Where’s the need? How can we speed up the waiting process? These are two of the most common questions families ask at the beginning of the adoption process.
Families adopting from Bulgaria can expect to wait 18-36 months to be matched with a child from when their dossier is submitted to the Ministry of Justice. Most of our families wait in that timeframe, even though we have seen the timeframes change over the years. This is a typical wait time range for families hoping to adopt one to two children up to the age of four or five years old with minor and/or correctable needs. Each family is going to differ based on the exact characteristics that they’re open to in a child and the children in need of families at any given time.
There are several things that families can be open to for a shorter wait time – a sibling group of three, a child or children over the age of eight years old or a child with significant special needs. As you can see below, families open to sibling groups of three (either through the traditional referral route or matched with waiting children) are seeing shorter wait times than families hoping to adopt one or two children.
- Biological Siblings, male age 7, female age 5, male age 3 – 8 month wait
- Biological Siblings, male age 6, male age 4, female age 3 – 12 month wait
- Biological Siblings, male age 6, male age 4, female age 4 – 6 month wait
- Biological Brothers, ages 8, 6 and 4 – 11 month wait
- Biological Siblings, male age 7, female age 5, male age 4 – 6 month wait
- Biological Siblings, male age 5, female age 3 and male age 2 – 3 month wait
- Biological Sisters, ages 5, 4 and 3 – 17 month wait
- Biological Siblings, male age 6, male age 5, and female age 3 – 15 month wait
- Biological Siblings, female age 8, male age 7, male age 6 – 3 month wait
Only your family can determine the characteristics of the child or children who you’re hoping to adopt. MLJ Adoptions never wants a family to be more open than they feel would be a good fit for them. Additionally, we can never guarantee timelines that a family will experience, but families wanting to see shorter wait times should consider the possibility of adopting a sibling group of three children.
Several of our Bulgaria families have adopted sibling groups of three and have shared their stories.
Caitlin Snyder
Caitlin Snyder works as the Director of Marketing and Outreach for MLJ Adoptions. Working in international adoption has given Caitlin the unique opportunity to pursue both a passion to advocate on behalf of vulnerable people and a profession at the same time.
Caitlin Snyder
Caitlin Snyder works as the Director of Marketing and Outreach for MLJ Adoptions. Working in international adoption has given Caitlin the unique opportunity to pursue both a passion to advocate on behalf of vulnerable people and a profession at the same time.