Child adoption law varies among the nations of South America, but one thing is constant: poverty means that there are thousands of healthy children seeking homes in Brazil, Panama, Ecuador, Honduras and Peru. As with other international adoptions, you'll need to deal with paperwork for your state, the US government and the country where the child lives.

Find an Agency
International adoption always requires the assistance of a facilitating agency that specializes in adoption from the country of interest. Once you are signed up, they’ll guide you through the initial paperwork, conduct home inspections and acquaint you with adoption law in South America. They’ll discuss fees and timelines and may provide lists of available children to start the process. A good agency ensures that you are presenting a positive package to the government agencies that grant international adoptions. When there are language barriers, mountains of paperwork and plenty of fees, your facilitator's experience will help get you closer to bringing a child home.

Check Local Adoption Laws
In general, children available for adoption in South America are housed in either private or government institutions. Each country has different laws concerning who can adopt. For example, some countries only allow international adoptions to couples who have been married for at least three years, while others allow older single women to adopt.

Some countries, like Guatamala, have a reputation for speedy adoptions. Brazil requires adoptive parents to spend five weeks in the country during the process. The Central and South American countries that allow international adoption, sibling adoptions or special needs adoptions tend to complete the process much faster than they do for infants.

Adopting a child from Latin America generally requires a single long trip by both parents for one to five weeks, or two shorter trips of one to two weeks each. Political unrest, changes in adoption law and even transportation or economic issues may alter the typical adoption process in a country, so be prepared for delays.

Once you’ve received an invitation to the Central or South American country, you’ll need to travel there to complete the adoption process. The agency will assign you an in-country coordinator to interpret for you in all official meetings and gatherings. After the country’s government agencies approve the adoption, you’ll have to apply for a visa for your new adopted child so he or she can travel back to the United States.