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Country Programs at a Glance The programs currently offered by TDH Ontario, in the Ukraine, Vietnam and Honduras, present different processes through which an orphaned child can join a family. The choice is a very personal one, and finding the program best suited to you is paramount. As someone once wisely stated, "When you adopt a child you adopt a country." A key requirement of all programs is the compulsory reports that must be submitted until the child reaches 14 (Honduras) or 18 (Vietnam and Ukraine). This is a legally-binding requirement and you must be willing to commit to it. Families with children from these countries have found that these annual reports are a wonderful momento to later share with their children. Note that only one adoption may be in process at any one time. The table below summarizes the key criteria of each program. More details are available through the links below or under the "Programs" button above. |
 Vietnam (more details) |
 Ukraine (more details) |
 Honduras (more details) |
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| Children available |
Infant boys and girls are available, as are toddlers and special needs children. Parents may specify preferred sex. To be adopted the child must be under 15 years old and if over 9 years old must give his/her consent to the adoption. Boys and girls are generally available in equal numbers. |
The internationally available
children are boys and girls
from 5 years and older. If a family is adopting more than one child and
the children are siblings and one of the children is under the age of 5
the adoption will be allowed. However, the family must adopt ALL
siblings. The children must be registered with the Ukrainian adoption
authority for a minimum of 14 months to be eligible for international
adoption. Prior to the 14 months domestic adoption is preferred.
Generally, lots of sibling groups and more boys are available. |
Boys and girls 1 year and older. Adoption of older children is possible. Shorter delays for older children (more than 3 years old). Sibling groups of two and even three children are also available, and twins, though rarely. For children over 6 years old the adoption procedures may happen more quickly. |
| Special Needs Children |
We sometimes receive notice of special needs children from the care centres in Vietnam with which we work. The special needs range from mild, correctible issues to more serious conditions. Some of the conditions seen are cleft lip or palate, correctible heart problems, hemangioma, strabismus or esotropia, risk factors (hypotonia, hypertonia, low birth weight, prematurity), hepatitis B, and others. Both boys and girls are available and the babies tend to be about 3 months old at referral and about 6 months old when the parents travel to receive the child. While we have a backlog of families waiting for healthy children it is often difficult to find homes for these special needs ones, especially where there are more serious health issues. As such we will accept dossiers of parents right away who are willing to adopt a special needs child. They are not subject to the usual waiting list. However, there may still be a considerable wait time until such a child is identified. |
Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Parental requirements | Any adult having reached the age of majority is eligible. Parents must be 20 years older than the child. Couples must be married and and not same sex. Single females are eligible. | Parents must be at least 25 years old and 15 years older than the child. Couples must be married and and not same sex. No single applicants are accepted. | Parent must be between 25 and 51 at the time of adoption and must be a minimum of 15 years older than the child and a maximum of 45 years older than the child. A couple must have been married, with or without children, for at least 3 years. Single women may adopt. If the adoptive parent is more than 40 years old, the child proposed will be 30 months and up. If the adoptive parent is more than 45 years old, the child proposed will be 4 years and up. |
| Why children are available | Single parenthood is not accepted, and children are abandoned because of this social prejudice and due to poverty. Increasingly, children are orphaned because of AIDS. | Many families and single women do not have the resources to care for children, and have little choice but to relinquish them to the care of the state. As well, parents convicted of crimes or who have been judged unfit parents can have their parental rights terminated. | Children are generally available due to the acute poverty of the birth family. |
| Family background | If birth family information is known it will be provided with the child's documentation. | If birth family information is known it will be provided with the child's documentation. | Any known birth family information is provided with the child's documentation. |
| Medical information | Children are taken to an international medical clinic for examination and testing, as appropriate to the child's age. Information provided typically includes general health status, length/height, weight, head circumference, and tests for HIV/AIDS and hepatitis. Infants in Vietnam are now immunized against hepatitis A. | The children undergo a full medical workup, including various blood tests. Once in the Ukraine, the prospective parents may take their proposed child for further medical tests. |
When a child is proposed the parents receive a passport photo of the child, a social study, psychological and medical evaluations, and the child's birth certificate. |
| Wait times |
Wait times vary depending on the circumstances of each case. Generally, parents requesting an infant of any gender will wait 22-28 months from when their file arrives in Vietnam to receiving a proposal for a child. Travel usually occurs 6-10 months after parents accept the referral. |
As of July 11, 2011 international adoptions have been suspended for several months, pending a change in process, and wait times may change once they resume. Prior to this change an invitation to come to the Ukraine to select a child was typically received by the family three months after their dossier was submitted. Actual travel time is about two months later. | Unpredictable. It could be up to 4 years depending on the child's age. |
| In-country time required | Only one trip to Vietnam is required. The average length of stay is 2-3 weeks. | Only one trip to the Ukraine is
required. The average length
of stay is about 8 weeks. This may be subject to change following the
change of process in the Ukraine underway in mid 2011. |
Two trips to Honduras are required, unless the adoptive family wishes to stay in the country after the initial in-country meetings while the adoption is finalized. The average length of stay is to be determined. |
| Child's citizenship | The adoptive parents can apply for the child to enter Canada as a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident. For the latest information contact TDH Ontario or check the Citizenship and Immigration Canada web site. | The adoptive parents can apply for the child to enter Canada as a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident. For the latest information contact TDH Ontario or check the Citizenship and Immigration Canada web site. | The adoptive parents can apply for the child to enter Canada as a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident. For the latest information contact TDH Ontario or check the Citizenship and Immigration Canada web site. |
| Post-adoption requirements | The new (2011) laws in Vietnam
require a legal committment to
submit two reports
annually for the first three years, no matter the age of the childen at
adoption. (Prior to the new laws reports were required up to age 18.
This is no longer the case and is retroactive to adoptions already
completed.) |
Parents must register the child at the Ukrainian Embassy in Ottawa within one month of the child's arrival in Canada. The Ukraine also requires that one follow-up report per year be submitted for the first three years after adoption and then once every three years until the child reaches 18. | Honduras requires post-adoption reports 4 times during the first year following the adoption, 2 times during the second year, and then once a year until the child reaches the age of 14. The Honduran Consulate reserves the right to follow up on the life conditions of the child until the age of 14, and in order to do this, may visit the child in his/her home. |
| Costs | Costs change often due to the fluctuation of the Canadian dollar and fee changes implemented by government agencies in Canada and abroad. Please contact TDH directly for a current cost estimate. | Costs change often due to the fluctuation of the Canadian dollar and fee changes implemented by government agencies in Canada and abroad. Please contact TDH directly for a current cost estimate. | Costs change often due to the fluctuation of the Canadian dollar and fee changes implemented by government agencies in Canada and abroad. Please contact TDH directly for a current cost estimate. |
| NOTE: Due to the nature of international adoption the information provided here may change without notice. |
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