Ten Steps to Adopt a Child from Uganda
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It is a practice that families receive referrals after they have completed their home study. The reason for this is that home study completion is not guaranteed. It would serve no purpose if after a successful child referral, you are unable to complete the home study.
Now that you have your home study and immigration approval and the referral has been successful, what next. Below is the step by step process up to the time you get your child.
1. Your dossier is sent to an adoption attorney in Uganda after the referral of the child is made. The attorney will examine the documents to ensure that whatever is required is in the file.
2. The children’s home and or orphanage will take the child for medical examination. There are instances when you may actually have no problem with certain diseases, but the medical examination will help rule out certain diseases like HIV and Hepatitis B. The orphanage will then send you the medical report of the child through the adoption agency you may have chosen to work with. With independent adoptions, the situation is different.
3. Assuming that you have decided that it is this particular child that you want, the Adoption Attorney will prepare the paper work and send them to you by courier. In some cases and especially where you have used an agency, the paper work is sent to the agency that will then contact you to sign and have them notarized.
4. The paper work is sent back to the adoption attorney for filing in the High Court in Uganda. The duration before you get to know the hearing date varies. Some Judges are slow and prefer to fix the cases for hearing themselves. In such cases, even the adoption attorneys cannot do much but only wait.
5. Now that you have the hearing date. You will need to travel approximately five days before the hearing date. The Adoption attorney will take you through the court process and court expectation. During this time, you will get to meet the child and in some cases, the child’s family.
6. On the hearing date, you are all required to be in court (husband and wife if married). The Judge can ask you or the witnesses any questions just to be sure that the Application is in the best interest of the child. In some cases, the Judge may even give you another date so that your adoption attorney can be able to provide the requested information.
7. The date for the ruling is then set. In some cases, a Judge may give his ruling on the same day although this is very rare. On the day of the ruling, you will be able to know whether your Application has been granted or not. If granted, you will have the right to start living with the child as you finalize the adoption process. The ruling results into Legal Guardianship or Adoption Order.
8. At this stage, your attorney can begin to process the passport for the child. In some cases, you may be invited for an interview at the immigration office in Kampala. During this period, you will be able to take the child for medical checkup to IOM offices which is approved by US Embassy after which you can make an appointment with American Embassy for visa interview. Your lawyer will in the meantime follow up with the Judge for detailed ruling as it will be required at the Embassy. The duration to secure the ruling usually takes one to two weeks.
9. During the visa interview at the Embassy, one of the parents can stay behind. It may take two to three weeks before the Embassy issues the Visa. Families should be patient.
10. Now that you have the Guardianship / Adoption Order, the passport and the visa, you are set to board a plane back home.
AUTHOR: Angualia Daniel
Copyright Angualia Busiku & Co. Advocates
More information about Angualia Busiku & Co. Advocates
Disclaimer: While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication, it is not intended to provide legal advice as individual situations will differ and should be discussed with an expert and/or lawyer. For specific technical or legal advice on the information provided and related topics, please contact the author.
1. Your dossier is sent to an adoption attorney in Uganda after the referral of the child is made. The attorney will examine the documents to ensure that whatever is required is in the file.
2. The children’s home and or orphanage will take the child for medical examination. There are instances when you may actually have no problem with certain diseases, but the medical examination will help rule out certain diseases like HIV and Hepatitis B. The orphanage will then send you the medical report of the child through the adoption agency you may have chosen to work with. With independent adoptions, the situation is different.
3. Assuming that you have decided that it is this particular child that you want, the Adoption Attorney will prepare the paper work and send them to you by courier. In some cases and especially where you have used an agency, the paper work is sent to the agency that will then contact you to sign and have them notarized.
4. The paper work is sent back to the adoption attorney for filing in the High Court in Uganda. The duration before you get to know the hearing date varies. Some Judges are slow and prefer to fix the cases for hearing themselves. In such cases, even the adoption attorneys cannot do much but only wait.
5. Now that you have the hearing date. You will need to travel approximately five days before the hearing date. The Adoption attorney will take you through the court process and court expectation. During this time, you will get to meet the child and in some cases, the child’s family.
6. On the hearing date, you are all required to be in court (husband and wife if married). The Judge can ask you or the witnesses any questions just to be sure that the Application is in the best interest of the child. In some cases, the Judge may even give you another date so that your adoption attorney can be able to provide the requested information.
7. The date for the ruling is then set. In some cases, a Judge may give his ruling on the same day although this is very rare. On the day of the ruling, you will be able to know whether your Application has been granted or not. If granted, you will have the right to start living with the child as you finalize the adoption process. The ruling results into Legal Guardianship or Adoption Order.
8. At this stage, your attorney can begin to process the passport for the child. In some cases, you may be invited for an interview at the immigration office in Kampala. During this period, you will be able to take the child for medical checkup to IOM offices which is approved by US Embassy after which you can make an appointment with American Embassy for visa interview. Your lawyer will in the meantime follow up with the Judge for detailed ruling as it will be required at the Embassy. The duration to secure the ruling usually takes one to two weeks.
9. During the visa interview at the Embassy, one of the parents can stay behind. It may take two to three weeks before the Embassy issues the Visa. Families should be patient.
10. Now that you have the Guardianship / Adoption Order, the passport and the visa, you are set to board a plane back home.
AUTHOR: Angualia Daniel
Copyright Angualia Busiku & Co. Advocates
More information about Angualia Busiku & Co. Advocates
View all articles published by Angualia Busiku & Co. Advocates
Disclaimer: While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication, it is not intended to provide legal advice as individual situations will differ and should be discussed with an expert and/or lawyer. For specific technical or legal advice on the information provided and related topics, please contact the author.
