There are many reasons why people feel drawn towards a particular country. It may be due to family origin or an affinity towards the culture. Although your initial reasons are important and play a major role in choosing a country, you will find that there are many other variables that will also affect your decision.

For example, consider the following:

• Does the country have age restrictions that may disqualify you?
• Depending on your marital status, does the country require that you be married for a specified amount of time? Are singles allowed to adopt?
• What types of medical risks are you willing to accept?
• Can you travel for the time required?

So, where do you get this type of information? Adoption seminars are a good place to start. Each agency will be able to give you a brief overview of its programs, which should include any restrictions the country may enforce.

You should keep in mind that agencies may have different restrictions for the exact same countries. For example, one agency may tell you that the age limit is 40 years old for a particular country and another agency may say the age limit is 45 years old. There are a variety of reasons why something like this can happen. The country may have different rules in the various regions and the agency only works in one region; or the foreign coordinator for one agency may have better connections than another foreign coordinator. Sometimes the age limit is lower because the available children have health problems. It really just depends on the situation and the country. Because of this, you should try to speak with as many agencies as possible to know what your options are for adopting.

It's also important to ask questions. But what are the right questions to ask, and what are the answers you should be looking for? We specialize in researching the pros and cons of each country. Adoption Navigators can help you choose the country that best fits your wishes. We are available to answer any questions you may have. Please contact us between the hours of 9 am - 5 pm EST, Monday - Friday, or e-mail us anytime at info@adoptionnavigators.com.