El Salvador
Country: El Salvador
Age Range: 5 years & older
Sibling Groups: Yes
Medical Special Needs: Minor to significant
Marriage Length: 3 years
Single Women: Yes
Expat Accepted: Yes, on a case-by-case basis
In-Country Travel: 1 trip, average of 6-8 weeks
Lifeline’s El Salvador Program is considered a pilot program as Lifeline has not yet seen a child come home from this country. We expect most children who are eligible for international adoption from El Salvador will be 5 years old or older. These children may have a range of medical needs. At times, we may see children eligible for adoption who are under age 5, and these children will likely either be a part of a sibling group with older children or have moderate to significant medical special needs.
The central authority provides a list of potential referrals to Lifeline periodically to be shared with families. When Lifeline receives the referral, the team will review the chronological list of families currently in the program. Next a determination of the best fit for the child based on openness to gender, age and needs and capacity of the family will be made. Families will then have an opportunity to review the initial information and request the full file. If a family decides to move forward with pursing a child, or sibling group, an official request is submitted to the OPA (Office for Adoptions) along with the family’s dossier. The Selection Committee then ratifies the applicants’ suitability and proceeds with the official assignment of a child or sibling group.
The process of adopting from El Salvador is estimated to take approximately 2-3 or more years and depends on a family’s openness to age range, special needs and sibling groups.
Families will travel to El Salvador for approximately six to eight weeks to complete their adoption. The trip consists of a bonding period, court processes, and visa paperwork. This is currently our estimated timeframe but could be extended once we have our first family travel, as we learn the process. Lifeline has a knowledgeable and experienced in-country team who will walk alongside families each step of the way and provide support during the stay in El Salvador.
