Mongolia Adoption

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Many children in Mongolia are waiting for a loving, permanent family.

In Mongolia, children waiting for families are typically 9-14 years old at the time of placement and have developmental, medical and/or emotional needs. Children often enter care due to neglect, abandonment or the death of their parents. Children live in care centers while they wait for their adoptive family, and there is a significant amount of information about the child once they enter care.

Holt has been working in Mongolia since 1999 to help care for orphans and vulnerable children. Thanks to the expertise of our Holt staff in Mongolia and in the U.S., our team will work closely with you throughout the adoption process to ensure that you feel informed and prepared every step of the way.

Children in Mongolia Who Need Families

The Mongolia program seeks families for both boys and girls.
Children ages 4-14 are available for adoption, but, on average, children are typically 9-14 at the time they join their adoptive families.
Children often enter care due to abandonment, neglect or the death of their parents.
Children live in care centers while they wait, and there is a significant amount of information about the child once they enter care.
Children often have a challenging history and may have a wide range of needs, including prenatal alcohol and/or tobacco exposure and developmental delays.
Children who are part of sibling groups, who are older in age or who have more involved medical or developmental needs are featured on our waiting child photolisting.
Children with few or no identified needs are adopted domestically in Mongolia. As a result, Holt seeks families to parent children with more complex needs. Learn more about Disabilities & Medical Conditions in Special Needs Adoption.

Meet the children waiting for a family

To preserve children’s confidentiality, you will be asked to log in or sign up before you access the waiting child photolisting.

Waiting Child Photolisting

Eligibility Requirements & Fees

Eligibility Requirements to Adopt from Mongolia

Parent’s Age

Parents must be between 30-50 years of age at the time of their application.
There must be at least a 22-year age difference between the child and the youngest adoptive parent.

Length of Marriage

Couples must be married for at least five years at the time of application.

Divorce

Each couple may have up to two divorces in total.

Children in Family

Mongolia has no regulation on the number of children already in the home.

Single Applicant

Only single women may apply.

Education

Parents are required to have at least a high school diploma and must be able to show documentation of their highest level of education.

Travel

Mongolia requires one trip. On average, the trip is 4-5 weeks in length.
Prospective adoptive parents will appear before an adoption committee in Mongolia, therefore both parents are required to travel.

Additional Information

Prospective adoptive families must own their own home.
Families must wait at least 3 years from the time of placement to apply for a second adoption from Mongolia.
If either parent has any medical condition or an arrest record, please contact the Holt Mongolia adoption staff in Eugene, Oregon, prior to application.
Families with a past diagnosis of depression or mental health issues should also contact the Holt Mongolia adoption staff in Eugene, Oregon, to discuss eligibility.
Anyone who meets the following criteria is prohibited from adopting from Mongolia:
- Individuals with a current mental health diagnosis, such as depression or anxiety
- Individuals with tuberculosis or HIV/AIDS
- Individuals who have several criminal records

Fees for Mongolia Adoption

We are open and transparent about our fees and want you to be aware of all potential costs involved in an adoption, including third-party costs and travel.

Holt is a Christian, private, nonprofit, licensed and accredited child welfare and family service organization. Our adoption work is entirely financed through adoption fees and donations. It is not government subsidized. We believe that children are the highest priority, and we want as many children as possible to have families. To that end, we strive to keep our fees within a reasonable range. All fees are subject to change and are charged at the rate that is current at time of billing. Holt may increase fees if adoption expenses in the foreign country increase substantially after time of application. Families will be notified in writing of any fee increase. Holt International accepts the following for adoption fees: check, cashier’s check or money order. If you would like to pay by credit card, there will be a 3% convenience fee added to your total. Fees are due upon invoice.

Download Mongolia Adoption fees pdf

Application

Due with completed application. This is a non-refundable fee.

Description	Paid To	Fee Type	Amount
Application Fee	Holt	U.S. Expenses	$350

Adoption Fee 1

Due when Holt approves your application.

Description	Paid To	Fee Type	Amount
Agency Fee 1	Holt	U.S. Expenses	$5,065

Homestudy Assessment (Holt branch office states only)

Due before your first homestudy visit. Find out if your state has a Holt branch office.

Description	Paid To	Fee Type	Amount
Homestudy Fee	Holt	Homestudy	$2,500 – $2,900
Homestudy Update Fee (if needed)	Holt	Homestudy	$750
Travel for Home Visits (if Holt provides)	Holt	Mileage/Travel	Varies

Homestudy Assessment/Post Adoption Reporting Fees (non-Holt branch office states)

Description	Paid To	Fee Type	Amount
Homestudy Fee	Service Provider	Homestudy	$1,500 – $5,000
Homestudy Update Fee (if needed)	Service Provider	Homestudy	$250 – $1,000
Post Adoption Reporting Fees	Service Provider	Post Placement/Adoption	$1,500 – $3,500
Travel for Home Visits	Service Provider	Mileage/Travel	Varies

Adoption Fee 2

Due when Holt approves your homestudy.

Description	Paid To	Fee Type	Amount
Agency Fee 2	Holt	U.S. Expenses	$6,500
Program Fee 1	Holt	U.S. Expenses	$2,000

Adoption Fee 3 & Post Adoption Reporting Fees

Due when you accept the assignment of a child. In the case of siblings, Agency Fee 3 is increased by $3,815 per child and Foreign Country Fee 2 is increased by $2,200.

Description	Paid To	Fee Type	Amount
Agency Fee 3	Holt	U.S. Expenses	$7,500
Program Fee 2	Holt	U.S. Expenses	$3,000
Foreign Country Fee 2 – Pass through to specific providers	Holt	Translation and Documentation Expenses	$650
Post Adoption Reporting Fees (if Holt provides)	Holt	Post Placement/Adoption Reports	$2,000 – $3,500
Travel for Home Visits (if Holt provides)	Holt	Mileage/Travel	Varies

Additional Fees to Anticipate

Description	Paid To	Fee Type	Amount
USCIS	USCIS	Third Party	$860 – $1,330
Adoption Education Classes	Varies	Third Party	$150 – $500
Dossier Preparation	Varies	Third Party	$20 – $100
Pre-Adoption Medical Review of Child Material	Provider	Third Party	$250 – $1,000
Airfare, Lodging, Meals & Transportation	Provider	Mileage/Travel	$7,500 – $15,000

Summary of Estimated Fees

Description	Amount
Homestudy	$1,500 – $5,000
U.S. Expenses	$19,415
Foreign Country Program Expenses	$5,000
Care of the Child	$0
Translation and Documents Expenses	$650
Contributions	$0
Post Adoption Reporting Fees	$1,500 – $3,500
Third Party Fees	$1,280 – $2,930
Travel Costs and Accommodations	$7,500 – $15,000
TOTAL	$36,845 – $51,995

Fee Refunds

Agency Fees are non-refundable.
Program Fees are non-refundable
Pass Through – 100% refundable until tendered overseas
Post Placement Reporting Fees are refundable if not required

Any fee refund will be processed within 60 days.

Financial Assistance for Adoption

Holt believes finances should not stop a child from having a loving family. Although many resources exist to help adoptive families offset the cost of adoption, it’s not always clear where to start looking or what opportunities are best suited for your family. To help you consider all your options, Holt provides an outline of financial assistance, as well as a list of resources categorized by type.

Financing Your Adoption

couple sitting at home viewing virtual adoption financing webinar on their laptop

Need help funding your adoption?

Families adopting through Holt receive free, professional guidance and support from a one-on-one finance coach throughout their adoption process. Even if you’re just considering adoption, email us to set up your first consultation today!

email [email protected]

Stories About Adoption from Mongolia

Adoption

July Under the Eternal Blue Sky

Holt VP Thoa Bui with children in Mongolia

Family Strengthening

A Story From My Recent Trip to Mongolia

Mongolia Adoption FAQs

How long does it take to adopt from Mongolia?

The wait time to adopt a child from Mongolia varies. Depending on the profile of child you are approved to adopt — i.e., the child’s age and needs — your wait time to be matched could be anywhere from 1-3 years.

Families requesting a child within the youngest age range (under age 5) and with minor medical conditions will typically wait the longest. Families who are more open in terms of age and needs will see shorter wait times. Learn more about Disabilities & Medical Conditions in Special Needs Adoption.

See how the process of international adoption works

May I adopt a child from Mongolia through Holt’s Waiting Child program?

Yes! Families who have applied to Holt may request waiting child files to review at any time, but only families who have an approved homestudy can be matched with a child.

Children featured on our waiting child photolisting are often part of sibling groups, older in age or have more involved medical or developmental needs. The wait time to adopt a waiting child from Mongolia is limited to the time it takes to assess and approve the match, making the overall process approximately 15-19 months from application to placement.

What does “special needs” mean?

What are the travel requirements?

Can singles apply?

Vietnam children in orphanage waiting to be adopted

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Start Your Journey in Adoption

Whether you are considering adoption or are ready to apply to adopt, we have many free ways for you to explore our programs or get started.

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Ready to start your adoption journey? The first step is to create a Holt portal account, then submit an application. Click below to log in or create a new portal account. If you’re already in touch with Holt or have worked with Holt previously and do not have a portal login, email [email protected] to access your account!

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