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Other Expenses to Anticipate
You will have some additional expenses which are paid to various service providers. Including:
- Obtaining copies of legal documents
- Finger printing
- Visa filing fee
- Medical exams
- Travel expenses
- Phone calls to Holt
- Postage
- Legal adoption
Application Fee $200
The nonrefundable application fee must accompany your application form. This fee covers the cost of reviewing your application and determining how Holt should proceed with your adoption process.
Adoption Study Fee $2,500-$2,900 (If Holt Provides)
This is also called a homestudy. A qualified, experienced social worker will work with you to provide information about adopting and to evaluate your ability to parent an adopted child. The social worker is your advocate and important partner in preparing you for adoption. If you live in a Holt branch office state (Arkansas, California, Iowa, Nebraska, New Jersey, Oregon or South Dakota), Holt will provide the adoption study. Payment for the adoption study is due before the first meeting. If you live in another state, your adoption study will be provided and billed by a Holt cooperating agency in your area.
Dossier Fee $2,795
Applies to all international adoptions except Korea. It includes facilitating your adoption with agency and government officials in the United States and abroad, coordinating services with your local social worker, administrative/office expenses and telephone expenses. You will be billed when Holt receives and approves your homestudy. (This fee is non-refundable if you withdraw.)
Document Processing Fee $500
This is an optional service available to families adopting from China. Holt staff will assist in obtaining vital records needed for your dossier and have the documents certified as required by the county, state, federal and foreign governments. They will also make the necessary photocopies and mount photographs that are part of your dossier. The fee for this service is $500. Families are responsible for the fees charged by the government offices that certify the documents and the cost of Federal Express and priority mail service.
Adoption Program Fee $5,324-$17,215
There are costs involved in facilitating an adoption. These include: background investigations of the child, social services, accepting legal responsibility for the child, liaison with government and agency authorities, legal fees, passport, and U.S. visa fees in the child's country.
This fee may cover child welfare projects in the child's country of origin..
This fee is due when you accept the assignment of a child. Fees for adopting older children or children with moderate to major special needs may be as low as $5,324 and are determined on a case-by-case basis. Depending on the country, fees for adopting healthy or minor special needs children are as follows:
| Country |
Fee |
Country |
Fee |
Country |
Fee |
| Bulgaria |
$16,000 |
China |
$9,360** |
Ethiopia |
$8,690 |
| Guatemala |
$10,190 |
Haiti |
$8,690 |
India |
$8,190* |
| Kazakhstan |
$13,390 |
Korea |
$17,215 |
Kyrgyzstan |
$9,360 |
| Mongolia |
$9,360 |
Philippines |
$9,890 |
Thailand |
$8,190 |
| Ukraine |
$13,390 |
Vietnam |
$10,325 |
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**Please note that the Orphanage Donation for families adopting from China is included in the Adoption Program Fee. Holt does not require or recommend that adoptive parents carry large amounts of money to China for payment of adoption fees.
*Please note the $3500 in-country Childcaring Agency Fee for India is included in the Adoption Program Fee.
Travel for an Escorted Child $2,490 - $2,845
Countries have various requirements or options regarding bringing children to the United States. Some children may be escorted to the United States by staff, volunteers and child welfare authorities. In other cases parents go to the country to receive their child. Parents who travel make their own travel arrangements with Holt’s guidance. Costs are higher for children over 12 years old.
Parent Escort Service Fee $500
Holt-Korea charges a Parent Escort Service Fee of $500 for parents who choose to travel to Seoul to escort their own child home.
Postplacement Fee $1,200 - $1,400 (if provided by Holt)
There will be follow-up visits with your social worker and reports for the overseas office. This is required by foreign countries and offers families an opportunity to receive support while the child and family are adjusting to each other. The same agency provides both the adoption study and postplacement services.
Fee Reductions
Fees are reduced in the following situations.
• The Adoption Program fee is reduced based on a variety of factors: medical needs, age or part of a large sibling group. Adjustments are made at the time of child assignment.
• In exceptional circumstances, when a child is waiting for a family and the family needs financial assistance to adopt that child, Holt has a Special Needs Adoption Fund. Request for Special Needs Adoption Funds are considered on a case by case basis at the time of assignment.
Fee Refunds
Occasionally, special circumstances lead to a family withdrawing from the adoption process before the child arrives home. Holt refunds fees based on the following circumstances (within 60 days of the completion of services):
Korea
Circumstance |
Fee |
Percent of Refund |
Family cancels; withdraws after
accepting child assignment, Holt or overseas agency cancels
assignment after family accepts child |
Adoption Program |
50% |
Travel for an escorted child |
100% |
All other Countries
|
Circumstance
|
Fee
|
Percent of Refund
|
Family cancels; withdraws after
accepting child assignment |
Dossier |
0% |
| Adoption Program |
50% |
| Travel for an escorted child |
100% |
Overseas agency cancels
assignment after family accepts child |
Dossier |
0% |
| Adoption Program |
100% |
| Travel for an escorted child |
100% |
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