INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION

March, 2002

DISCLAIMER: The information in this circular relating to the legal requirements of a specific foreign country is provided for general information only. Questions involving interpretation of specific foreign laws should be addressed to foreign legal counsel.

GENERAL: The following is a guideline for U.S. citizens who are interested in adopting a child in Australia and applying for an immigrant visa for the child to come to the United States. This process involves complex foreign and U.S. legal requirements. U.S. consular officers give each petition careful consideration on a case-by-case basis to ensure that the legal requirements of both countries have been met, for the protection of the prospective adoptive parent(s), the biological parents(s) and the child. Interested U.S. citizens are strongly encouraged to contact U.S. consular officials in Sydney before formalizing an adoption agreement to ensure that appropriate procedures have been followed which will make it possible for the Embassy(Consulate) to issue a U.S. immigrant visa for the child.

AUSTRALIAN ADOPTION AUTHORITY: The government office responsible for adoptions in Australia is the Department of Community Services.

AUSTRALIAN ADOPTION PROCEDURES: The first step for local and inter-country adoptions is to purchase an information package from the Department of Community Services (DCS). The cost is $41AUD and is available from the Adoption Services Branch, Department of Community Services, P.O. Box 3485, Parramatta, NSW 2124. You may also contact this agency by telephone, 61-2-9865-5906, and by e-mail, adoption@community.nsw.gov.au.

If after reading the material you remain interested in adoption, you must complete the "Expression of Interest" form included in the information package. The Department of Community Services (DCS) recommends that you make yourself aware of all the adoption information before submitting your Expression of Interest.

As children become available for adoption, DCS will select prospective parents based on the submitted Expression of Interest forms. If you are selected you will be invited to attend an adoption preparation seminar. Following the completion of this seminar you will have the opportunity to submit a formal adoption application. The application forms will be provided at the conclusion of the Adoption Preparation Seminar.

If you are interested in Special Needs Adoptions (i.e. children with significant physical and/or intellectual disabilities; children who present behavioral or emotional challenges) you should contact the DCS Adoption Services Branch directly.

AGE AND CIVIL STATUS REQUIREMENTS: Prospective parents must be the age of majority. They need not be married.

ADOPTION AGENCIES AND ATTORNEYS: DCS has licensed three private agencies in New South Wales:

Centacare Adoption Services
9 Alexandria Avenue
Croydon, NSW 2132
Tel: 61-2-9745-3133

Anglicare Adoption Services
19A Gibbons Street
Telopea, NSW 2117
Tel: 61-2-9890-6855

Barnados Australia Adoptions (specializing in the placement of older children aged 2-12 years who are emotionally demanding. They work only with people who live within an 80km radius of Sydney.)
1664 Bay Street
Ultimo, NSW 2007
Tel: 61-2-9281-5510

AUSTRALIAN DOCUMENTARY REQUIREMENTS: Contact the Department of Community Services or one of the licensed agencies.

DOCTORS: The U.S. Consulate General in Sydney maintains current lists of doctors and sources for medicines, should either you or your child experience health problems while in Australia.

AUSTRALIAN EMBASSY IN THE UNITED STATES:

The Embassy of Australia
1601 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel.: (202) 797-3000
Fax: (202) 797-3209

Australia also maintains Consulate Generals and Consulates in the following U.S. cities: Atlanta, Boston, Denver, Honolulu, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

U.S. CONSULATE GENERAL - SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA:

U.S. Consulate General
American Citizen Services
MLC Centre, 59th Floor
19-29 Martin Place
Sydney, NSW 2000
Tel: 61-2-9373-9200
Fax: 61-2-9373-9184

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Prospective adoptive parents are strongly encouraged to consult BCIS publication M-249, The Immigration of Adopted and Prospective Adoptive Children, as well as the Department of State publication, International Adoptions.

QUESTIONS: Specific questions regarding adoption in Australia may be addressed to the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in Sydney. You may also contact the Office of Children's Issues, SA-29, 2201 C Street, NW, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC 20520-2818, telephone 1-888-407-4747 with specific questions.

Information is also available 24 hours a day from several sources:

Telephone

Office of Children's Issues - Recorded information regarding changes in adoption procedures and general information, 1-888-407-4747.

State Department Visa Office - Recorded information concerning immigrant visas for adoptive children, (202) 663-1225.

Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services in the Department of Homeland Security - Recorded information for requesting immigrant visa application forms, 1-800-870-FORM (3676).

Internet - The Consular Affairs web site at: http://travel.state.gov contains international adoption information flyers and the International Adoptions brochure.

Other information:

Consular Information Sheets - published by the State Department and available for every country in the world, providing information such as the location of the U.S. Embassy, health conditions, political situations, and crime reports. The information is available 24 hours a day by calling the State Department's Office of Overseas Citizens Services at (202) 647-5225. The information is updated as new information becomes available, and is also accessible through the Internet web site, as above.