Phone: (234)-9-461-4000 Age: Parents must be a minimum of 21 years older than the child they want to adopt. Once you have accepted a match of a child, your dossier will be delivered to the Morgan Hill in Nigeria who will add the child’s paperwork to your dossier and file with theMinistry for approval. As a result, investigations and the in-country visa application and approval process can cause adoption processing in Lagos to take up to six months to complete, after the initial approval of the Form I-600 by U.S. Lagos law prohibits such adoptions other than in exceptional circumstances, for example suchas a niece. Adoption is governed in Nigeria by two laws: The Child Right Act 2003 and the Adoption Law of the State where one seeks to adopt. A Family in Bloom Adoption can represent adoptive families living anywhere in the United States and indeed about 90 percent of our international adoptive families are currently outside of our home base of Colorado. This time frame may be shortened in the future. Nigerian courts, except courts in Lagos and Ogun states, only allow Nigerian citizens (dual citizens included) to adopt a child in Nigeria. Website: www.ustraveldocs.com/ng As part of its Schedule, the book has the Adoption Laws of Lagos State, Enugu State as well as the Child Rights Act which Governs the FCT. Accredited or Approved Adoption Service Provider To Act as Your Primary Provider. Depending on where the adoption takes place in Nigeria, the specific law and regulations governing the adoption may differ. While many couples or individuals are afraid of adopting illegally, she erased the fears and went through the procedures and conditions for adopting a child in Lagos State through Little Saints Orphanage home, ‘’Adoption is an enviable act of love. The Intercountry Adoption Universal Accreditation Act of 2012 requires that an accredited or approved adoption service provider act as the primary provider in every Convention or non-Convention intercountry adoption case, and that adoption service providers providing any adoption services, as defined at 22 CFR Part 96.2, on behalf of prospective adoptive parents be accredited or approved, or be a supervised or exempted provider. It must come from a desire to love a child. The following persons can apply to the Family Court for an adoption order in Lagos State: 1. The Obama Administration’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) is a signature effort to invest in the next generation of African leaders. Find the closest American Space in Nigeria where you can connect with the U.S. Learn more about quality higher-education opportunities in the U.S. that you will not find anywhere else in the world. All rights reserved. ADOPTION PROCESS IN LAGOS Overview According to Wikipedia, Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting of another, usually a child, from that person’s biological or legal parent or parents, and, in so doing, permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities, along with filiation, from the biological parent or parents. Along the way, there are many points where adoption laws will have an effect on your child's adoption. The steps involved in the adoption of a child in Nigeria are: (a) Go ahead and submit a formal letter of request which must be submitted to a competent court. The Lagos State, Nigeria Program is a wonderful opportunity for families in a country where there are many children in need of loving, permanent homes. Courts in Nigeria do not allow proxy adoptions (whereby prospective adoptive parents appear in court via an intermediary) to minimize document and identity fraud concerns related to adoptions. It maintains that the children are not for sale and that the fee is purely administrative. It must be because we want to raise a child for God as a demonstration of our love for God. Prospective adoptive parents are advised to obtain information on adopting in individual states through the state social welfare office. Birth certificates. Children adopted abroad will enter as full citizens of the US. USCIS determines who is suitable and eligible to adopt a child from another country and bring that child to live in the United States under U.S. immigration law. 6. Apply for the child to be found eligible for orphan status. For travel to the United States on a temporary basis, including tourism, temporary employment, study and exchange. The Adoption Law of Lagos State is contained in Chapter A5, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2003 and was signed into Law by Governor Bola Tinubu. If you have concerns about your intercountry adoption process, we ask that you share this information with the U.S. Consulate in Lagos, particularly if it involves possible fraud or misconduct specific to your child’s case. Our agency has formal partnerships with over forty agencies in other states already and contacts with a score of others to provide the necessary services to our out-of-state families. Apply for Your Child to be Found Eligible to Immigrate to the United States as an Orphan . Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), part of the Department of Homeland Security. Through adoption & fostering, you can help a child develop and grow up to be an accepted member of the society. The U.S.-Nigeria Bi-national Commission is a strategic dialogue designed to expand mutual cooperation across a broad range of shared interests. The Department of State takes all allegations of fraud or misconduct seriously. A Family in Bloom Adoption is privileged to be one of a select few agencies approved and permitted by contractual agreement to work with American families for international adoption from Lagos State. Financial documentation. Monday To Friday except declared Nigerian and U.S. 4. Bring your child home. Email: support-nigeria@ustraveldocs.com Prospective adoptive parents must also have the child they want to adopt in their home (in Nigeria) for a period of several months to several years before they will be able to obtain an adoption in Nigeria. Morgan Hill Children Foundation (MOHIC), an established Nigerian non-profit dedicated to humanitarian and child advocacy work, has been designated by the Lagos Ministry of Social Welfare to process and administer all international adoptions. Adopt the Child in Nigeria (or Obtain Legal Custody of the Child for Purposes of Emigration and Adoption) 5. (b) You will be invited for an interview and asked the reason why you want to adopt a child. Business Hours: Working hours are from 0800 to 1230 hrs; 1330 to 1600 hrs. For security reasons U.S. government personnel are frequently restricted from traveling to certain parts of the country. • Unmarried couples are discouraged from adopting, although the … Once your CIS approval has been received and a child is available for you, you will receive a referral of a child in Nigeria. Minimum Residency: There is no specific minimum residence requirement to be eligible to adopt in Nigeria, however, prospective adoptive parents maybe required to stay in Nigeria for a minimum of a few months to two years to bond with the child before petitioning a court to adopt. These stipulations may prevent the consular officer from issuing an immigrant visa or cause a delay in the processing of the immigrant visa. This step is required by U.S. law for all international adoptions to the U.S. from countries not party to the Hague Convention. Call Center no. But here are what it takes to adopt a child in Nigeria. The court order for the release of the child will be issued and the parent adopting the child would be allowed to take the child for a probational period of three months 7. As is the case with all international adoptions to the US, at least one of the adoptive parents must have American citizenship and the other parent, a US permanent residency card. An adoption order is an order that names individuals who adopt a child, as the child’s legal parents. If you think your provider’s conduct may not have been in compliance with accreditation standards, first submit your complaint in writing directly to your provider. In this post we will quickly take a look at how to adopt a child in Nigeria. Courts may also waive or amend any or all of these provisions on a case by case basis if it is deemed in the best interest of the child. Be matched with a child. child’s rights law 2007. a law to enforce the rights and advance the welfare of the child, and to amend and consolidate all legislations relating to the protection and welfare of the child in lagos state and for other connected and incidental purposes (28th may 2007) commencement. The Complaint Registry is an internet based registry for filing complaints about U.S. accredited or approved adoption service providers. Adopt (or gain custody of) the child in Nigeria. The Lagos State, Nigeria Program is a wonderful opportunity for families in a country where there are many children in need of loving, permanent homes. The following persons can apply to the Family Court for an adoption order in Lagos State: 1. The office which is located in the Complex of the Government Offices in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos (block 18), where you will be put through series of interviews. So we recommend pure, unconditional love to adopters who wish to adopt a child from TAF. To bring an adopted child to the United States from Nigeria, you must meet certain suitability and eligibility requirements. The U.S. Consulate in Lagos only issues IR3 classification immigrant visas for adoption applicants originating from a Nigerian state that recognizes adoption as a legal transfer of parental rights. Additionally, a child must meet the definition of orphan under U.S. immigration law in order to be eligible to immigrate to the United States on an IR-3 or IR-4 immigrant visa. police report. For foreign citizens who want to live permanently in the United States. In April 2016, the Ministry stated it will no longer require PAPs to be Nigerian citizens or of Nigerian descent in order to pursue an intercountry adoption of a Nigerian child in Lagos State. A married couple, where both have attained the age of 25 years and there is an order authorizing them to adopt a child… E. Single (unmarried) persons below the age of thirty-five (35) years are not eligible to adopt. Immigrant Visa for Your Child and Bring Your Child Home. Many adoptive parents find it important to find support after the adoption. Nigeria is not a party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention or Convention). Divorce decrees (if applicable) Proof of Nigerian citizenship. Lagos, Akwa Ibom, and Cross Rivers have different regulations for their adoption process than the other Nigerian States. Every child is a gift from God. Adoption is governed in Nigeria by two laws, The Child Rights Act 2003 and the Adoption law of the State. Due to adoption fraud and child buying concerns, the U.S. Consulate completes the Form I-604, Determination on Child for Adoption, commonly referred to as the orphan determination, to verify the authenticity of the information provided in the adoption decree and with the Form I-600 petition. ... And on July 12 – in a courtroom in Lagos, Nigeria – the adoption was legally recognized. The Child's Right Act, 2003 provides for adoption of a child in Nigeria. Please note that the Lagos adoption office that partners with LMI continues to be open for work activities and all other ongoing paperwork for LMI families and our families will continue to receive attention. The first legal step in adoption is the termination of the parental rights of a child's birthparents. Please review each step carefully before proceeding with an adoption to ensure that the adoption is conducted in conformity with both U.S. and Nigerian law. The Adoption Law of Lagos State applies only to the adoption of a person unuder the age of seventeen years who is abandoned,or whose parents and other relatives are unknown or cannot be traced after due enquiry certified by a juvenile court. If married, both members of a married couple must be Nigerian citizens, except in Lagos and Ogun states. The children come from licensed children’s homes. It actually takes some patience to achieve this, and often it can be a bit tough. Through adoption & fostering, you can help a child develop and grow up to be an accepted member of the society. There are many public and private non-profit post-adoption services available for children and their families. Adoption is an enviable act of love. In Lagos state, the Government charges eighty thousand naira, (N80, 000.00). Please Note: The information on this webpage is a summary of the country specific information for Nigeria provided on the Department of State’s Travel.State.Gov website. House of Mercy is a Lagos based orphanage home providing child protection policies and procedures are in place to ensure children are respected, protected, empowered & active in their own protection.Staff members are skilled, confident and competent. Last week there was an announcement of the closure of the US Embassy in Lagos. It is a book that cuts across borders, a handy tool for lawyers, parents and people wishing to adopt a child. A complaint may be filed at any time, including after your child has received an immigrant visa and travelled to the United States. Alerts and Messages for U.S. visitors to Nigeria. The length of the bonding period is determined by the court at the time the child is placed with the prospective adoptive parents but is usually at least three months. Marriage certificates. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), part of … House of Mercy is a Lagos based orphanage home providing child protection policies and procedures are in place to ensure children are respected, protected, empowered & active in their own protection.Staff members are skilled, confident and competent. For Nigerian States that do not have a legal authority to complete an adoption, the U.S. Consulate in Lagos may issue an IR4 classification immigrant visa if all U.S. immigration requirements are met. An adoption order is an order that names individuals who adopt a child, as the child’s legal parents. The involvement of MOHIC should result in a more secure, legitimate and well- documented adoption process in a non-Hague Convention adoption country. Accredited or Approved Adoption Service Provider To Act as Your Primary Provider, Apply to USCIS to be Found Suitable and Eligible to Adopt (Form I-600A), Apply to Nigeria’s Authorities to Adopt, and to be Matched with a Child, Adopt the Child in Nigeria (or Obtain Legal Custody of the Child for Purposes of Emigration and Adoption), Apply for Your Child to be Found Eligible to Immigrate to the United States as an Orphan (Form I-600), Apply for a U.S. Our Adoption Comment Page provides several points of contact for adoptive families to comment on their adoption service provider, their experience applying for their child’s visa, or about the Form I-600/A process. Adoption in Nigeria To adopt a child from another country and bring that child to live in the United States, you must first be found eligible to adopt under U.S. law. Apply to be found eligible to adopt. Legal work, in country support, and translation services if needed will be provided to families during their stay abroad directly by MOHIC’s qualified staff members. WHO MAY ADOPT The provisions of the Child Rights Act 2003 which is the principal legislation regulating adoption in Nigeria, sets out the required qualifications a … This is for non-Nigerian Americans and Nigerians alike, including kinship adoptions. ADOPTION PROCESS IN LAGOS Overview According to Wikipedia, Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting of another, usually a child, from that person’s biological or legal parent or parents, and, in so doing, permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities, along with filiation, from the biological parent or parents. Your first place to visit in the process of adopting a child in Nigeria or (narrowing it down) in Lagos is the Adoption section of the Ministry of … The U.S. Mission in Nigeria encourages anyone considering adopting in Nigeria to thoroughly review the Nigeria Intercountry Adoption Information page for the most up-to-date information available. The process for adopting a child from Nigeria generally includes the following steps: Choose an adoption service provider; Apply to be found eligible to adopt; Be matched with a child Adopt (or gain custody of) the child in Nigeria; Apply for the child to be found eligible for orphan status Bring your child home 1. proof of U.S citizenship. Apply to Nigeria’s Authorities to Adopt, and to be Matched with a Child. 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