If you’ve started researching international adoption, you’ve probably encountered the word dossier.
It may sound intimidating, but a dossier is essentially an organized collection of documents required for your international adoption. These documents provide authorities in your child’s country of origin with information about you and your eligibility to adopt.
And yes—there can be quite a few of them.
The good news? KidsFirst International Adoption guides you through the process.
What’s Included in an Adoption Dossier?
The exact requirements vary by country, but your dossier may include documents such as:
- Medical documentation
- Passports
- Marriage certificates, when applicable
- Financial documentation
- Home study documentation
- Required forms and statements
- Commitments regarding post-adoption reporting
- Immigration-related documentation
Country authorities may request additional documents or information based on their laws, procedures, or your individual circumstances.
Our team works with you and our in-country coordinators to help ensure that your dossier meets the requirements of the country from which you are adopting.
Notarization and Apostilles
Many documents within an international adoption dossier must be notarized and apostilled.
An apostille authenticates the origin of a public document for use in another country that recognizes the Apostille Convention. Requirements and fees can vary by state and destination country.
We’ll help you understand how to proceed with the authentication process. Authentication typically takes place through the Secretary of State’s office and follows a state-specific process. It verifies that the notary who notarized your document is a valid, registered notary. Once authenticated, a cover sheet with an official seal is attached to the notarized document.
Reviewing and Submitting Your Dossier
Once you’ve gathered the required documents, our team reviews them and works with the appropriate country coordinator to identify any missing information or necessary corrections.
After the dossier is complete and appropriately authenticated, it can be submitted to the child’s country of origin according to that country’s procedures.
Applicable country and adoption fees are handled according to your adoption program and fee schedule, and families receive documentation of payments made through our agency. Keep your adoption-related financial records organized, as they may also be relevant when applying for adoption grants or discussing potential adoption-related tax benefits with a qualified tax professional.
What Happens Next?
Depending on the adoption program and your individual case, the next stage may involve waiting for a child referral or proceeding with a waiting child for whom a Letter of Intent has already been submitted.
And when information about a particular child arrives, the process becomes much more personal.
Before making one of the biggest decisions of your life, we strongly encourage you to learn as much as possible about the child and consult an appropriate medical professional.
