KOREA ADOPTION OUTLINE
Our Korea program is currently open to BC residents only. If you are of Korean descent but live outside of British Colombia, please contact our office to discuss your eligibility.
In Korea, children available for adoption are living with nurturing foster families and receive exceptional in-country medical care while they wait to join their permanent families.
Adoptive Parents
To be eligible to adopt from Korea, couples must meet the following qualifications.
You must have been married for at least three years;
Korea does not permit same gender couples to adopt;
At least one applicant must be a Canadian citizen;
You must be prepared to instill in your child knowledge and pride in their country and culture of origin;
You must be between 25 and 44 years of age to adopt at the time of your home study approval. You cannot be more than 10 years older or younger than your spouse;
If one spouse is of Korean descent or is a Korean adoptee, or, if you have adopted from Korea before, you can be between the ages of 25 and 48 years. Preapproval from Korea is required prior to applying;
You cannot have more than 4 children already in the home;
You must have a minimum of a high school education;
You must have no criminal record;
You must be in good physical and mental health;
You must have no history of mental/psychological issues (including depression and anxiety);
You must have a body mass index of 35 or below;
You must be in a good financial situation; and
You must have no history of using cannabis or illicit substances.
Children to be adopted
The majority of the children in Korea are proposed at 7 to 15 months of age. Children are on average 2 years old at the time of placement. The children will have been relinquished for adoption and reside in professional foster homes in Korea where they are well cared for.
Families must be open to a child who has at least some minor to moderate medical conditions and pre-natal risk factors. You can not specify a gender preference.
There are more boys than girls, and as such families should be prepared to receive a proposal for a boy in most cases. Children range from having minor noted medical conditions that are not considered special needs to having more complex special needs.
Timing and Approximate Waiting Period
Applicants can expect to receive a proposal in 2 years after their application is submitted to Korea. Waiting times are estimates and subject to change without notice.
Adoption Completion
Adoptions from Korea are finalized in Korea prior to the placement of the child with the adoptive parents. It can take 9 to 12 months after acceptance of the referral for placement.
Post-Placement Reports
There will be 6 post-placement reports due within the first year of placement. Sunrise will provide the exact dates during the PPR assignment. Each report must provide 10 pictures of your child (including at least two family shots). These reports and photos may be passed on to the birth parents.
Travel
Families will be required to travel to Korea twice. Once to attend court for the adoption order and a second time, approximately 2 months later, for placement. Both parents are required to travel on the first trip. You will meet the child and the foster family twice before the court hearing.
Ideally, both adoptive parents will travel to Korea to pick up their child on the second trip.