This program is accepting applications for children of all ages from families with or without Colombian heritage.

Age of Parents:
Parents should be :

25-38 years of age for children 0-35 months

39-41 years for children 36-59 months

42-44 years for children 60-83 months

45-47 years for children 84-107 months

48+ years for children 108+months

Flexibility is provided for children older than 8 years, children with special needs or for sibling groups of 3 or more children (minimum openness is 0-6 years for 3 siblings)

There are more flexible age requirements for families with Colombian heritage.  Please inquire directly to learn more.

Other Children:
For families hoping to adopt a child 0-3 years old in good general health there should be no more than 1 child already in the home.  Some flexibility is provided to families open to children older than 3 years.

There is no limit to the number of children in the home for families hoping to welcome a waiting child/ren into their family.

Marriage:
3 years.  Previous divorce is acceptable.

Travel:
Both parents must initially travel to Colombia to receive their child/ren and petition the court for the adoption (approximately 2 weeks);

- then -
Both parents may then stay in Colombia for the duration of the adoption process (from 2 to 6 weeks, 4 to 8 weeks total );

- or -
One parent may return to the U.S. while the other remains in Colombia and completes the court and immigration process (from 2 to 6 weeks, 4 to 8 weeks total).REN

Gender:
Parents must be open to gender to adopt a child 0-3 years old in good general health.  Gender preference is allowed for the adoption of children over 3 years old and children with special needs of any age.

Age:
Infants to 15 years old.

Children in great need of forever families are:

Single children 8+ years old

Sibling groups of 3 or more children (minimum age openness is 0-6 years)

Children of all ages with special needs

Other:
LSSMN has a waiting list of approximately 50 children waiting to be adopted from Colombia of all ages.  Please inquire directly for more information about specific waiting children.

 Colombia is a very child-focused adoption program and the child welfare authority (ICBF) works diligently to ensure that the children receive excellent social/medical/psychological assistance during their wait for their forever family.  Upon referral to a family, a psychologist will meet with the child/ren to prepare them to join your family including providing them with any photos, DVDs or keepsake items provided by the family for this purpose.

Application:
Families can begin the application process immediately.

Referral:
          Private Children’s Homes

• 1-2 children ages 0-3 years in good general health: 6-19 months
• 1-2 children ages 0-5 years in good general health: 9-15 months
• 1 child age 6-7 years in good general health:
  3-8 months
• 1-2 children ages 0-7 in good general health:
• 3-9 months
  
  ICBF (for families without Colombian heritage)
• 1-2 children ages 0-3 years in good general health: 35-40 months
• 1-2 children ages 0-5 years in good general health: 28-32 months
• 1 child age 6-7 years in good general health:    2-18 months
• 1-2 children ages 0-7 in good general health:     6-18 months
  
  Families with Colombian Heritage
  
• 1-2 children ages 0-5 years (ICBF): 4-12 months
• 1-2 children ages 0-5 years (casa privada): 5-9 months

Families open to children with “Special Characteristics” as defined by ICBF (if not previously matched with a specific waiting child)

• Child/ren with special needs of any age: 
  3-6 months
• Child over 8 years old in good general health: 3-6 months
• Sibling group where one child is over 8 years: 3-6 months
• Sibling group of 3 or more children of any age: 3-6 months

Travel:
Families typically travel within 4-8 weeks of accepting the referral.

Fees assessed are those current at time of application.

CALL 888-205-3769 for COLOMBIA- LSS of Minnesota