Ghana Adoption

Country-specific adoption information for parents considering adopting from Ghana.

Children in Ghana become available for adoption primarily because of extreme poverty of their birth families or loss of their parents. The Department of Social Welfare in Ghana must often conduct field investigations to prove a child's eligibility for adoption because verification of parent-child relationships is difficult. This may lengthen processing time. Ghana is not a member of the Hague Adoption Convention.

For more information, visit www.adoption.state.gov. View photos and get parent-to-parent advice in our online community, www.adoptivefamiliescircle.com.

Ghana Adoption Requirements and Facts:

• 2011 adoptions: 99 children
• Hague Accredited: No
• Estimated Total Cost: $25,000 to $35,000
• Profile of Children: In 2010, 68% of children adopted were age five or older.
• Parent Ages: Parents must be at least 25 years old and at least 21 years older than the child.
• Family Status: Married couples and single Ghanaian women may adopt. Gay and lesbian couples cannot adopt from Ghana. Adoptive parents must undergo a medical exam.
• Travel: Both parents must travel to appear in court.
• Timeline: Approximately 12 months, plus a one- to six-month wait for U.S. to process immigration visa.

Ghana Adoption Directory

Find an adoption agency placing children from Ghana in your state

Helpful Articles from Adoptive Families Magazine

• AF interviews Melissa Fay Greene
  The author of There Is No Me Without You: One Woman's Odyssey to Rescue Africa's Children talks about the AIDS scourge in Africa, and more.
• On the Outside, Looking In
  Phil Bertelson, an award-winning filmmaker and transracial adoptee, explores issues of racism and transracial adoption in an interview with AF.
• Cornrows, French Braids, and Life
  As a white mom learns about her black child's hair, both come of age.

Helpful Books for Ghana Adopters

• There Is No Me Without You: One Woman's Odyssey to Rescue Africa's Children, by Melissa Fay Greene
• I'm Chocolate, You're Vanilla: Raising Healthy Black and Biracial Children in a Race-Conscious World, by Marguerite A. Wright

Helpful Web Resources for Ghana Adopters

• U.S. State Department Adoption Information for Ghana

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