vida will provide this application to you, guide you in its' completion, review and file it for you, and continue to monitor processing on your behalf.

5.  Complete a home study. A home study report is a requirement of your state of residence, the USCIS, and the country from which you adopt. If you reside in Pennsylvania, La Vida can complete your home study. If you live outside of Pennsylvania, we can help you to identify an acceptable state licensed home study agency.

6.  Prepare an application for the foreign country, also known as a "dossier". La Vida will guide you every step of the way with comprehensive instructions, samples, and staff support. La Vida will certify and authenticate your dossier documents and your application will then be sent to ICBF.

7.  Wait for referral of a child. La Vida will update you regularly throughout your wait, keep you fully informed, and will provide support to you during this time.

8.  The same day that we receive the referral of your child, La Vida will call you and provide e-mailed photos, your child�s name, date of birth, province and orphanage of        residence, gender, and health conclusion. Two to 3 days later we will provide you with a courtesy summary translation of all-available health and medical information for your child.

9.  Travel to the country to receive your child and complete your adoption. Our representatives meet you on arrival in Colombia and assist you to complete the adoption processing throughout your stay in the country.

10.  When you return home, your adoption from Colombia is fully recognized here in the U.S. and for most families, your child is automatically a U.S. citizen immediately upon your entrance into the U.S.

An important point to remember is that you do not need to be an experienced adopter to begin! We will gladly walk you through each step and guide you until you bring your child into your family.

Time Frames: Upon completion of your dossier or country application, it is estimated that you will be matched to a child approximately 2 to 24 months later. The estimated length of wait is dependent upon the age/gender/health/sibling status or the child(ren) you are adopting.  Waiting times in this program have been increasing due to larger numbers of applications being received by ICBF from U.S. families.

From the time that you are referred and accept a child, travel usually occurs approximately 2 to 3 weeks later.

Travel Requirements and In-country Arrangements: Upon receiving and accepting the assignment of your child, travel to Colombia by all parents is required. In the case of married couples, after the second meeting with ICBF (see paragraph below) one spouse may return to the U.S. while the other remains in Colombia to complete the adoption process. Your stay in Colombia is likely to be 4 to 6 weeks in length, however the average length of time spent in country is approximately 34 days. In very rare cases, families' stays have been as long as 8 weeks.

Your family will be met at the airport and fully guided throughout the trip. La Vida's representative, along with guides and interpreters, will assist you to complete the adoption process and provide sightseeing activities for you as well. Most families elect to stay in small family-style guesthouses called "residencias." These usually accommodate between 3 and 6 adopting families. Accommodations in hotels are also available. Friends and family may accompany the adopter(s), and children are always welcome to travel with parents

Upon arrival in Colombia you will be presented with and granted temporary custody of your child. An interview at ICBF will take place at that time. Your family will later return to ICBF for a follow up interview where ICBF determines that you are "integrated" as a family. This interview involves determining that there is positive and mutual adjustment of both parent and child. This date for this interview is set at the time that you receive your child, and for infants it generally takes place 4-to-7 days after placement of the child with you. For older children this meeting may be scheduled 15 to 30 days after placement.

After ICBF determines that your family has bonded sufficiently, one spouse (in the case of a married couple) may return to the U.S. The following day, our legal representative will file documents with Family Court, and 4 to 20 days later the judge signs a decree of adoption.

The following business day a passport for your child is obtained, and a medical exam, which is required for the U.S. Consulate, is performed. The next business day (excluding Fridays), you will have an interview at the U.S. Consulate in Bogota. The purpose of this appointment is review of your adoption documents and to obtain approval for your child to travel to the U.S. Later that same day or the next business day your child's visa may be picked up and you may return home to the U.S.

La Vida will make all of your travel and in-country arrangements for you. We will arrange your flights to and from Colombia, as well as all of your in-country ground transportation in Colombia. We will also make hotel or guesthouse arrangements for you. Time for sightseeing and shopping is arranged in-country for your convenience. La Vida provides families with full preparation for travel including a one-on-one travel preparation session, a handbook that informs you what to expect each step of the way, general information about international travel, Colombian culture, your child's adjustment, and what to take along with you.

Post Placement Requirements:  Four post-placement visits at 3, 9, 15 and 21 months after your return to the United States are required. The purpose of these visits is to offer support to your family, and to gather basic health, development and adjustment information about your child. This information is compiled and forwarded to the Colombian adoption officials to assure them that the children who have come to the United States are healthy, happy and thriving with their new families.

Program Fees: Adoption of a child from Colombia is one of the least expensive international adoption programs from central and South America available today. The estimated overall cost of the adoption program for married couples is approximately $16,000 plus ancillary service costs for home study, post placement, USCIS processing and document certification and authentication. Please see the fee schedule and example of typical costs of an adoption from Colombia for detailed fee/cost information.  To download an application please click here.