Intercountry adoptions are very complex
because they must follow laws set out by:
·
provincial and territorial governments
·
the Government of Canada, and
·
the country of adoption.
We make sure that immigration or
citizenship requirements
have been met before granting permanent status to an adoptive child. For more
information on the process, read about CIC’s role
Be cautious
– adopting a child from overseas can be complicated
Sometimes, prospective parents try to
speed up the process by taking matters into their own hands. Although the vast
majority of adoptions progress smoothly, adoptive parents should use caution
throughout the process.
You should contact the government of
the province or territory you live in to obtain the most up-to-date information
about the adoption process, and to ensure that the adoption meets all their
requirements.
To avoid unnecessary expense and
disappointment, adoptive parents should not plan to return to Canada with the
adopted child until they know for certain that all immigration or citizenship
requirements have been met.
Don’t let
this happen to you
The following stories are based on real experiences of
intercountry adoptions. They are meant to demonstrate some of the problems that
can arise in the process. These types of situations may be avoided by
contacting your province or territory of residence to obtain the most
up-to-date information about the adoption process.
Disclaimer
The families described are not real. The names are
fictitious and the stories may combine details from several adoption cases.
Pierre and
Maria’s story
Like many couples who decide to adopt,
Pierre and Maria had been trying to conceive for several years.
They began the process of adopting a
child overseas and were told they could be matched with a child in two years.
But Pierre and Maria did not want to wait any longer to have a child, as they
had already experienced such a long, frustrating and emotional journey.
A friend who worked in a hospital
overseas told them about a baby who was abandoned by his mother and offered to
help the couple adopt him. She assured Pierre and Maria that she had many
contacts in the local government and could help them with the paperwork.
Pierre and Maria decided to bring the
abandoned child to Canada in order to adopt him in their province. Over the
next several months, they received pictures of the baby, furnished his room,
and bought him clothing and toys. Pierre filled out many forms, including the
CIC forms to sponsor the child for permanent residence in Canada, and his
friend helped with the paperwork on the child’s end.
Once they thought all of the paperwork
was in order, Pierre and Maria scheduled the next flight to the country where
the baby was. The long-awaited moment to meet the boy had arrived, and their
dream of having a family was about to come true.
Meanwhile at the local Canadian visa
office, Janine, a visa officer had been working on the couple’s adoption file.
Although Pierre and Maria had submitted what they thought was the necessary
documents, Janine had serious concerns about the child’s history.
When Pierre and Maria arrived at the
visa office with the child in tow, expecting to get a visa within days, Janine
had to inform the couple of the visa refusal. She explained that without the
proper documents, there was no way of proving that the child was legally
available for adoption. She had no choice but to deny their application.
Stunned, disappointed and angry, Pierre
and Maria returned home childless.
Stefan and
Nicole’s story
Stefan and Nicole had been researching
adoption agencies online for several months before selecting one that promised
quick and efficient intercountry adoptions. Unbeknownst to Stefan and Nicole,
many cases handled by their chosen agency were under investigation.
Stefan and Nicole eagerly proceeded
with the adoption process and provided the agency with the necessary documents.
Soon after, the agency informed the couple that they had been matched with a
little girl. The agency mailed pictures to Stefan and Nicole, who were ecstatic
to share their good news with family and friends. A few months later they
received an update from the agency on the status of the adoption and they
booked the next flight to meet the little girl and pick up her visa.
Upon arrival, Stefan and Nicole could
not wait to meet the little girl and bring her back home with them to Canada.
They arrived at the Canadian visa office, expecting to receive a valid visa for
the child. The couple was completely shocked when the visa officer told them
that the visa had not been approved.
The officer explained that the adoption
file had been poorly prepared, the documents submitted were poorly translated
and there were gaps in the information provided, which caused concern as to the
circumstances surrounding the legality of the adoption. Devastated by this
news, Stefan and Nicole were informed that they would have to re-submit certain
documents through the host country’s judicial or adoption system. They were
also informed that the process could take another few months. The officer would
also need to investigate.
In order to avoid further disappointment
and expense, the visa officer suggested that Stefan and Nicole wait to hear
news from the visa office that all requirements were met before returning for
the visa.
After months of having waited for their
little girl, Stefan and Nicole returned to Canada without her.
Seven months later, Stefan and Nicole
received the news they had been waiting for. Their little girl’s visa was
ready. They booked the next flight and were finally able to meet her. From that
point the process went smoothly, and a week later Stefan and Nicole were back
in Canada with their new daughter.
Elena and
Brian’s story
Elena and Brian had been keen on
adopting a child from within their province. They had started the preliminary
work for the application process when they came across an adoption agency
specializing in intercountry adoptions, which promised faster adoption times.
Hopeful and eager to start their family, Elena and Brian turned to intercountry
adoption.
The agency soon matched Elena and Brian
with a two-year-old girl and assured them a quick and simple process. They were
told that they could expect to bring the little girl home in less than six
months. Excited by this news, Elena and Brian spent the next months completing
the necessary home study, gathering the required documents, finalizing the
financial commitments, and getting their house ready in time for the child’s
arrival.
A week before the flight to go meet the
child, Elena and Brian contacted the Canadian visa office to ensure the paper
work was complete. They were then told that the file was not ready and that it
was under investigation.
The visa office told them that there
were concerns with the accuracy of the information provided on the birth
certificate as well as serious concerns about how the child had come to be
available for adoption, and that they were looking into the possibility of
child trafficking. The visa office explained that in cases of potential child
trafficking, additional verifications must be done to ensure the best interests
of the child are respected.
Under the impression that the child had
been abandoned as an infant, Elena and Brian were shocked by the news that this
may not be the case. They later found out that many other adoptions from that
particular country were also being held up or suspended because of fraud and
child trafficking concerns.
