We have all run into families that have children who are from the same country or region.  International adoption is when a child is adopted across national boundaries.  International adoptions for American parents are very common which caused other countries to make laws which had made this process harder. It depends on what country parents are trying to adopt children from.  Some countries such as Haiti, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nepal, and Vietnam do not allow Americans to adopt. International adoption does take a longer time than domestic adoption; it can take several months or years just to adopt one child. (Holt International).  Even though this is a lengthy process it is worth it!

To adopt children from different countries, everyone has to make sure they are eligible for adoption.  These are some of the common things that every adoption agency in the U.S. looks for: having a home visit which is set up by the adoption agency, have their backgrounds checked,  they cannot be over 50 years old, and etc. (Holt international) However, each country has their own rules for international adoption.  Holt International adoption agency works with countries such as China, India, Haiti, Vietnam, Thailand,  Philippines, and Ethiopia.  

           According to Holt International agency, these are their guidelines when it comes to adopting children in India. In India, children are seeking to be adopted. (Holt International). They need couples or parents to adopt children eight through eleven years old and  boys  six or older.  The government prefers domestic adoptions and non-resident Indians living in the U.S.  They do not want the child to lose their culture and background.  Parents should not be older than 45 years to adopt a child under four years old,  a 50-year-old can adopt a child between the ages four and eight, and a 55-year-old can adopt an eight-year-old or younger.  Adoptive parents do not have to be married, but if they are they should be married for two years before applying.  Parents may each be divorced twice before adopting a child.  Men can only adopt male children.  Adoptive parents will have to travel to India at least once or twice and one parent must be present.  (Holt International).