It's extremely difficult to adopt from most of "Latin America"

[Modem Butterfly]

I cobbled this together from the State Department's website on foreign adoptions by country. Many of the entries have the number of Visas for foreign children being brought into the US. Check it out:

http://travel.state.gov/family/adoption/country/country_369.html


Argentina: No international adoption.

Bahamas: Very few children, preference given to blood relatives and Bahamanian citizens. It could take years of waiting.

Barbados: No US adoptions since 1988

Belize: Adoptions in Belize take from 12 to 24 months for each one (Roberts' children were adopted almost simultaneously)

Bolivia: US not allowed to adopt since we haven't ratified the Hague Convention on International Adoption

Brazil: Most children available for adoption are generally three years old or older and of mixed race.

Chile: Preference is given to relatives and Chileans. Most children available for adoption are 4 or older.

Colombia: Most foreign adopters report that the entire process takes from 18 to 30 months (Robets' children were adopted almost simultaneously)

Costa Rica: Has a moritorium on International adoptions.

Cuba: 'nuff said.

Dominica: Takes about 4 to 6 months for adoption.

Dominican Republic: Requires prospective international adopters to be residents for at least 90 days

Ecuador: All US adoptions of Ecuadorian children must go through a US adoption agency.

El Salvador: Foreign adoptions take anywhere from 18 to 36 months to become complete and are very difficult to get.

Grenada: You must be a resident

Guatemala: A very involved process, but definitely possible.

Guyana: Must be "domiciled" in Guyana if a non-citizen.

Haiti: Relatively easy process but very few adoptions, between 100 to 200 per year

Honduras: Process takes at least six months to a year.

Jamaica: A relatively easy process, but US adoptions hover around 50 per year.

Mexico: Adoption laws are governed by each of the 31 states. Statistically speaking, there are surprisingly few US adoptions: in 2000, there were 106.

Nicaragua: Foreigners seeking to adopt must be under 40.

Panama: Husband can be no older than 45 and the wife no older than 40. Adoptions take 6 to 24 months.

Paraguay: International adoptions not allowed.

Peru: American couples must use one of 14 approved US adoption agencies. American adoptions of Peruvian children numbered less than 30 in 2000.

Suriname: There were no US adoptions in 2000 and only 1 in 2001.

Trinidad and Tobago: No foreign adoptions unless permanently domiciled in country.

Uruguay: Must be a resident for one to two years before adoption is finalized.

Venezuela: Very difficult for non-blood relatives. Adopters must agree to a one to two year trial period before the adoption is finalized.

[Modem Butterfly]

1. Kicking myself

:kick:

[Gormy Cuss]

6. Nice summary

Kicking you to prevent you from kicking yourself again
:hi:

[Booster]

2. Yep, as Henry Lee said in the O.J. trial "sometin' wrong". Nice

job on this.

[Modem Butterfly]

3. Thanks!

[Island Blue]

4. I think this is an interesting question

to be asked of John Roberts NOT because it really matters where the children came from, but because it DOES matter if he is lying about something or has done something illegal.

I checked out Ireland in the above site and here's an interesting quote: "Recent US immigrant visa statistics show that in the last five years there were no immigrant visas given for adopted children / orphans." That would tell me that the children were not adopted from Ireland (at least not legally). I suppose they could have been adopted from Northern Ireland. It looks like there were at least 4 - 8 US immigrant visas issued for each of the past 5 or 6 years for children from the UK.

Like I said, the children per se are not the issue. (I'm glad someone was willing and able to give them a home.) I think lying about something that should be a non-issue is an issue, especially if it involves possibly breaking international laws.

[alarimer]

7. That's right

Was one of Clinton's nominees derailed because of failure to pay SS tax for nannies? This seems to be on a par with that.

[sadiesworld]

14. IMO, a questionable adoption will be viewed far more

sympathetically than ripping off the SSA and/or an employee.

Even IF this is actually investigated, and even IF Roberts' did anything wrong, and even IF such wrongdoing is reported, the potential for blowback is huge. It could be spun VERY easily.

But it's nice to see the media earn their liberal cred while ignoring and spinning AIPAC indictments, Plame, Sheehan, etc. :eyes: It's a "favor" we don't need.

[SoCalDem]

21. It's HIGH time that dems started "picking at the threads"

For too many years we have just ignored republicans' transgressions, and shied away from controversy. republicans win because they never miss an opportunity to point out democratic wrongdoing, no matter how insignificant.

It's NOT about the children. it's about the potential illegalities in getting them..

[FreedomAngel82]

19. Where does South America come into place??

Didn't they adopt them from there even though they are from Ireland?

[Cleita]

5. Good information.

Sure looks like where there is smoke, there is fire. Where would these children be acquired from illegally so that they could be adopted in a Latin American country? How would they "launder" the children's background (kind of like laundering money)? Like, if they are milk carton missing children from the USA, wouldn't they arouse the suspicion of authorities in those countries? Or, could it be that the tradition of "la mordida" or the bribe so popular in Latin America prevails. This could be a huge scandal if all the rocks are turned and looked under.

[Modem Butterfly]

8. These children were either Irish citizens, or the child of women...

...with the means to travel to Ireland and the desire to travel to Ireland near the time she was to give birth, then traveled back to Ireland, presumably with their mothers.

Yeah, something is definitely up here...

[Booster]

9. A kick for some good research work - well done, Modem.

[Modem Butterfly]

10. Thanks!

I would really like to know exactly where in "Latin America" these kids were adopted...

[peacebaby3]

11. We are in the process of adopting from Guatemala right now.

It is not any harder than any other international adoption. They are all time consuming, frustrating, and paperwork intensive. If you want any privacy with regard to your personal life, don't plan on adopting.

We looked into Mexico as well, but it was extremely difficult and took a very long time. The agency we are using said they were unable to place any children right now under 7. I decided I could deal with the age because I am sure if anyone needs a home, it is the somewhat older children, but then I found out it might take up to 2 years to get it done, I decided it wasn't right for us. My agency said they had a couple that had been waiting over a year already and they were facing numerous problems. She said it had been pretty traumatic for them.

Now if we were the Roberts and had plenty of money and contacts, I'm sure it would be a much easier process. Part of the "have" and the "have more." We are officially and will almost certainly always be the "have nots" at least when it comes to financial wealth.

I want them to definitely investigate the Roberts adoptions. We have to go through all of this stuff so they had better have had to as well.

Edit: typo

[Booster]

12. But are you looking to adopt kids from Ireland from Guatemala or

are the kids you are trying to adopt of Latin decent?

[Modem Butterfly]

13. I am relatively sure the children of one country...

...who are being adopted by citizens of a second country can't have their adoptions performed by a third country...

;)

[peacebaby3]

15. Well, we haven't received our referral yet.

But, I will be very surprised if the child is Irish.

And I've never heard of any adoption program where there is a third country involved. Are either of the Roberts citizens of Ireland? If so, they may have been able to take the children under a guardianship role and adopt them after they returned to their country if a judge in the child's country approved guardianship. That would definitely be unusual. It would also be highly suspicious of the Roberts to go to Ireland to adopt their children as well if they are PROUD, US citizens. I would definitely want an explanation for all of this strange activity.

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

16. There is a possibility that both Judge Roberts and his wife

could be Irish citizens.

If one of their parents or grandparents were born in Ireland, they can get Irish citizenship.

[Modem Butterfly]

17. There is still a residency requirement of at least one year.

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

18. Yeah, I know that and that is what is really bothering me

about this story.

I hope the NY Times or Time Magazine does do some follow up on this.

I'd start with Mrs. Robert's relatives in Knocklong, Co. Limerick and go from there.

Something is definitely up with this story.

[jburton]

20. kick