Country: Dominican Republic Adoption

Age Range: 0 - 18 years old
Sibling Groups: Yes
Medical Special Needs: Minor to Significant
Marriage Length: 5 years
Single Women: No
Expat Accepted: Yes, case by case
In-Country Travel: 4-6 months

We are currently seeing families matched with children of all ages with or without medical needs. Some of the most common special needs seen in waiting children in the DR are hearing loss, blood disorders and older children.

Families can be matched after their dossier is approved by Conani, the central authority of adoption in the Dominican Republic. Families can pursue a waiting child or can wait to receive a referral after they have submitted their dossier. We anticipate a 1-2 year wait time to be matched,  however there is a shorter time period if pursuing a waiting child. Lifeline works with many relative adoption cases in the DR in addition to traditional adoption processes.

The process of adopting from the Dominican Republic is estimated to take approximately 2 to 3 or more years and depends on a family’s openness to age range, special needs and sibling groups.

Families will travel to the Dominican Republic for approximately 4-6 months. The first 1-2 months is an initial bonding period.  The remainder of the trip consists of completing legal procedures and the child’s visa paperwork. The in-country team provides translation and guide services as well as very intentional post placement support during families’ extended in-country stay.

About the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic has one of the largest economies in the Caribbean and Central American region, and it is known for its great biological diversity and great tourist attractions. Tourists come from all over to the world to partake in activities such as: scuba diving, snorkeling, golf, surfing, and deep sea fishing. Nevertheless, despite all the country has to offer, the DR still has various social issues that have resulted in many children needing forever families.

The Need

The Dominican Republic is a beautiful place where thousands of tourists visit each year. But beyond the walls of luxurious resorts, thousands of children live on the streets or in orphanages facing a future that seems hopeless. This leaves them vulnerable to running away, human trafficking, or aging out as they grow older.

How you can help

Lifeline’s heart is to reduce these potential situations by ensuring children who are legally eligible can be adopted into forever families. Lifeline is seeking particularly families open to older chidden or sibling groups who are often harder to place.

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