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 General Qualifications for Adoption*
EACH COUPLE MUST:
- Have a Christian commitment. Family devotions and training a child in a Christian atmosphere are important
- Be motivated to adopt by a desire to share their lives with a child and a willingness to love that child as if it had been born to them
- Have been married for at least two years
- Be in good physical health and free from communicable disease. The use of tobacco products is absolutely prohibited
- Be at least 21 years of age and not over the age of 45 in considering an infant adoption (different age factors may apply for international cases on a country-by-country basis). If the child being considered is not an infant, it is preferable for there to be at least 18 years difference between the parents and child,
- Be financially secure
- Provide a childcare plan if both parents work outside the home,
- Have a home large enough to accommodate an additional child with generally no more than two children in each bedroom and
- Have water and sewage tested and approved by the local health department if your home is outside city limits. The home must also meet fire inspection codes with recommended smoke detectors and fire extinguisher
*These requirements may vary depending on the type of adoption (domestic or international) and which country if international.
APPLICATION AND ADOPTION PROCESS:
- Domestic/International Adoption Application – Completing the appropriate Adoption Application and accompanying forms is the first step in the application process. Click here to download the Adoption Application and forms . If you are unable to download the documents, you may request copies by contacting Brenda at 662-842-6752. The documents will be mailed to you.
- Once you have completed the Adoption Application and accompanying forms, please mail all documents with a check for the $500 processing fee to New Beginnings International Children’s & Family Services, P.O. Box 7055, Tupelo, MS 38802, ATTN: Brenda. This $500 processing fee is non-refundable. Upon receiving your application, Reference Letters will be mailed to the References that you have listed on your Adoption Application. After all Reference Letters have been returned, the adoption committee will review your Adoption Application. If your application is approved, an approval letter will be mailed to you. If your application is declined, a letter explaining the reason will be mailed to you.
- Home Study – NBICFS will arrange for a home study to be done for families residing in the states of Mississippi or Tennessee. For out-of-state families, NBICFS will offer referrals to agencies in the state of residency. We recommend National Christian Adoption Fellowship partners. Typically, if placement does not take place within a year of the date your home study was finalized, an update will be required before a placement can be made. An international home study is good for a period of two years in the state of Mississippi and varies in other states An update may be necessary depending on the country of origin and processing time.
INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION PROCESS CONTINUED...
- The remainder of the process will vary depending on country. Upon approval of your Adoption Application, you will receive an approval letter and a country-specific manual detailing the process for the country that you are adopting from.
- Universal Components of the International Adoption Process
- I-600A/I-600 process (for Non-Hague Convention countries)
- I-800A/I-800 process (for Hague Convention countries)
- Referral
- Travel
- Visa(s)
- Re-Adoption
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