At-A-Glance

Who can adopt from India?

• Indian passport holders or OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) card holders
• Married couples with five years of stable relationship accepted.
• Parents should be at least 30 years of age and no more than 45 years of age to adopt an infant. Married couples willing to adopt an older child can be no older than 55 and the combined age of both parents should not exceed 90 years.
• There must be an age difference of 21 years or more between adoptive parents and child.

Children available for adoption

• Healthy infants 10 to 18 months and up at referral
• Infants and toddlers with minor to significant medical needs
• Older children

Process

• Apply to The Barker Foundation
• Complete pre-adoption group, on-line training and home study
• Complete dossier for India
• Dossier sent to India
• Referral received 12-24 months after paperwork submitted to India. The time to receive a referral is less for children with special needs.
• ACA (this is normally obtained PRIOR to referral) and NOC clearances obtained, then case enters Indian court system
• 4-6 months after acceptance of referral family travels to India
• Family remains in India approximately 5 to 10 days. One parent must travel. Barker strongly recommends both parents travel.
• Welcome your child home and begin 6 month post-placement supervision period (India requires quarterly reports for two years and semi-annually for three years after placement)
• Finalize adoption in the U.S. following post-placement (exception to this would be families pursuing an adoption in India under the Hindu Act. In those cases, a final adoption decree is granted in India.)
• Child becomes U.S. citizen following finalization of adoption

Other information about Barker's India program

• Barker has been actively working in India since 1985