Want to know more about the adoption process? We’ll be honest: Like most important decisions, it involves a good deal of paperwork. Once your child is in your arms, you’ll probably forget about all the forms you filled out. But until then, here’s a step-by-step guide.

Use WACAP’s two-page application form to give us basic information about yourself and the child you want to adopt. There is a $250 application fee. After we process your application, we’ll send you our Adoption Handbook (a detailed, full-length guide to adopting a child) and contact you about starting a homestudy.

No matter what kind of adoption you are considering, you’ll need to complete a homestudy. An adoption counselor from an agency licensed in your state will visit your home to discuss your lifestyle, immediate and extended family, finances and reasons for adopting. Homestudy guidelines vary from state to state, but the process usually takes four to six weeks.

The agency that conducts your homestudy doesn’t have to be the same one that helps you find a child. WACAP conducts homestudies in Washington, Oregon, New York, Connecticut and Alaska; in other states, we can give you the names of several licensed agencies who will provide WACAP your homestudy, and then we will work with you through the completion of your adoption.

USCIS clearance—To begin an international adoption, you’ll need to complete forms for your local U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office. WACAP can send you these forms, or you can obtain them from the USCIS.

The first USCIS form is I-600A, "Application for Advanced Processing of an Orphan Petition." You must turn in a completed I-600A to get a visa, so your child can legally enter the United States. We’ll give you step-by-step instructions on filling out the I-600A, as well as the supplementary form I-600, which will be required later in the process.

The normal processing time for an I-600A is six to 12 weeks. With your I-600-A, you’ll also need to send the following items to your local USCIS office:

• A letter of intent
• Birth certificates
• Marriage and/or divorce certificates, if applicable
• A copy of your homestudy
• FBI fingerprint clearance for each family member 18 and older. The USCIS will make an appointment with you to take your fingerprints.
• Payment of a $670 USCIS processing fee, plus $80 for each person to be fingerprinted

You can download forms I-600A, I-600 and I-864 from the USCIS Web site, or call the USCIS at 1-800-870-3676 to order them.

Dossier—Several foreign countries require adoptive applicants to submit a dossier. Your dossier is a collection of documents required by the government in your child’s country. Requirements vary, but your dossier can include the following items:

• Birth, marriage and divorce certificates
• Financial and employment statements
• Your medical information
• Local police clearance
• Your homestudy
• USCIS approval
• Photographs
• Copies of your passport

After you’ve completed your paperwork and paid your fees, it’s a waiting game. The length of time is different for each adoption and each country, and can depend somewhat on the type of child you want (there’s usually a higher demand for girls, so you may have to wait longer). Here’s how adoptions are processed once your homestudy/dossier is finished:

International adoptions—WACAP sends your homestudy and dossier, if required, to a placing agency in your chosen country. Officials there review your dossier and match you with a child. The waiting time depends on how long it takes to identify and complete legal processes for a child who's a good match for your family.

African-American Infant adoptions—WACAP sends copies of your photo album and birth parent letter to counseling agencies across the country. These agencies work directly with birth parents, who review the information from several families and choose one. The waiting time is a matter of waiting for birth parents to select your family.

US Kids adoptions—WACAP sends copies of your homestudy to state social workers, who send us photos and profiles of children who match your preferences. The waiting time depends on how long it takes us to gather several profiles for you to consider.

Family Finders adoptions—These are unlike any other WACAP adoption, in that you can review profiles of many children in need of families. The waiting time is often shorter.