Three European couples to adopt 4 orphans from Agra

The process can be extremely difficult and lengthy, especially when it pertains to foreigners adopting an Indian child.

HIGHLIGHTS

An Italian couple has adopted two orphan brothers

Two Spanish couples have adopted two girls

They have completed verification, got court permission & are left with passport formalities

Legally adopting an orphan can be a difficult process in any country and considering the level of red tape in India, the process can be extremely lengthy, especially when it pertains to foreigners adopting an Indian child. However, three couples from Spain and Italy have finally crossed all this red tape and will soon be adopting four orphans under the age of 5 years, from the Government Children’s Home in Agra.

An Italian couple sought to adopt two orphans, who are brothers, a year ago. The Authorised Foreign Adoption Agency (AFAA) was requested to verify the credentials of the couple, according to the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) norms.

The other two couples, who are from Spain, wanted to adopt two girls from the children’s home. The verification process has been completed for both the couples. Only the legal adoption process remains now.

Speaking to IndiaToday.in, a superintendent in the home ministry Urmila Gupta said that the couples had sent in their adoption requests for four children and since two of the kids are brothers, it was decided that the two should be given for adoption to the couple in Italy, while the two girls will be given to the couples in Spain. Following the court permission, formalities for the passports of the kids will be initiated so that the adoption can be completed.

A senior official in the Ministry of Home Affairs told IndiaToday.in 30 children were given up for adoption in 2017-19 from the children’s home, while 10 kids were given for adoption in 2018-19 till date. In February last year, an American couple had adopted a kid from the home after completing all the formalities.

Social workers praising the efforts of NGOs in rehabilitating orphans and abandoned children, have also raised a red flag in the processes followed. Some couples were found to be hiding quite a few vital details about themselves while applying for adoption.

Also, with the high prevalence of divorce in western countries, ensuring a safe future and happy childhood for the adopted child has been a continuous job, which could not be entrusted to just one NGO, but government agencies should also be involved in it.

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