Eastern European adoptions law varies widely from country to country, with some making it much simpler to complete the adoption process. Countries like Romania, Estonia, Lithuania, Armenia and Poland have thousands of children in foster homes and have created ways for families in other countries to adopt them. If you're considering a European adoption, start out by assessing the timeline and paperwork requirements for several different countries. Then make sure your passport is in order, because you'll be traveling.

Find a Facilitator
The first step in adopting a child from Europe is to sign up with an organization that facilitates international adoptions from the country you are considering. Because there are many hurdles, from language barriers to endless government red tape, you’ll want someone who has done it successfully over and over again. Ensure that they have a long history of successful adoptions and be sure to get recommendations from other parents who have used the service.

You'll need to fill out paperwork for your state and the US government, as well as paperwork for the country of the adoptive child. There will likely be times when paperwork will become outdated or forms will change, and you’ll have to do it all over again. Different European countries will have different completion times; Kazakhstan has a reputation for being speedy (within three months), while Armenian adoptions take anywhere from nine months to a year.

Meeting Adoptive Children
Most of the children available for adoption in Europe live in orphanages. There are a variety of adoptable children, but most countries set an age limit, such as between 2 and 13 years old. Most countries allow sibling adoptions or special needs adoptions go at a faster pace than others.

Adopting a child from Europe generally requires a single long trip by both parents for three to five weeks, or two shorter trips of one to two weeks each. In countries where the international adoption process is still evolving, adoption can open and close and open again within a year.

Once you’ve received an invitation to the European country, your caseworker will help you arrange travel. When you arrive in the country, you’ll meet with an in-country coordinator who will escort you around and interpret for you. In most cases, you can then travel to the orphanage and meet the child you’ve been matched with or meet several available children. If you decide to go through with the adoption, you’ll complete paperwork and turn it into the various government agencies. Many people return home at this point until a court date is set, while others remain in the country. When the adoption is approved, you’ll get the necessary paperwork to apply for a visa with the child and make preparations to come home together.

Some European countries also require post-placement reports. Your adoption facilitator should keep you informed of any additional paperwork and when to file it.