International Adoption in Brief

According to the U.S. State Department the top five countries for international adoption include China, Ethiopia, South Korea, Russia, and the Ukraine. The top three international adoption programs to the United States are China, Ethiopia, and Russia.


China: Wait times have reached over 4 years. In 2009, approximately 3,000 international adoptions were completed from the United States. According to one of the largest adoption agencies in the United States, 80% of the children adopted from China to the United States were from the special needs program. Despite the slowdown of adoptions from China to the United States, the program continues to be stable.

Ethiopia: Current wait times in Ethiopia are approximately 12-18 months. In 2009, approximately 2,275 adoptions were completed. As of April 2010, changes were made to the program. According to the U.S. State Department, parents are “required to appear at a federal court hearing for their adoptive child.” This process requires parents to make two trips to the country or spend approximately 6 weeks in country.

Russia: Current wait times in Russia are approximately 2 years. In 2009, approximately 1585 international adoptions were completed from the United States. Events surrounding the return of young boy to Russia continue to dominate headlines. Most recently in an article, by the Associated Press Education Minister Andrei Fursenko stated, “Russia will not suspend U.S. adoptions which he said required legislation to be passed by parliament or a presidential act.”