Adoption is becoming more popular in Tanzania today. With a lot of couples now open to adopting a child in Tanzania today, it is essential to take a look at the necessary facts to note about the process and how much it costs. In this post, we will consider the processes involved in adopting a child in Tanzania, either as a foreign citizen or a Tanzanian. We will also consider the cost implication.
Adoption is a process that involves the legal transfer of parental rights and responsibilities from one person or family to another. In Tanzania, the cost of adoption can vary based on several factors, including the type of adoption, the agency or lawyer handling the adoption, and the legal fees associated with the process.
The cost of a domestic adoption in Tanzania can range from TZS 500,000 to TZS 1,000,000 or more, depending on the agency and lawyer handling the adoption. This cost can include fees for the home study, legal services, and post-placement support.
International adoption can be more expensive, with the cost ranging from TZS 1,500,000 to TZS 3,000,000 or more, depending on the country and the agency handling the adoption. This cost can include fees for travel, legal services, and the adoption process.
It’s essential to understand that the cost of adoption can vary widely, and it’s crucial to research and compare the costs of different adoption agencies and lawyers before making a decision. It’s also important to consider the long-term cost of adoption, including the cost of raising a child, in addition to the cost of the adoption process itself.
The cost of adoption in Tanzania can vary based on the type of adoption, the agency or lawyer handling the adoption, and the legal fees associated with the process. Customers can expect to pay anywhere between TZS 500,000 to TZS 3,000,000 or more for an adoption, depending on their needs and budget. It’s important to research and compare the costs of different adoption agencies and lawyers before making a decision to ensure that they are getting the best value for their money.
Cost of Adoption in Tanzania
As you’d expect, the process of adopting a child in Tanzania can be rigorous and expensive, especially for foreign citizens. It should also be noted that adoption processes vary from state to state in Tanzania. In this section, we will take a look at the general process for adoption of a child by both Tanzanian citizen and foreign citizens.
Adoption Fees: Estimating how much it costs to adopt a child in Tanzania can be tricky as various factors are involved. The fees generally include adoption agency charges, court charges and attorney fees. It also includes cost of paperwork like birth certificate. On the average, the whole process costs approximately $500 or about TSh963,000.
Process of Adoption for Tanzanian Residents
The statutory law governs the process of adoption in Tanzania. As said earlier however, adoption procedures vary per state. While there are general national requirements and standard procedures, rules vary from state to state. For instance, parents looking to adopt a child in lagos must have fostered the child for at least three months, while in Akwa Ibom and some other states, adopting parents must have fostered the child for at least 12 months.
In most states, the law governing adoption of a child requires that there must be an official application for the adoption process by the parents involved and should be submitted to the registrar of the court for review. For instance, Section 116 of the Child Rights Law of Mwanza State 2015 makes establishment as to the application process for adoption which states the following documents must be included in the application form to be submitted:
- The marriage certificate (of the adopting parents) or a sworn declaration of marriage
- The birth certificate or sworn declaration of age of each applicants.
- Two passport photograph of each applicant
- A medical certificate of fitness of the adopting parent(s) from a government hospital and
In practice, the adopting parent(s) are not allowed to make this application to the court without the consensus of the government welfare agency in the state. There are different ministries responsible for such in various states. For instant, In Mwanza State, the government subdivision responsible for such divorce process is the Ministry for Youth and Social Development located in in the state capital in Ikeja.
Once they have received the application, the court will then order the Social Welfare Officers in such jurisdiction to conduct a thorough background investigation and get basic information regarding the adopting parent to assess the aptness of the adopting parents and the child to be abducted. In addition to this, the court may decide to appoint a guardian to represent the child to be abducted during the whole process. The guardian representing the child to be abducted will serve as the welfare officer in charge of the zone where the juvenile resides.
Process of Adoption for Foreign Citizens Looking to Adopt a Tanzanian Child
Unlike for resident citizens, the process of a foreign citizen adopting a Tanzanian child can be a little more tasking. Apart from the fact that this costs more, the involvement of the Government is also more pronounce here. To simplify the process, here are the basic steps to follow for adoption of a Tanzanian child by a foreign citizen.
Decide on an Adoption Service Provider to use: This is the first and one of the most crucial steps when it comes to adopting a child from Tanzania. It is essential to consider which licensed adoption service provider in the United States to use for the whole process. It should be noted that the U.S. region in which they operate must license the adoption service provider you are looking to use. To get this information, you can easily contact the Department of State via its website.
Apply to be Found Eligible to Adopt : Not all foreign citizens can adopt a child in Tanzania. As to not waste your time, you need to meet some basic requirements of Governments of both United States and Tanzania immigration laws. You are required to submit an application to confirm you are eligible to adopt a child that resides in Tanzania. This can also be easily achieved by filing out an I-600A, which represents the Application for Advance Processing of an Orphan Petition with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. This will confirm you are eligible to adopt a child that resides in Tanzania.
Matching Stage : After you have checked and confirmed that you are eligible to adopt a child in Tanzania, You will be provided a referral by the central adoption authority in Tanzania. The child must be eligible for adoption in accordance with the Tanzania requirements as defined in the “Who Can Be Adopted” section. In addition, the child to be adopted must meet the basic requirements and definition of orphan under U.S. immigration law.
Adopt the Child : This is the final stage involved. This involves settling with the adoption authorities, court and adoption agencies involved.