Child Adoption in Poland?

My brother adopted twins from Poland, my sister adopted 3 girls, one from Poland and two from Russia, and I've helped several families adopt children from Poland, so I know a lot about this.

Krysia, since you adopted children in Poland - is it true that a foreigner (even a Pole with Polish citizenship, but permanently living abroad - not in Poland) cannot adopt a "100% healty child" -- only with some kind of a "defect" (I know it's not a proper word to describe a baby, but don't know how to write it in another way).. My colleague adopted a child and she told me that that's the Polish regulation.

I am not sure Krysia said she adopted,,but maybe her Brother,,Any-how,,if I may answer,, Healthy Polish children can be adopted in Poland ,, I know first hand my 3 children are the most beautiful children Adopted from Poland. The laws are pretty clear on that (Polish governments try to help children, especially those that are "unwanted" due to their illness or something).

Hmm - so I'm not sure why my colleague claimed (and I believe her) that the adoption agency in Poland did not allow her to "choose" a baby from those that had no health issues... Maybe they tried her to pay a bribe or something..

Well it may be because,, Poles have the first chance to Adopt children from Poland,, and Generally opt to Adopt Healthy Girls,,, Babies and children under 2 are Generally Adopted or given first chance by Poles to adopt before these children can be adopted any other place other than Poland..

I think you are right then, yusen. If that's fair - that's another story... I believe many children have not be adopted just because of this "rule". On the other hand, impaired children have the right to happily live too (even more than the healthy ones). So while I don't like this Polish adoption rule, I now feel it's not that unfair after all.

Well some People in the Adoption Forums may agree that it is unfair to them,,, because families and couples that want a child to adopt from Poland, wait a long time,,Sometimes referral's offered to them are ones,,in which children have slight medical issues, such as ADD, or crossed or lazy eye etc,, and many International couples wait a bit longer than a couple from Poland would..,,

Those are the rules, Yes, but it depends on who you know. !!!
For example. My brother adopted twins. A boy and a girl. The adoption agency and the doctor, who worked for us, said the girl - who was healthy - had an enlarged head, which made her adoptable according to their rules. She was born with water in her brain, but it wasn't serious and went away. She and her brother are now 16 years old. Happy and healthy.

My sister adopted a girl. The rules also state that you have to be married, she wasn't. So the staff had a meeting with her and decided they will let her adopt. The girl she adopted was placed first in a Polish home, but the people didn't care for her properly and was returned to the orphanage. And they also stated that something was wrong with her, in order to follow the rules.

One family adopted 3 children, another 2 girls, and another 3 boys. All healthy.
It all comes down to who you know.
It's easier to adopt 2 or 3 siblings together and older children because they are harder to place in homes in Poland.

That's interesting... So when you write "who you know" - do you mean how much extra you're going to pay (sort of a bribe)? Because I don't think just knowing someone would help without any "material incentives"... At least this is how I imagine it and - having lived long enough - I'm not very surprised if that's really the case.

Krysia is correct that adopting sibling groups are easier to be considred for Adoption,, We worked with a Great Agency,,and since she herself Adopted children From Poland ,, She has been asked if she could be a Liason in the U.S.. to help them find Wonderful Familes to Adopt in Poland,, so yes it could be who you know as well.

Thanks. From what I've heard the cost may be as hight as $US 8K per child. Is it true..?

We never paid per child,, nor even for our children,, We paid for all the necessary paperwork ,, Lawyer ,, etc..

Sorry - I meant the cost of adoption per child.

We know the director of the orphanage personally. We didn't have to bribe her. She was actually glad these children went to the US, because the air is healthier and the families that adopted them had to show their income which proved that they were capable of giving them the best opportunities in life. That's why they want foreigners to adopt unhealthy children, because the doctors in the US are more advanced in medicine than in Poland.

With us,,it was the same cost for 3 as was for 1 child,, Nearly 25k

Well, I agree, but I think they first need to do a little more research though. I sometimes hate it when Poles stereotype America as the land where the money lay on the streets. They should realize that while the medical technologies are the most sophisticated in the world, about 40% of Americans cannot afford a health insurance. I don't have one either...

Krysia is the Director you know in Poland from a Catholic Orphanage??

The prices vary depending on the age of the child and how many you adopt and who you know.
They can range anywhere from $4.000 for an older child to about $7.000. But that does not include the necessary paperwork such as translations, home studies, travel, etc.

Manuscrpit,,I totally agree with you,, Most Govenmental's < ( if such a word ) think all Americans have money and that we have money to burn. We were asked more than once in court if we were sure we wanted to adopt these children,, and if we had enough money to support them..

No. she's from a state owned one. Why? Do catholic ones have different regulations and prices?

Yusen, that's how it is in developing countries like Poland. To tell you the truth, overall they gain a lot less than they would have if they didn't think their nation is the only and the best in the world. I'm of Polish origin myself but this is how I view Poland after several visits...

I knw that Orphanages in different regions of Poland have different regulations,, Some Catholic Orphaanges in different regions have diffrent regualtions,, such as during Bonding,,children may have to return to the orphanage at a certain time,, and other Orphanages the children may stay with you the whole time,,,Certain paperwork is different between the 4 orphanages our agency worked with..

So may I know how it's possible that there are so many differences in the fees? If Yusen paid 25K and Krysia 7K per one adoption in Poland...?

Manuscript,, In my own 2 eye s I noticed that the construction workers still wore the ole-fashioned overalls,, and were carrying brick,by brick through this plastic tube made of sawed off plastic buckets that were stacked on top of each other,, I think that they need alot of Modernized help as far as how things are made there,,they may keep it the slow 1920's way for job security,, I spent a total of 6 weeks there returning just 1 month ago,, and Poland is beautiful just so sad to see many homeless with small children.

The Differences are Lawyer fees,, and court fees,, and our middle man The Agency..

Wow, that's a big difference though. So doing a detailed research should help for sure...

If you go through an agency, they will charge you more. You pay them that $20.000 and they will take care of all the necessary paperwork for you.

Home studies are not cheap. They can cost anywhere from $1.000 and up. Translations, a trip to Poland, where you have to stay for about 3 weeks, cost of renting an apartment while there, paperwork, filing the documents with Polish Goverment, passports, visas - all add up. I only gave you the cost of adopting a child.

If you are considering an Adoption in Poland I would do alot of research,,on either finding a Lawyer in Poland or a reputable Agency

Krysia knows her stuff!!

I was just there at the right time.
I know a guy who adopted a girl from Russia. He paid $20.000 and that included everything. The translations, accomodations, travel, home studies, etc.
When my brother and sister adopted, they stayed with family in Poland so that didn't cost anything.

We didnt have any family there,, and was not recommended that we stayed with any family members while out there for the bonding process because they were afraid that the Polishto people would brag that thier relative was adopting,, and word would get out,, and a way distant relative would come forward and try to stop the adoption,, a relative such as a cousin of a cousin of a cousin etc..

Yes, bonding is important. My aunt had a vacant apartment where that bonding did occur with the new parents. But some people tend to keep quiet about adopting afraid of what others will say. Some think it's a beautiful thing, while others say they don't want to raise somebody else's child.

These "new parents" had to actually make two trips to Poland. The first time they got to know the child, they were allowed to take it out for the day and bring it back. Then the second time they were to stay at least 3 weeks and keep the child with them.

So it's not a cheap process, and you have to be able to get off work for these 3 weeks.

Yes, Poland is a little narrow-minded on some issues.
I had a talk with a Polish woman yesterday about adoption. She said that in Poland you would not dare say that your child is adopted because it would be treated as a disease and kids would laugh and point fingers at it.

In America it's just the opposite. An adopted child is someone very special and receives better treatment.