Adoption of a child, not related to anyone - looking for help

[missmissy 38]

A friend of mine is working in Haiti as a missionary. While there, they met a 12 year old orphan and developed a very strong relationship with him and want to adopt him and bring him back to the US when their mission is done. The problems - he's an orphan but was NOT living in an orphanage. He has ZERO papers or documentation, he doesn't even know how old he is.

I'm looking for general information on what options they may have and how to navigate this. Any serious help or advice is greatly appreciated. If this is not in the correct forum or if there is a better site for this, please direct me there!

thanks so much!

[christeen 966]

With him it not being registered as an orphan from an orphanage, it is going to be a nightmare... My neighbors had an adoption in the works of a Hatian girl before the quake, post quake, Haiti clamped down so hard on all adoptions out of fear for children abuses, they stopped it in its tracks. Haiti ordered that the girls orphan status be re-documented and until such time, sheis notmto be removed from the country. To this day, they are still trying to get this paperwork (which no longer exists as the office was destroyed ) to no avail. So instead they are paying for private school and foster housing and they go visit.

Being missionaries there, they will have a better handle on the buearocracy that they are facing... Sorry I don't have any advice, but they need to be prepared as this is going to quite a Long battle for,them.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Many times it is impossible to have an adoption that will work for immigration purposes. There are very strict rules to protect both the young ones being adopted and the USC wanting to adopt. start here http://www.uscis.gov/adoption/country-information/adoption-information-haiti

[missmissy 38]

I think they have given up on adopting him for now - he's almost 15 I just found out. If they are his legal guardians in Haiti, can they apply for a travel visa so he can come home for visits? I have a feeling this is not going to be an option but wanted y'all's opinions too!