Philippines Hosting Program

HAND IN HAND INTERNATIONAL ADOPTIONS

SUMMER HOSTING PROGRAM FOR PHILIPPINE CHILDREN

www.hihiadopt.org  indiana@hihiadopt.org

Many children in Philippine orphanages will never be considered for adoption, simply because of their age.  One way that the Philippine government has found to be effective to find these children families is to allow them to make a brief visit to the US to stay with potential adoptive families.  The families can spend time getting to know the children whom they host, and then later decide if adoption of the host child seems right for them.  Even if the children do not end up being adopted, the hope is that they will at least have had a respite from orphanage life for a while and had a chance to visit America.

HAND IN HAND plans to have its 6th hosting program with Philippine children during the summer of 2013.  (HAND IN HAND has already had five hosting programs with children from Russia and five with children from the Philippines.)

The way the Philippine hosting program works as follows: 

1. Interested families are recruited. The first priority is for families who want to host and adopt.  We will also want some back-up families and these can be just interested in hosting.
2. Profiles are generated for each of the families which include information on the number, age and gender of the child/children they want to host, plus any willingness to accept any kinds of medical or other issues.
3. At the same time, staff within the Inter-Country Adoption Board of the Philippines and various orphanages will be choosing children who are good candidates for the program. 
4. Photos, case studies and medical information on each child proposed for the program will be sent to Hand In Hand.
5. Host families and children are matched together according to what seems the best fit for both of them.

The children for this camp will be children between 9 and 15 years old who are considered to be good candidates for international adoption, who are legally free for adoption, and who have a desire to be a part of a “forever family.”  In addition to single children, there will be the possibility of a family choosing to host a sibling group.

The children will stay in the U.S. for a four-week period and then return to the Philippines.  Families who choose to adopt their host child or children will then submit a complete dossier to the Inter-Country Adoption Board requesting to adopt that specific child.

Host/adopt families will need to be finished with home studies before the children come, so that after the children’s departure little time is needed to prepare the dossiers for submission to the Philippines.  (If a family decides not to adopt the child they hosted, we can discuss other adoption options.)  We also want families to have their first Immigration filing initiated before the children arrive, since it is a lengthy process. 

There is a fee of $2450 for the hosting program which covers the passport, visa, airfare, and short-term medical insurance for the child, plus a portion of the same costs for the escort accompanying the children.  (This is a tax-deductible donation, since it is for the hosting program and is not directly related to the adoption of the child, and you will receive a receipt for tax purposes.  The fee may vary slightly depending on airfare costs at the time of ticket purchase.)

The remaining costs for a Philippine adoption of one child through this program are $14,100 (excluding transportation and Immigration costs.)  If a family has adopted through Hand in Hand before, the costs are reduced by $675.00. At least one parent must make one seven-day trip to the Philippines after the adoption is approved in order to retrieve the child, though the country strongly prefers that both parents travel.  Most Hand in Hand families who adopt a child in 2012 will qualify for a $12,170 adoption tax credit (which is per child, in the case of a sibling group), which they can apply for after they have finalized the child’s adoption. 

Families who adopt from the Philippines must be at least 27 years old, married at least three years, and practicing Christians. (Couples who have been married for one year plus cohabited for several years are also eligible.) Singles may also adopt from the Philippines if they are open to a child with special needs, which would include the children who participate in a camp program whose “special need” is usually their age. The Philippines also has a “one-year nurturance rule” which says that any biological or adopted child already in the family deserves one year of nurturance from the time of his/her birth or adoption before the family can submit an adoption application to the Philippines. 

HOST/ADOPT FAMILIES EXPENSES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• HAND IN HAND application fee of $375.00
• Fee of $2450 to cover child passport, visa and airfare, and a portion of the same for the escort (This is tax-deductible.)
• HAND IN HAND home study and adoption education fee of $2500.00
• Immigration fee of $720 plus fingerprinting fee of $85 per adult in the home
• Attend HAND IN HAND adoption education classes before the children arrive
• Attend an orientation/preparation seminar prior to the arrival of the children
• Provide food, lodging, a few outfits, and a little spending money for souvenirs for the child during his/her stay in the home
• Participate in planned group activities for the children and their host families
• Provide transportation from and to the airport, and to and from the planned group activities
• Keep in close contact with HAND IN HAND staff during the duration of the camp
• Involve the child in your family’s typical daily activities
• Report any medical or other emergencies to HAND IN HAND as soon as possible
• Participate in fund-raising efforts to help fund the children’s trip to the US

RESPONSIBILITIES OF HAND IN HAND

• Submit all required documentation to the Philippines’ Inter-Country Adoption Board (ICAB)
• Coordinate with ICAB regarding the children who will come, and the dates and other logistics of the camp
• Obtain medical insurance coverage for each child and escort
• Obtain passports, visas, and round-trip tickets for each child and escort
• Prepare and supervise each host/adopt family
• Plan group events for children and host families
• Arrange housing and special activities for escorts
• Provide post-camp report to ICAB
• Assist all families who desire to adopt a child who came on the camp with their application to ICAB

ADDITIONAL EXPENSES & RESPONSIBILITIES OF FAMILIES WHO CHOOSE TO ADOPT A CHILD OR CHILDREN WHO CAME ON THE CAMP

• Notify HAND IN HAND by telephone and in writing as soon as they have decided to pursue adoption of the child they hosted
• Complete a dossier for submission to ICAB as soon as possible after the children return to the Philippines
• HAND IN HAND & Philippine dossier preparation fees totaling $4200
• HAND IN HAND & Philippine match acceptance fees totaling $7025
• Transportation to and from the Philippines for the parents, plus a ticket to the US for the child when the child is ready to be adopted
• Lodging and expenses in the Philippines during the one week trip (Airfare is typically $1500-2000 per adult; Expenses per day are typically $100-150.)
• Comply with three post-placement visits after the child’s arrival in the home (the cost for this is included in the above-mentioned match acceptance fees)
• Finalize the adoption in the US after permission is granted by ICAB.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND INTENT

We are interested in being a host/adopt family.  We have read the above information and understand the goal of the program.  We also understand the costs and responsibilities involved.

We are submitting a HAND IN HAND application, a fee agreement, and the application fee along with this Acknowledgment and Intent.

                                                                                                                                            

Husband                                              Wife                                                    Date