China
Guatemala
Russia
Vietnam
India
EthiopiaBefore we tell you who must travel, it is important you know that the international travel is usually a highlight of our families' adoption experience. This is true even though many of our families begin the adoption process hoping they don't have to travel. Some of our families are concerned about the food in foreign countries, while others are wondering if they will be safe. And even when our families plan on traveling, it is often with fear and anxiety. Please take the time to ask some of the families listed on our Reference Page about their travel.
Travel requirements vary for the different countries. As a general rule, if you are single you must travel. If you are married, some countries will allow one or both of a married couple to travel, while other countries require both husband and wife to travel. Also, some countries will allow an escort to bring your child to the United States. We discourage escorts because at some point in your child's life, he/she is going to want to know his/her birth country and we feel it's important that you can say that you have been there.
Our China families usually travel in groups to China for their adoptions where they are met by our China staff. When you travel in China, our China staff travels with you, stays at the same hotels, accompanies you to all appointments, and assists with paperwork.
In Russia, most of our families stay at our Coordinator's home where there are usually three adopting families present at one time. The home has satellite TV, VCR, books, and board games, and a fabulous cook.
For Guatemala, our families typically travel one at a time but usually stay at American hotels where there may be other U.S. parents adopting from Guatemala also staying.
For Vietnam, you usually travel to Vietnam by yourself but will be met by our Vietnamese Coordinator and often staying at hotels with other Americans adopting at the same time.
For India, you will have a choice between a number of nice hotels for your short stay in India. The most important thing to remember is that all of our adopting parents are met and escorted during their entire stay in a foreign country.
Here are some web sites you might consider checking out to help you learn more about China, Russia, Guatemala, Vietnam, India, and Ethiopia:
Please contact us if you have any other travel web sites to recommend for this page.
