Getting Started

Embarking on an adoption journey can seem like a very complex undertaking, but it is also a most rewarding one. Adoption can be one of the most enriching experiences of your life, and at Frost, we help guide you through the steps so that you can focus on attaining your dreams of a family.

Below is an outline of the steps you can expect to complete in the early stages of your adoption process

Contact Frost Child's Picture
Frost will send you an Informational Packet including general information such as the programs available, fees involved, references, process outline, application, and brochure. Once Frost receives and approves your application, you receive an Acceptance Packet with more “region-specific” information, detailed document lists and document samples.

Unless otherwise noted, these documents need to be notarized or certified (in some states) and apostilled by the Secretary of State Office of the state in which they were notarized. These documents are then submitted to the agency.

Immigration and Naturalization (INS)
INS initially approves you to be an adoptive family by application and FBI fingerprint clearance. Later, after receipt of your home study, it enables the U.S. Embassy in the country from which you are adopting, to issue a visa for your child to come to the U.S.

You will want to begin the INS Form I-600A as soon as possible. This MUST be completed and approved for any international adoption. You can obtain these forms by calling INS at (800) 870-3676. You can also download I-600A, I-600 and I-864 forms from the INS website. The I-600A is needed to receive a visa for your child so they may obtain legal entrance into the U.S. Picture of Child

In some instances, your home study agency will give you these forms. These forms process in 6-12 weeks, so they need to be completed as early in the process as possible.

Again, it is vitally important that these forms be completed and submitted to INS for any international adoption.

Home study
One major component of the dossier is the home study, which includes details about your family, home, desire to adopt, extended family, employment, as well as a criminal and child-abuse check.

A home study consists of a number of documents and visits exchanged by you and the social worker that will allow him/her to approve you as a prospective adoptive family to both foreign and domestic governing bodies. The home study process typically involves 3-5 interviews and will take 8-12 weeks for completion. Picture of Child

U.S. Passports
For any international adoption, you will be required to have a current U.S. passport. Forms to apply for a passport are available at metropolitan post offices, at some travel agencies, or from the US Department of State.

Once all of your dossier documents have been received, reviewed and accepted by Frost, documents can be translated and authenticated. This takes 2-6 weeks, depending on the program.

The overseas coordinators compile the dossier papers along with all documents required by the courts and present them to the proper authorities for registration and review.

The Referral
A referral of a child to a prospective adoptive family can occur prior to travel for some programs, and once you are in the country for others. The referral includes information about the child, such as age, weight, height, and his/her medical history. A photograph may also be included. When you receive this information you will want to consult an international adoption specialist to review the information provided to you prior to travel. Please see medical evaluations for more information and a list of international adoption specialists.

You have been wonderful to work with, and we have highly recommended Frost to several others we have come
in contact with. Thanks, again.
-- Tom & Margaret