Colombia

SPENCE-CHAPIN BEGAN ITS ADOPTION PROGRAM IN COLOMBIA IN 1994, when we were approved by Instituto Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar (ICBF), the Family Welfare Institute that oversees adoptions there. We are pleased to offer several options for families wanting to adopt from Colombia. First, Spence-Chapin works directly with ICBF for the placement of children who are currently under their care. In addition, our agency works with small private orphanages, approved by ICBF, to place children for adoption internationally.

Colombia is located in northwestern South America and is defined by lush rainforests, urban areas, sprawling plains and mountainous regions. It is one of the largest and most populous countries in South America, making it both ethnically and culturally diverse.

Program Requirements and Specifics

Married couples in which the primary caregiver is 38-years-old or younger are eligible to adopt Colombian children up to age 3.
Couples between 39 to 41-years-old eligible to adopt children between ages 3 and 5.
Couples between 42 to 44-years-old eligible to adopt children from Colombia who are between ages 5 and 7.
Couples over 44-years-old eligible to adopt children 7-years-old and above.
Single men and women eligible for older and waiting children as well.
Married couples must have lived together for at least 2 years.
Applicants who have physical health issues that impair their daily lives or impact their life span are not eligible.
Applicants will need to participate in a psychological study and are not eligible if they have been diagnosed with a mental illness.
Applicants cannot have a criminal background, including any arrests or convictions. Minor legal infractions in the distant past will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Children in Need of Homes

Both boys and girls are available for adoption from Colombia. Children usually range in age from newborn to teenaged. Sibling groups, particularly of older children, and children of all ages with special needs are also in need of adoptive homes. Children are primarily cared for in institutions, and older children are occasionally in foster care.

Timing and Travel: From Application to Homecoming

Timing: The current wait for a referral after your dossier is sent to Colombia is up to four years for children under 3 years of age. The wait for referral is shorter for older and waiting children (including sibling groups) and for families holding a Colombian birth certificate or cedula.
Referral: At the time of referral, you will receive a photograph and psychosocial/medical report about the child who has been matched with your family.
Travel: Single adoptive parents or both members of a couple will travel to Colombia soon after acceptance of referral and you will be escorted throughout the entire process in country. You will stay in Colombia for 4 to 6 weeks, but one parent can leave after 1 to 2 weeks when the adoption is finalized. You should plan to travel to the region where your child lives and to end your trip in Bogotá.
Post Adoption: Upon returning home, your child will be an automatic citizen of the U.S. and you will receive a certificate of citizenship in the mail. Colombia requires reports three months after your child comes home and every six months thereafter for two years. These reports must be written by the social worker based on an office visit with your family. For out-of-state families, the local agency provides this service. Spence-Chapin will also provide you with information about our Adoption Resource Center (ARC), which offers on-going support services throughout the lifetime of your family, and is available to you free for one year after placement.

Families Outside of the NY/NJ Metro Area

Spence-Chapin welcomes families from all areas of the country to adopt through our program in Colombia. Families outside the NY/NJ metro area will work with an agency in their local area in addition to Spence-Chapin. Networking benefits families by allowing them to work with Spence-Chapin's well-established international programs while accessing direct service from a social worker in their area. Spence-Chapin collaborates with other reputable adoption agencies to help families wishing to adopt from Colombia. For more information about networking and a list of Spence-Chapin Network Agencies, click on the link or contact our International Inquiry Coordinator at 212-400-8150.

Humanitarian Aid to Colombia

Spence-Chapin has a commitment to the children in Colombia who may not find permanent homes through adoption. In the spring of 2009 we were thrilled to launch our newest Granny Program at the Fundacion Nina Maria's, a children's home in the town of Chia, Colombia. It has seen rapid success largely because the grannies, as well as the orphanage staff, have wholeheartedly embraced the program. Like Spence-Chapin, Nina Maria staff recognizes how critical it is for the young children in their care to experience consistent one-on-one attachment.

Spence-Chapin also helps to support the maternity shelter at Los Chiquitines, an orphanage located in Cali, Colombia. At this residence, Colombian birth mothers are provided with prenatal care and counseling as they make plans for their child's future. The maternity shelter also offers job training for mothers preparing to enter the workforce. We additionally help to fund a youth soccer program at Los Chiquitines and have provided many other donations to this orphanage during our longstanding partnership.

To learn more about our humanitarian aid programs and how you can support them, please view our Helping Children Abroad page.

Cost Guidelines

There are four categories of fees and expenses that adoptive families should anticipate when considering an international adoption. For an explanation of these, please refer to the Understanding Fees and Expenses page. Included in these fees is a separate foreign country program fee which varies. For Colombia it is $3,855. Families are also encouraged to make donations to help support the work of the orphanages.

Celebration for Children Adopted Internationally

Every year the agency hosts parties for Spence-Chapin families formed through international adoption. Families come together to celebrate with traditional food, crafts, and entertainment, which offers children an opportunity to explore their common heritage. For information about this year's celebration, please contact Spence-Chapin's Events Hotline at 212-360-0274.

ICBF website: http://icbf.gov.co/Noticias/index.html

Colombia's

Los Chiquitines

A bright and welcoming bedroom at the Los Chiquitines Maternity Shelter in Cali, Colombia.

410 East 92nd Street, New York, NY 10128 212.369.0300