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Bulgaria Adoption

Bulgaria Fast Facts:

  • 2009 adoptions: 15 children
  • Age/Gender: 53% Female, 58% 1 to 4 years of age, in 2008.
  • Estimated Total Cost: $25,000 to $35,000
  • Profile: Both boys and girls, are available; children younger than 2 are not usually available.
  • Parent Ages: Prospective adoptive parents must be ages 30 to 55. The government is flexible for parents wanting to adopt older children or children with special needs.
  • Family Status: Married couples and singles may adopt.
  • Travel: Two trips are required: the first is up to 7 days, the second trip, which occurs 3 to 4 months later, is up to 10 days. Only one parent is required to travel.
  • Timeline: About 10 to 15 months from completion of dossier to referral; less for children over age 3.

Bulgaria Adoption Directory

Find an adoption agency placing children from Bulgaria in your state:

Bulgaria, a country located in the Balkans, has experienced a great deal of economic growth recently, but is still classified as the lowest-income member state of the EU. The Bulgarian international adoption program reopened in 2008 after a few years at a halt, and now is a member of the Hague Adoption Convention. Children in Bulgaria are typically available for adoption due to poverty, single parenthood, or alcoholism. The children may be of Bulgarian, Turkish, or Armenian background. Health conditions vary, and even healthy children generally have experienced some malnutrition and developmental delays.

Helpful articles from Adoptive Families magazine

  • Through the Glass
    A mother reflects on how she and her daughter met as strangers and grew to become family.
  • How Jesse Learned to Play
    A little boy adjusts to his new life in America, after living in an orphanage in Bulgaria.

Helpful Websites for Bulgaria Adopters