WHY ADOPT FROM POLAND?                  A licensed adoption agency, which is named Adoption Plus, Inc. ( API ) may handle many of the legal formalities in Poland and help the prospective adoptive parents communicate with the proper Polish authorities before they travel to Poland for the adoption hearing.            By Polish Law, there are no restrictions on the number of children already living in the home.            Under Polish law, there are no formal, legal restrictions on the age of prospective adoptive parents. In practice, however, prospective adoptive parents may be up to 40 years older than the child.

         Spouses must adopt the child jointly. Single (prior divorce is acceptable) prospective parents and non-Catholics are also permitted to adopt a child in Poland.

         According to the Polish laws, every prospective parent has the right for additional pre-adoption medical examination of the child conducted by a private physician ( including blood tests etc.).

         The Polish international adoption program itself is fairly quick but the timetable is only an estimate and may vary based on how quickly a family completes their application and home study process.

         The entire time frame from the moment of arrival to Poland to returning with the child to the United States is usually about 3 weeks.

         All of the children reside in orphanages. Both boys and girls are available, as well as occasionally sibling groups. If parents are open to the adoption of siblings, they should have all their paperwork approved for 2 children. .

         Recent U.S. immigrant visa statistics reflect the following pattern for visa issuance to orphans (IR-3 and IR-4 combined):*

FY-1993: 70 FY-1994: 94 FY-1995: not available  FY-1996: 64 FY-1997: 78 FY-1998: 77  FY-1999: not available

FY-2000: 83 FY-2001: 86 FY-2002: 101 FY-2003: 97 FY-2004: 102 FY-2005: 73 FY-2006: 67

         *Immediate Relative (IR)-3 visas are issued to orphans adopted in Polish. IR-4 visas are issued to orphans adopted or re-adopted in the United States. The visa requirements and paperwork are substantially the same.

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         Poland (Polish: Polska), officially the Republic of Poland (Polish: Rzeczpospolita Polska), is a country in Northern Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine and Belarus to the east; and the Baltic Sea, Lithuania and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north. The total area of Poland is 312,679 km? (120,728 sq mi), making it the 69th largest country in the world. Poland's population is over 38.5 million people, concentrated mainly in large and medium cities.

The first Polish state was baptized in 966, within territory similar to the present boundaries of Poland. Poland became a kingdom in 1025, and in 1569 it cemented a long association with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania by uniting to form the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Commonwealth collapsed in 1795.

       Poland regained its independence in 1918 after World War I but lost it again in World War II, occupied by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, emerging several years later as a communist country within the Eastern Bloc under the control of the Soviet Union. In 1989, communist rule was overthrown and Poland became what is informally known as the "Third Polish Republic." Poland is the 31st most populous country in the world. Poland is a liberal democracy made up of sixteen voivodeships (Polish: wojewodztwo). Poland is also a member of NATO, OECD and the EU.

          Upon acceptance of a child referral, applicants will sign a child acceptance agreement. The overseas agency will be notified by Adoption Plus, Inc., and the required adoption documentation will be submitted to the appropriate Polish court. The family will travel to Poland for the completion of the legal process and to receive the child. Approximately three weeks total time necessary in Poland. Two trips to Poland may sometimes be necessary before all requirements are completed.

         ADOPTED CHILDREN MUST BE REGISTERED WITH THE LOCAL POLISH CONSULATE WITHIN 30 DAYS OF ARRIVING HOME.

         Parents must send a post placement report ( PPR ) annually after adoption until the child reaches the age of 18.

Poland, as many other countries, does not permit pre-identification of children. The child identification process is done once the Public Adoptive-Guardian Center grants permission to adopt in Poland. Children available for adoption include toddlers from 14 months of age or older and special needs children. The family will travel to Poland for the completion of the legal process and to receive the child.

         The following is a typical schedule for international adoption in Poland based on approximately 3.5 weeks for one trip in Poland ( the time frame may vary depending on a number of factors ).

         Note: Due to the nature of international adoption, all information contained on this webpage is subject to change without notice.

Printing friendly version of Polish Child Adoption Program for non-residents of the state of New York

Printing friendly version of Polish Child Adoption Program for residents of the state of New York

Polish Embassy and Consulates in the United States

Bureau of Consular Affairs

U.S. Embassy in Poland

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

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