"Adoption just got Easier"

Highlights of Dossier Preparation and Adoption from Panama 

In January of 2000, Panama ratified the "Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption".
International Adoption from Panama will not be affected when the United States enters the Hague Convention into force on April 1, 2008.

    The majority of children available for adoption from Panama are of a mixed European and mestizos heritage. They may vary in appearance from having dark skin and eyes to having mostly Caucasian features.  Children in Panama who have been abandoned by their biological parents are placed in orphanages.  Pictures, a medical history and possibly some social information will be provided for each child.

Panama is a great alternative to adopting from China and Guatemala.  With adoption in Guatemala on hold indefinitely and the wait time for China continuing to increase with some agencies estimating wait times as much as 3 years to new families, a child from Panama could be home with you in 13-17 months.  Cost wise, Panama falls somewhere in the middle of these two countries and the fees are usually spread out over a period of time.

Jurisdiction over all adoption cases of abandoned children, wards of the state, or orphans are now under the "Dirección Nacional de Adopciones" (DNA). International adoption proceedings are conducted and monitored by attorneys licensed in Panama who work directly with the DNA and licensed International Adoption Agencies.

Once you select an International Adoption Agency, and are ready to begin working on your homestudy and dossier. The average Panama adoption dossier takes most families approximately 25 hours of work.

We recommend that you contact Adobaby either before you start gathering documents for your homestudy or simultaneously when you begin working with your homestudy agency.  Part of the documents needed for the homestudy are duplications of what is needed for your dossier and they may be required before a home visit is scheduled.

If you are working with an out of state adoption agency and your adoption agency has not recommended a homestudy agency for you, we can help you locate a qualified homestudy professional.  Panama requires that the homestudy to be completed by licensed professionals. A copy of the agency’s license is a required part of the dossier. Certification from the home study agency stating that parents are suitable for adoption is required.  In addition to a homestudy, a psychological report must be completed by a licensed psychologist who holds a doctorate degree.  
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The average Panama Dossier consists of approximately 20 original documents that have to be notarized and apostilled At Adobaby we strive to take the labor out of your “adoption labor pains.” Once we receive your agency dossier requirement and homestudy requirements, we quickly develop a plan of action to accomplish this task.

Required documents include birth certificates, marriage license, employment verification, medicals, criminal clearance, and more. Any documents that we can prepare for you are filled out and made ready for your signature. Vital statistics are ordered, notarized and apostilled. Documents are completed in sequence, based on time sensitivity. It is essential to time these accordingly. We provide instructions for the completion of any documents that can not be obtained by Adobaby. We can not obtain the medical report as a medial examination is required and some families prefer obtaining documents themselves that may require confidential account information such as banking records. 

Almost all of your documents for Panama will need to be notarized and apostilled.  At Adobaby, we review notary requirements with you prior to having documents notarized. Upon receipt, we thoroughly screen wording and expiration dates of notary’s commissions before sending document to be apostilled.

When documents are mailed, Adobaby reserves the right to choose what we believe to be the safest, most efficient means of transportation based on the information that you make available to us and the urgency that is required. Most often, we use Fed Ex, Super Saver Express so that we can obtain an easily traceable tracking number. Exceptions are time sensitive documents, low priority items, and if you wish to use an existing account that is billed directly to you. 

It is important to make copies of each of your documents. Because completed original apostilled documents can not be unstapled, re-sealed, re-strung etc, they must be hand turned and copied, one page at a time. Making copies, sorting and stapling them together takes us approximately 1-2 hours to complete. You will need at the very minimum, one set of original documents and at least 2 sets of copies: one for your records and one for your adoption agency. 

Click here for more details about Adobaby’s Dossier Preparation Services

Once the dossier is completed it is translated and presented to the DNA. Referrals are then made by the DNA approximately 12-16 months after dossier submission. (This will vary depending on age/gender of child sought)

Upon acceptance by the family, travel to Panama for about 7-8 days occurs approximately 2-3 weeks later during which time the Judge will issue a temporary custody order. One parent may reside in Panama during the required 3-6 months temporary custody period or the attorney will request that this be completed in the parent’s country of residence. At the end of this temporary custody period the family returns to Panama for app. 5-10 days for the final adoption appearance.

For more information contact Denise Hoppenhauer at (864)360-1523 or Email at Denise@Adobaby.Com


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