Cost of Adoption
- The majority of domestic newborn adoptions cost between $20,000 and $40,000, while a strong majority of international adoptions cost more than $25,000.
- U.S. foster adoption is the least expensive adoption route, by a significant margin, with an average cost of less than $5,000.
- The average cost of an adoption from Korea is about $38,000.
- The average cost of an adoption from Ethiopia is about $28,000.
- The average cost of an adoption from China is about $29,000.
- 35 percent of domestic adopters had at least one "false start," in which adoptive parents worked with one or more birthmothers before finding a match that succeeded.
Adoption Costs (Averages)
|
Application Fee |
$250 |
|
Homestudy (varies by state) |
$1200-$2500 |
|
Adoptive Parent Training |
$150 |
|
Documents/Background Checks/Passports |
$50-$300 |
|
USCIS I-800A or I-600A and Fingerprinting Fee |
$890 |
|
Notarization & Authentication |
$0-$500 |
|
Program Fee (if using an agency) |
$6,000 |
|
International Program Fee (varies by country) |
$9,000-$15,000 |
|
Dossier Translation |
$200-$500 |
|
Airfare (2 Adults) |
$2,000-$5,000 |
|
Airfare (1 child) |
$750-$1000 |
|
Visas (2 adults) |
$320 |
|
Visa/Embassy Fee (1 child) |
$170-$250 |
|
In-country Travel Expenses |
$2,000-$5,000 |
|
Total |
$22,000-$39,000 |