Age of Parents

Married couples and single women must be between 25-48 years old.

Marital Status

Married couples must be married at least one year. If there is a history of divorce, the current marriage must be at least 2 years. Each spouse may have no more than two divorces which will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Children in Family

Couples with four of fewer minor children and single women with two or fewer minor children are welcome to adopt from South Africa.

Income

Families must have an income of at least $15,000 per family member, including the adopted child.

Criminal History

Applicants with a criminal history will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Medical History

Applicants without a past or current diagnosis of a life-threatening or communicable disease or other condition that impairs their ability to parent and/or the quality of life of a child are eligible to adopt. All other medical conditions will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

STEP ONE

Once contracted with AGCI, your next steps are to begin your home study, education, and dossier.

STEP TWO

Once your dossier is registered, the Central Authority places families on their waiting list until a child is referred. Once information on the child is received, you will have two weeks to make an informed decision about accepting the referral of the child or children matched with your family. Wait times vary depending on your family’s openness to age, number of children and identified specialized needs.

STEP THREE

Parents travel to meet your child and finalize the adoption! In-country travel typically spans 11-17 weeks.

STEP FOUR

Welcome home! AGCI and South Africa require post-adoption reports prepared by a licensed social worker to be submitted on the 3, 6, and 12-month anniversaries of your child’s arrival into the U.S. Additional reports completed by the parents are submitted in years 2-5. AGCI is here for support throughout your child’s life—connect with us at any time for ongoing support services!

There are so many ways to fund your adoption! You can learn more about AGCI-specific grants, adoption loans, and employee benefits and more by contacting one of our experienced Adoption Advisors!

AGENCY FEES

Application: This non-refundable fee covers the cost of a review of your application to confirm your eligibility for your desired program.

U.S. Agency*: Processing expenses for AGCI include, but are not limited to, personnel costs, administrative overhead, operational costs, staff training and education, state, federal, and international licensing and accreditations, oversight and supervision of cooperating agencies, post-adoption support services, communications and insurance. The agency fee covers AGCI’s cost to facilitate your adoption with agency and government officials in the United States and abroad.

*If adopting siblings, agency fees increase.

HOME STUDY AND POST-ADOPTION

Home Study Services: These fees cover the services needed to prepare and complete your adoption home study. These fees vary depending on your home study agency.

Post-Adoption Reports: These fees cover the cost for your home study agency to provide post-adoption visits and reports upon arrival home. These fees vary depending on your home study agency.

INTERNATIONAL FEES

These fees cover the cost of facilitating an international adoption in Burundi. These fees include, but are not limited to costs related to personnel, administration, training and education, legal fees, and communications associated with government and agency authorities, government fees, and care of your child prior to the completion of your adoption. (Due with completion of dossier and referral packet as indicated on fee schedule)

FEE DISCLOSURE

All fees paid to AGCI are paid in advance of service. AGCI fees are non-refundable and may not be waived. If services are terminated and a refund is due, all refunds will be processed within 60 days of withdrawal and/or closure of the adoption file upon receiving the Adoption Termination Contract.

ADDITIONAL & THIRD-PARTY EXPENSES

Additional or third-party expenses are outlined in the provided Fee Schedule.