Cost of adoption varies based on the Foreign Adoption Agency you choose to use in your area. The Philippine cost for applicants effective February 2007 are as follows:
- Adoption Application Fee US$200.00 [non-refundable upon endorsement of the Adoption Application and Supporting Documents]
- Processing Fee US$2,000 for single placement. For siblings groups of two or more, the fee is fixed at US$3,000
- Child Care Support Fund for the Child Caring Agency is fixed at US$1,000 for a single or sibling group
- Pre-travel expenses such as cost of passport, visa, medical examination, psych evaluation, travel expenses of the child within the Philippines and for abroad (the cost varies on the country and where the child is in the Philippines).
A: No, a PAP may not choose a specific child. There are, however, only two (2) situations where the PAP could pre-identify a child(ren) :
- Relative adoption within the 4th degree of consanguinity
- Special Needs Children for Special Home Finding inclusive of a Medical Mission child who has been hosted by a family.
Yes it is possible within the parameters set by the Inter-County Adoption Board of the Philippines found in the “Guideline On the Use of Real Time Video Conferencing Between the Adoptive Families and their Adoptive Child” which was put into effect October 11, 2013. The Foreign Adoption Agency that you work with should have this in their possession from ICAB which would allow them to assist you when the time comes to Skype.
- Minimum of 3 years married or 1 year provided that the PAP can prove to the Central Authority (CA)/Foreign Adoption Agency (FAA) thaty they have been living together for at least twp (2) years prior to the relationship culminating to marriage.
- Adoptive applicant should at least be 27 years old or 16 years older than the child to be adopted at the time of the application unless the adoptive applicant is the biological parent or spouse of such parent. Maximum age gap is 45 years between child & Prospective Adoptive Parents (particularly the female PAP)
- Has undergone appropriate counseling from an accredited counselor in his/her country;
- Has not been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude;
- Is eligible to adopt under his/her national law
No, the adoptive applicants are no longer allowed to specify their gender preference. They should be open to either gender.
The matching or child referral largely depends on the stated child preference (i.e. child’s age, gender and state of health or extent of known background) of the Prospective Adoptive Parents (PAPs). This usually takes 2 to 3 years after the PAPs’ approval.
Acceptance of a special needs child or older (9 years old and above) generally shortens the waiting period for child allocation
A. John 1:12.
1. If all are children of God, why would we need to become a child of God?
2. Who are children of God?
B. 1 John 3:1.
1. Why does the world not know us?
C. What about Acts 17:28-29?
1. Paul is not thinking of the special privileges that one has as a member of God’s family, rather he is highlighting the fact that God is Creator of us all and therefore we are His offspring for we are made in His image.
A. What does adoption mean to you? Do you know anyone who has been adopted?
B. “Adoption is an act of God whereby he makes us members of his family.”[1]
C. Adoption is a judicial act in that we are given a new status, we are declared to be children of God.
D. Is adoption simply an act of justification? Why or why not?
1. Does justification necessarily imply adoption?
- a. Justification is the primary and fundamental blessing of God’s grace, but it is not the highest. It is primary in that it meets our primary spiritual need and it is fundamental in that all other blessings flow from it. But it does imply a deep intimate relationship with God. It is conceivable for God to have justified us without adopting us. In justification, God the Judge declares us righteous, in adoption, God the Father declares us His child. This is a much greater blessing.
E. Is adoption the same as regeneration?
1. God could have creatures who are spiritually alive, but are not members of His family and who therefore do not share in the privileges that come from such membership. This seems to be true of angels (note the distinction between children of God and angels in He 2:14-16).
F. It is important to see these distinctions so that we can truly see the greatness of the blessings of adoption. “To be right with God the Judge is a great thing, but to be loved and cared for By God the Father is a greater.”[2]
G. Galatians 4:4-7.
- Why did God send His Son?
- As a son, what also does God send?
- Why does God send His Spirit (Romans 8:15-16)?
- What is true of those who are adopted (v. 7, also Ro 8:17)?
A. We can relate to God as our good and loving Father. God is our Creator, Lord Master, Judge, Provider, Teacher, etc., but most intimately, He is our Father! It is because of all of those other things that we are so amazed that He is our Father.
B. Because God is our Father, we can know that He loves us with a special love that He does not have for all people.
- 1 John 3:1.
- Why is God’s love so great? Not everyone is a child of God, so what implications does this verse have?
- 1 John 4:10.
- God did not send His Son to propitiate the sins of all people, no, He sent His Son to propitiate the sins of those He loves.
- Ephesians 1:4-5.
- We are predestined “in love.” Now we know that not all are predestined for not all are saved, therefore we conclude that God has a special love for His elect that He doesn’t have for other people.
- We would be appalled if a father told his son that he didn’t love him any more than all the other children in the neighbor. We would not call him a good, loving father.
- We are not fit for God’s family, but He has chosen to adopt us and exalt us with His perfect Son, Jesus Christ.
- When one adopts, they don’t become passive after the papers are signed. No, they win the love of their new child by overwhelming that child with their love for him.
C. Because God is our Father, He understands us (Ps 103:13-14).
D. Because God is our Father He will take care of us (Mt 6:32).
E. God, as our Father, gives us good gifts (Mt 7:11).
F. The greatest gift is our salvation and the inheritance that awaits us (Ro 8:17; Ga 4:7; 1 Pe 1:4; Re 2:26-27; 3:21).
