• There is a need to first determine if the child being sought for adoption by the Prospective Adoptive Parents (PAPs) is eligible for inter-country adoption. The process of establishing the eligibility of the child is undertaken by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). 

• The agency will conduct the child study as well as facilitate the submission of the required supporting documents. To better enable the ICAB to refer the child’s case to the DSWD, the prospective adoptive parents are required to accomplish and submit the Questionnaire for Relative Adoption Applicants (QRAA) including its required attachments to the Central Authority (CA) or ICAB accredited Foreign Adoption Agency (FAA) in their country of residence. 

• The CA/FAA shall endorse to ICAB the completed QRAA with the agency’s assessment and recommendation on the prospective adoptive parents.

• The PAPs should indicate the complete name, current address and any contact numbers (telephone/e-mail address) of the child and the guardian/s or custodian/s in the Philippines. This form can be downloaded from the ICAB’s website: nacc.gov.ph

• The eligibility assessment period of the child may take 3-6 months from the time the ICAB referred the case of the child to the DSWD.

• Should the DSWD determine the child’s proposed adoption by relatives abroad redound to his/her best welfare and interests, the DSWD will prepare and endorse officially the Child Study Report and supporting documents to the ICAB.

Application Phase:

• Simultaneously with the eligibility assessment being done on the prospective adoptive child by the DSWD, the PAPs must contact any of ICAB’s accredited Foreign Adoption Agency (FAA) or Central Authority (CA) in the Country/State/Province/Territory where the PAPs reside.

• The list of CAs/FAA/Government Adoption Agency (GAA) is available in the ICAB’s website.

• The CA/FAA/GAA will not only assess the PAPs capability, eligibility, and suitability via the undertaking of the Home Study Report but also facilitate the official endorsement of the adoption application, required supporting documents and application fee to the ICAB.

• Once the child’s and PAPs dossier are received by the ICAB, the social worker in-charge or assigned to the case will undertake the needed complete staff work.

• Review/assess and evaluate both the child’s and PAPs dossier based on the requirements of the ICA Law as well as the existing guidelines of the Board. If there are some lacking pieces of information and/or supporting documents on either or both parties (child/PAPs), a request will be made to the concerned DSWD Field Office or CA/FAA respectively.

• If the information and documents are complete and substantive, the ICAB social worker will evaluate the case and come up with recommendation/s for the Board’s disposition.

• The ICAB social worker will inform the DSWD Field Office and the CA/FAA on the action taken by the Board on the proposed adoptive placement (i.e. approval, disapproval or deferment).

• In cases of disapproval, the PAPs are given the chance to appeal for the Board’s consideration of their decision. They should provide the Board with sufficient grounds for their appeal.

Pre-Placement Phase:

• In cases of approved adoptive placements, the PAPs through their CA/FAA are required to pay the processing fee and pre-travel fees quoted in the notice of approval so that the ICAB Secretariat could start processing the child’s/ren’s travel documents (i.e. Birth Certificate in security Paper(SECPA) of the National Statistics Office (NSO), passport, visa medical (if applicable), visa picture, visa fee, Commission on Filipino Overseas (CFO), Department of Tourism (DOT), etc.)

• The processing time varies from one country to another. There are countries that do not require visa medical examinations and visa interviews.

Placement Phase:

• Upon completion of the child’s travel documents, the ICAB sends the Notice of Travel to the PAPs through the CA/FAA for the PAPs scheduling of their travel/trip to the Philippines to fetch the child.

• The ICAB must be informed of the PAPs travel itinerary/travel dates to the Philippines.

• Upon arrival in the Philippines, the PAPs must contact the ICAB for the schedule of the Pre-Departure Visit (PDV) at the ICAB’s office.

• During the PDV of the child and the PAPs at the ICAB office, all travel documents of the child are officially turned over/endorsed to the PAPs. The PAPs may share their initial experiences in caring for the child or if they have clarifications with the concerned ICAB social worker.

Post Placement Phase:

• The Philippine Inter-Country Adoption Law requires a six (6) months post placement period or trial custody period where three (3) Post Placement Supervisory Reports along with pictures of the child and the PAPs (or extended family) must be submitted to the ICAB.

• The third (3rd) or final Post Placement Report (PPR) contains the recommendation of the CA/FAA that a satisfactory parent-child relationship has been established and that the adoption can now be finalized.

• Upon receipt of the (PPR) indicating a mutually, satisfying parent-child relationship, the ICAB issues the Affidavit of Consent to Adoption (ACA) executed by the DSWD. The ACA is the document issued within 30 days after receipt of the 3rd PPR.

• In cases of disruption, please refer to Section 47 of the Amended Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 8043.

Adoption Phase:

• Once the adoption has been finalized at the foreign court/tribunal/administrative office in the country of residence of the PAPs, the CA/FAA is required to submit to the ICAB a Certified True Copy of the Adoption Decree/Order and if applicable, the Certificate of Citizenship.

(NOTE: Regardless of the adoption as a relative category, adoption MUST be finalized and the Adoption Decree and Citizenship Certificate endorsed to the ICAB.)