INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION

Former President Eduard Shevardnadze signed amendments on September 25, 2003, to the Georgian adoption law that discontinued directed adoptions, the most popular way U.S. citizens adopted from the Republic of Georgia. The amendments change the laws under which intercountry adoptions will be handled and mandate a minimum six-month waiting period between the time that a child is relinquished for adoption and the time he/she can be approved for an intercountry adoption. The Georgian adoption law is currently being revised again and is expected to be signed in September. Orphanage adoptions continue to be allowed. We will post a new flyer on adoption procedures in the Republic of Georgia when that information becomes available.