I am a 31-year old single woman from central Maine in persuit to adopt 2 children from the country of Bulgaria. Prior to persuing International Adoption I tried (ultimately unsuccessfully) to adopt from the US Foster Care System. During the same 2-year period I was a foster parent to 2 toddlers. I work full-time as a Registered Nurse, and plan to continue doing so (after taking a maternity leave) after my children join me. Hobbies include: getting myself into zany home renovations projects, organic food, Waldorf toys and homeschooling, and camping in the Maine Wilderness. I have successfully adopted 3 cats. Longest process from the animal shelter was a 20 -minute visit followed by 40 minutes of paperwork. I had identified the cat I wanted to adopt that same morning on petfinder.com. It cost $70…this blog accounts my polar opposite experience in adopting my human children.
The Key Players:
My Homestudy agency: St. Andre’s Home
My Placing agencies:
Jude’s Adoption: From July 17, 2012 – February 4, 2013 my placing agency was Adoption Ark which closed on that date. From February 6, 2013 – June 25, 2014 my placing agency was One World Adoption Services which closed on that date. After this time we proceeded on without a placing agency for the post placement phase of Jude’s adoption opting to work with Saint Andre’s to complete the reports and work directly with Happy Family to submit them on time (we discovered that working directly with the NGO during the post-placement phase is permitted).
Gabriel’s Adoption: About A Child
The Bulgarian Partner agency (also known as NGOs):
Jude’s adoption: Happy Family
Gabriel’s adoption: Family National Association (aka FNA)
My Guardian Angel: Helpusadopt.org
Timeline:
Started adoption process: July 17, 2012
Pre-Qualifaction Paperwork approved: July 23, 2012
Applied to Adoption Agency: August 2, 2012
Started Homestudy Process: August 6, 2012
Homestudy Meeting Part 1: Septmeber 15, 2012
Homestudy Meeting Part 2: September 29, 2012
Homestudy Meeting Part 3: October 14, 2012
Homestudy completed/approved and Dossier paperwork started: October 31, 2012
FBI paperwork mailed: November 2, 2012
USCIS paperwork mailed: November 6, 2012
USCIS notification of biometrics appointment: November 30, 2012
FBI Clearance received: December 13, 2012
USCIS biometrics appointment: December 14, 2012
USCIS approval: December 21, 2012
Dossier paperwork complete: December 26, 2012
Dossier submitted to adoption agency: December 31, 2012
Dossier arrived in Bulgaria for translation: January 11, 2013
Adoption agency closes (Adoption Ark): February 4, 2013
Signed paperwork with new adoption agency (One World Adoption Services): February 6, 2013
Dossier submitted to Bulgarian Ministry of Justice: February 7, 2013
Bulgarian government resigns: February 20, 2013
Dossier approved by Bulgarian Ministry of Justice/added to the register: March 7, 2013
Interim Bulgarian government named: March 12, 2013
Learned that dossier was approved/registered: March 28, 2013
Applied for Grant from helpusadopt.org (April 12, 2013 Deadline): March 29, 2013
New Bulgarian Government Elected: May 12, 2013
Inital Call from helpusadopt.org: May 31, 2013
The Good-News call from helpusadopt.org (We got the Grant!): June 10, 2013
Official start to Homestudy Update: August 29, 2013
FBI Fingerprints mailed (for my Mum): September 13, 2013
US Government Shutdown (delaying fingerprints): October 1, 2013
Homestudy update meeting: October 5, 2013
261st Meeting of the IAC (International Adoption Council) Meets, Matching Jude and I: October 9, 2013
US Government Reopens: October 17, 2013
FBI Clearence Recieved/Homestudy update completed: October 31, 2013
USCIS I-800A Update (required for household changes) Mailed: November 7, 2013
Got the call informing me that we were matched on October 9 (9:03 AM): November 8, 2013
Reprinted for FBI Background check update: November 13, 2013
Trip 1 to Bulgaria: November 30 – December 8, 2013
Medical Update done (required for Court): December 13, 2013
Fingerprint update: December 27, 2013
I-800A Update Approval: January 6, 2014
I-800 & I-864W Submitted: January 7, 2014
FBI Background check returned: January 9, 2014
I-800 approval: January 28, 2014
DS-260 (Visa) Application submitted: February 6, 2014
Article 5 (Final approval from US Embassy) issued: February 26, 2014
Ministry of Justice Signature (final consent for Jude’s adoption) obtained: April 11, 2014
Court Date Scheduled: April 28, 2014 (Court date for May 12, 2014)
Court Date: May 12, 2014 (We passed!)
Adoption goes into force per Bulgarian law: May 19, 2014
Trip 2 (Pickup trip): June 13-27, 2014.
Pickup Day/Apply for Passport: June 16, 2014
Receive Passport: June 18, 2014
Embassy Medical Appointment/TB test: June 19, 2014
TB test results(Negative) and Embassy Visa appointment: June 23, 2014
Receive Jude’s Immigration Visa: June 24, 2014
One World Adoption Services Closed: June 25, 2014
Travel Home/Jude Immigrates to the USA: June 26&27, 2014
We proceed with rest of Jude’s adoption process without a placing agency: June 28, 2014
Jude’s Certificate of Citizenship Arrives: September 25, 2014
Application for Jude’s Social Security Number done (in-person): September 26, 2014
Jude’s Post-Placement Visit #1 (of 4)/Homestudy Update visit: September 28, 2014
Received Jude’s Social Security card: October 3, 2014
Jude’s Readoption paperwork filed in county probate court/hearing scheduled: October 17, 2014
Jude’s Readoption hearing: November 3, 2014
See Gabriel’s file listed on internet: November 20, 2014
File commitment paperwork for Gabriel: November 21, 2014
Sign all official application paperwork with About A Child for Gabriel: December 1, 2014
Received Jude’s Maine-issued Birth Certificate: December 3, 2014
Get Jude’s Passport Photo’s Done (appt for passport set for January): December 27, 2014
Gabriel’s file placed on official hold/matched with our family: December 29, 2014
Homestudy update completed: January 14, 2015
FBI Fingerprinting done: January 16, 2015
I-800A mailed: January 20, 2015
FBI fingerprints mailed to FBI Channeler: January 20, 2015
Jude’s Passport appointment: January 22, 2015
USCIS biometrics appointment: February 19, 2015
USCIS Request for Evidence Letter received: February 28, 2015
Part 1 of Dossier apostilled and sent to Bulgaria: March 2, 2015
Requested additional information mailed to USCIS: March 7, 2015
Received I-800A approval: March 20, 2015
Part 2 (final part) of Dossier apostilled and sent to Bulgaria: March 23, 2015
Jude’s Postplacement visit #2 (of 4): March 28, 2015
Gabriel’s Dossier Submitted to MOJ: May 11, 2015
319th meeting of the IAC occurs matching Gabriel to our family: May 14, 2015
Got the e-mail informing me of our “verbal referral”: May 25, 2015
Written referral: June 1, 2015
Trip 1 to Bulgaria: June 12-20, 2015
I-800 & I-864W Submitted (On our behalf by our agency): June 15, 2015
I-800 approval: June 26, 2015
Medical Update (needed for court): June 26, 2015
Called NVC (National Visa Center) to obtain needed information for FNA to complete our DS 260: July 7, 2015
Reprinted for updated FBI background Check/Prints sent to Channeler: July 9, 2015
Preliminary Visa Interview (in Bulgaria): July 10, 2015
Article 5 issued: July 15, 2015
FBI Background Check update (needed for court) complete: August 6, 2015
Apostilling for FBI Background check done/Medical & FBI updates sent to Agency/Bulgaria: August 14, 2015
Learn about a new document that needs to be updated for court, the “No revocation of parental rights” form: August 31, 2015
St. Andre’s gets needed new form completed, notarized and mailed to us: September 1, 2015
New forms arrive, electronic scans sent to adoption agency: September 4, 2015
Hard copy forms are apostilled and sent to Adoption agency: September 8, 2015
Ministry of Justice signature (final consent for Gabriel’s adoption) obtained: September 9, 2015
Jude’s Postplacement visit #3 (of 4): September 20, 2015
Court date scheduled: October 7, 2015
Got news that court date has been rescheduled: October 8, 2015
Court date: October 12, 2015 (We passed!)
Adoption goes into force per Bulgarian Law: October 19, 2015
Gabriel is taken by FNA for passport (Reduces pickup trip by 2 days): November 4, 2015
Gabriel is taken by FNA to embassy medical appointment (Reduces pickup trip by 2-3 days): November 11, 2015
Trip 2 (Pickup trip): November 13-20, 2015
Pickup day: November 16, 2015
Embassy Visa Appointment: November 17, 2015
Recieve Gabriel’s Immigration Visa: November 18, 2015
Travel Home/Gabriel Immigrates to the USA: November 20, 2015
Consulate Registration Form (to register Jude & Gabriel with Bulgarian Embassy in USA) are e-mailed. (Note: This should have been done just after arriving home with Jude, but I didn’t know and was operating without a placing agency): November 29, 2015
Consulate e-mails back confirmation of registration of Jude and Gabriel: December 7, 2015
Bulgaria to Maine Adoption 
I am from Maine too … we should talk. Really
Thanks for creating this blog. I am in donor egg hell and looking to resume an adoption plan to create a family. How did you choose Bulgaria, and what are the pros and cons in your view (vs. domestic adoption, other international programs?).
Probably the biggest “con” to any international adoption is the expense although Bulgaria when compared to other international programs tends to run on the inexpensive side of international adoption.
Other possible downsides to international adoption: you will not be adopting a newborn, and even infant adoption is rare. Toddler age is about the youngest. Another possible downside is there are fewer “healthy” and “normal” children available than there are adoptive parents seeking these types of children. In Bulgarian adoption we are told that due to the orphanage environment there are no “normal” children available. Institutionalization is rough on the hardiest child and no one comes out unfazed.
Pros: There are tons, but to start. Bulgaria is party to the Hague treaty and has been operating under it since 2008. It makes for a pretty predictable process that puts the needs of the children first. Bulgaria allows you to stipule many things on your dossier (such as acceptable special needs, ages, gender, number of children). Allowing you to make the best choice for your family. Wait times are more or less predictable based on your choices. But unlike almost every other option (fertility treatment, foster-adoption, domestic adoption (in which you may never be chosen by a birth parent)) in the end you DO end up with a child. Stick with it and you WILL get a referral.
In the end you have to make the decisions that are right for your family. When I chose Bulgaria it was a really close call between Bulgaria and Russia. Ultimately cost, less travel, and availability of siblings tipped me in favor of Bulgaria and 6 months later when Russia closed to international adoption I was never so grateful for making the choice that I did.
Thank you. Very much. Your perspective is incredibly helpful. It is so hard to make sense of various options without a crystal ball…weighing what we think we can handle, what we might not be able to handle. We’ve looked into domestic adoption, and frankly, it scares me. We’re older (I’m in my early 40s, my husband is 50), mixed faith, mixed race (although few would tell looking at us), and I can’t see us being the first choice. I’ve also heard too many stories about disruptions, disappointments, etc. Not sure how we’ll decide in the next few weeks, but, thanks again for sharing. Times like this, I love the blogosphere.
This is a very impressive list and undoubtedly of great help to anyone who is struggling to get a clearer picture of the bureaucracy madness.
I’m Bulgarian & I’ve heard many horrifying stories of negligence in Bulgarian orphanages. I wish you the best of luck with the Bulgarian system and I hope everything goes well for you and the child.
Above all, I am happy that a kid who would otherwise have a very dark and uncertain future will get the chance to have a loving mother and a home.
Thanks so much for sharing your story. My husband and I just decided on Bulgaria this week and ran across your blog, so much more helpful and insightful than others, with a touch of humor to make it so enjoyable. Congrats to you an your sweet Jude, and keep sharing!
Thank you so much for sharing your story! You are an amazing mother and Jude is adorable. I am a divorced single mother of a three year old and am looking at starting the process of adopting a child from Bulgaria. I realize that the best things in life are not easy and the journey of adoption has been calling my name since I was a child. Please keep sharing – your blog has been really helpful. Best wishes and blessings, Theresa and Paloma
As everyone else said, THANK YOU so much for this blog. Yours has been much more helpful and realistic than the others I have run across. My husband and I had just barely begun the process when we found a little boy on the waiting child list, so now we’re waiting on initial approval on the Bulgarian side and then we can start our dossier. Super scary, but your blog helped alleviate some of those fears!