FAQ

1. Which institution in the Republic of Bulgaria operates as Central Authority in the area of intercountry adoptions pursuant to the 1993 Hague Convention?

The Bulgarian Central Authority is the Ministry of Justice
http://www.justice.government.bg/new/

2. Which countries is ANIDO’s adoption mediation permit valid for?

Please click here to see the original in Cyrillic of ANIDO’s mediation permit or here to see the translation in English.

3. Who makes child proposals /referrals/ in Bulgaria? Is it ANIDO or another body?

According to the Hague Convention, the child proposals /referrals/ are made by the Ministry of Justice, and more precisely by a body within the ministry - the Intercountry Adoption Council.

ANIDO does not make child proposals /referrals/. ANIDO is an adoption mediation agency wich is accredited to provide assistance and services in the area of intercountry adoption.

4. What are the timeframes to receive a proposal /referral/?

The Bulgarian legislation has not specified any terms in this respect. The Bulgarian Central Authority and even less ANIDO are able to commit themselves to determining such a specific waiting time.

The waiting time for receiving a proposal/referral depends on the age, the health status and to a lesser degree on the child’s gender which means that the younger and the healthier the child, the longer the waiting time.

In order to get an idea of the tentative time frames for a proposal/referral, you may check the Intercountry Adoptions Council sessions in the NEWS Section of ANIDO’s website.

5. In which part of Bulgaria does ANIDO operate? Which homes (institutions) for children does it work with?

Our agency is based in Sofia, Bulgaria’s capital, but it is licensed to operate on the entire territory of the Republic of Bulgaria. This means we work with all homes (institutions) for children in our country.

6. Who can adopt a child from Bulgaria?

According to Bulgarian law:

1. In order to be eligible to adopt a child from Bulgaria, the adoptive applicant(s) must have a document certifying their suitability and eligibility to adopt.
2. In Bulgaria only married couples or sole applicants can adopt. In the event of 2 partners living together without marriage (common-law marriage which is also called de facto marriage or informal marriage) – only one of them adopts. Married couples adopt always together.
3. The minimum age of the adoptive applicant must be 18 years. Bulgarian legislation does not provide any upper age limit for adoptive parents.
4. The minimum age difference between the adoptive applicant and the child has to be 15 years.
5. Same sex couples are not eligible to adopt.

7. What is the profile of the children available for adoption? What is the minimum age at which a child can be adopted?

Children can be adopted before they turn 18. Theoretically it is possible to adopt internationally a 9 month old child but in practice the child would be at least 12 - 15 months old.

There are healthy as well as special needs children for adoption, most of which from minority origin (Roma, Turkish, etc.)

8. What medical information is given to adoptive applicants when they receive a child proposal/referral?

The Ministry of Justice sends to ANIDO a photograph of the child and a medical report containing information about the health and social status of the child.

In addition, a representative of ANIDO visits the institution where the child is placed in order to make extra photos and video materials that are initially sent to ANIDO’s partner agency in the receiving country, which on its part takes the steps stipulated in the law in relation with transferring the full information to the adoptive applicants.

9. How does ANIDO control the activity of the institutions (homes) for children and the quality of care they provide?

ANIDO does not have the authority to exercise control over the homes for children. This is done by the respective Bulgarian institutions.

Irrespective of this, ANIDO is able to control the manner of spending the money it or adoptive applicants have donated to homes for children.

10. What is the health status of the Bulgarian children available for intercountry adoption?

The health status of the Bulgarian children available for intercountry adoption is good. The children who fall under the “Special needs” category are not included here. One should not forget that children who have been raised in an institution, irrespective of the country where they are based, are usually delayed both in their physical and mental development in comparison with children raised in a family setting. Different reasons can contribute to this phenomenon. Nevertheless, our practice shows that when institutionalized children are placed in a suitable family environment they quickly catch up with other children.

In this sense, the Bulgarian Ministry of Justice never refers children with health problems to adoptive applicants who have explicitly pointed out in their application that they would like to adopt a healthy child.

The medical staff in the Bulgarian institutions (homes) for children is highly qualified. Therefore the quality of the provided health care is on an excellent level. In most cases the health conditions or diseases of the children are diagnosed and treated at a very early stage of their development.

11. Does ANIDO additionally explore the information provided by the Bulgarian Central Authority with respect to the child proposal/referral?

In accordance with the requirements of Bulgarian law, paediatricians, psychologists and other specialists are on the staff of ANIDO. When a client of our organization receives a proposal/referral for a child, a representative of ANIDO visits the institution (home) where the child is placed in order to make extra photos and video materials and assists the adoptive applicants in receiving additional information as necessary. The collected photos, video materials and information are then sent to our specialists so that the child’s health and developmental status can be subjected to an independent evaluation. This is done in due time in order to give the future adoptive parents a clearer view of the real status of the child and to enable them to make an informed choice - to adopt the child or not.

12. Do applicants frequently reject the child proposed/referred to them due to discrepancies between the information provided by the Ministry of Justice and the results of subsequent medical examinations?

Such cases are extremely rare in Bulgaria because the institutions (homes) for children and the Ministry of Justice provide very accurate information about the children.

13. Do the institutions for children (baby homes) in Bulgaria have websites? Are these homes state-owned or private-owned entities? What types of homes exist in Bulgaria? What kind of care do children raised in such institutions receive?

Some of the homes for children do have websites others do not. Some of the institutions are funded by the municipalties or the government and there are others with a mixed financiation and management.

There are 3 types of homes for children:

• Homes for children from 0 to 3 years old;
• Homes for children from 4 to 7 years old and
• Homes for children from 8 to 18 years old.

There are also specialized homes for children with different health and mental problems, where the children are not separated by age. There is a recent trend to keep healthy and special needs children together. This way, the healthy kids learn to care and respect the others and, at the same time, it also facilitates the socialization of the special needs children.

High quality care is provided to the children raised in institutions. Although the staff in these homes is underpaid, they look after the children with care and love and the children never lack food, toys, medical care, individual attention of specialists, etc. The only thing they need is a family.

14. Can we/should we make a donation to the institution (home) where the child that we are adopting was raised?

Making a donation is an act of free will. It is an expression of our good will and our commitment to the children living in homes to whom fate has been less favourable; but no one can oblige you to make a donation if you would not like to make one.

Nevertheless, any additional financial support is always welcome.

15. How many post-placement reports does the Ministry of Justice require from the adoptive applicants?

Four reports in total are required; the reports are to be sent every 6 months for a period of 2 years from the date on which the decision of the Bulgarian court permitting the adoption enters into force.

16. Is there a waiting list of adoptive applicants at ANIDO?

There is no such waiting list at ANIDO. The Ministry of Justice has such a “waiting list” and this is actually the Register of Adoptive Applicants with usual place of residence in a foreign country, in which register the applicants are entered in order to receive a proposal/referral for a child.

In this sense ANIDO translates, legalizes and submits the adoptive applicants’ files for registration at the Ministry of Justice based on the chronological order of their receipt at our office.

ANIDO does not charge an additional fee for reviewing your application and documents in your file /pack/, prior their submission in the Ministry of Justice.

17. How many trips to Bulgaria have to be made and how long is our stay going to be? When can we come to Bulgaria to take our child home?

The adoption procedure in Bulgaria requires applicants to make 2 trips to Bulgaria: the first one - after receiving the proposal/referral for a child and the second one – after the date on which the court decision permitting the adoption enters into force. Usually the second trip is 3-4 months after the first one.

18. What types of adoption are permitted in Bulgaria?

There are 2 types of adoption in Bulgaria – full and open adoption. But in the case of intercountry adoption we should point out that as a country that has ratified the Hague Convention, Bulgaria permits the adoption of children with usual place of residence in Bulgaria by persons whose usual place of residence is abroad only under the conditions of full adoption. This type of adoption discontinues the kinship ties of the child with the biological family and among the child and his/her new family rights and obligations arise as between relatives by birth.

19. Why adoptive applicants who were entered into the Intercountry register at a later stage have received a proposal/referral for a child before us?

The reason for this could be that the adoptive parents in question submitted an application for an older child than the one you would like to adopt or for a child with some health issues while your application is for a healthy child. Besides, it is important to know that the main principle which the Ministry of Justice follows is “to find a family for each child” and in this sense observes the consecutiveness of the children in the register; that is, if the first child entered into the register is 8 years old, the Intercountry Adoptions Council starts searching among all registered applicants for the first one that wants to adopt such a child. For instance, if the registered applicant was entered under No 257 but is the first one that wishes to adopt a child aged 8 years, this in practice makes him/her the first one in the register.

20. Is it possible that other applicants are entered into the register of the Ministry of Justice under the same number as us?

Yes, it is possible for the number to be the same, but the year of the entry is different. In other words, the numbering each year starts from No 1.

21. Is it possible for me to visit one of the institutions (homes) for children?

This is possible only after receiving permission from the Ministry of Justice as in the name of the children’s safety and health the access to these homes is restricted.

You will be able to visit the baby home (orphanage) when you accept the proposal/referral for a child and decide to travel to Bulgaria in order to know him/her for at least 5 business days.

22. What is the maximum amount of the expenses, state fees and administrative charges for one intercountry adoption procedure announced by ANIDO to the Ministry of Justice that may not be exceeded?

ANNEX №1 TO ART.30

of the Mediation Agreement

for International Adoptions

MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF THE EXPENSES necessary to ANIDO to perform its activities as a mediator for international adoptions

1. Translation of the documents of the adoptive applicants:

a) translation of the initial documents necessary for entering the adoptive applicants in the Register at the Ministry of Justice;

b) translation of documents subject to updates: certificate for suitability, home studies, police certificates, medical certificates, post-placement monitoring certificates, certificate under art. 17с of the Hague Convention issued by the foreign Central Authority;

c) translation of the court ruling, the new birth certificate of the child and 4 post-placement reports;

d) translation of the referral under art. 17c made by the Bulgarian Central Authority; of additional information, written statement of a specialist, correspondence during the adoption procedure

The calculations are based on 132 pages of a complete file plus all abovementioned documents х 20 BGN per page (average price of translation agencies which varies depending on the language) = 2.900 BGN – 1.350 Euro

2. Consultation for the adoptive applicant regarding the legislation, procedure, timeframes and documents for international adoption – 200 Euro

3. Compiling the documents for entering in the Register of the Ministry of Justice and preparing an application – 300 Euro

4. Gathering and submitting additional information about the referred child – 250 Euro

5. Representation in court – 1.000 Euro

6. So-called administrative assistance: supporting the adoptive applicant to receive the new birth certificate and passport of the child, as well as other activities necessary for the child to leave Bulgaria and enter the country of the adoptive parents – 100 Euro;

7. Consulting the adoptive applicants when taking their decision to adopt or refuse the referred child (performed by the specialists of ANIDO – psychologist, pediatrician, pedagogue):

a) verbal consultation and appointment with the adoptive applicants – 200 Euro

b) preparation of written opinion – 150 Euro

8. Fee for the interpreter when:

a) performing the 5-day personal contact – 750 Euro;

b) taking the child – 250 Euro

TOTAL MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF THE EXPENSES = 4 550 EURO (calculations are based on exchange rate of 1 Euro = 1.95583 BGN.)

STIPULATED BY LAW STATE FEES

1.         Fee of the Bulgarian Ministry of Justice due for client’s registration under art. 113, par. 1, item 3 of the Family Code: 100 BGN + bank fee of 2.20 BGN = 102.20 BGN. (= 52 .25 euro)

2.         State fee collected by the court in order to process the adoption application: 25 BGN + bank fee of 2.20 BGN = 27.20 BGN (= 13.91 euro)

3.         State fee for applications requesting the consent of the Minister of Justice under art. 117, par.1 of the Family Code: 50 BGN + bank fee of 2.20 BGN = 52.20 BGN (= 26.69 euro);

4.         State fee for certifying copies of the effective court ruling for approving the adoption: 2 BGN for the first page and 1 BGN for every subsequent page. Calculations are based on a court ruling consisting of 8 pages = 9 BGN. In case of adoption of one child, 6 copies of the court ruling are necessary, as 2 of them are for office use and are free, and the other 4 are charged, i.e. = 36 BGN (18.41 euro);

5.         State fee for the issuance of two copies of the birth certificate by Triaditsa District, Sofia City, legalized in order to be used abroad: 30 BGN (= 15.34 euro)

6.         State fee for the issuance of passport: 20 BGN + bank fee of 5.50 = 25.50 BGN (= 13.04 euro)

7.         Notary fee for legalization of the documents of the applicants under art. 31 of Ordinance No. 3/2014: 1 document signed by two adoptive applicants х 9.00 BGN (pursuant

8.         of art. 90 of the Notaries and Notary Activities Act) + VAT. 4 documents at average х 9.00 BGN = 36 BGN (+ VAT of 7.20 BGN) = 43.20 BGN (= 22.09 euro)

9.         State fee of the Ministry of Exterior for the legalization of the translated documents:

a) legalization of a document issued abroad: calculations are based on 22 documents (from one dossier) for the entire procedure, including documents with term of validity, and for express legalization: – 22.50 BGN per document х 22 documents = 495 BGN (= 253.09 euro)

(Bank fee is not included here for it cannot be calculated in advance – if 10 documents are submitted at the same time, one deposit slip is needed and the bank fee is 4 BGN; if documents are not submitted at the same time, the bank fee is charged for every deposit slip.)

b) legalization of bilingual documents or documents issued in one state to be used in another state costs 60 BGN per document. (For example, the majority of the documents issued in the Netherlands are issued both in English and Dutch, and the legalization of such documents costs 60 BGN as both languages need to be certified. The second hypothesis is when Irish citizens contract a marriage in Italy – the original marriage certificate is issued in Italian and then is translated in English in order to be used in Ireland. When received in Bulgarian, both languages need to be certified. The calculations are based on average of 6 documents per dossier х 60 BGN = 360 BGN (= 184.07 euro)

(Bank fee is not included due to the consideration listed in item “a”).

c) legalization of the , issued by the Ministry of Justice certificate under art. 23 of the Hague Convention in order to be used abroad:

 - notarization of the document – 5 BGN (3 BGN for the first page + 2 BGN for the second one) + VAT (1 BGN) = 6 BGN (= 3.07 euro);

- legalization at the Ministry of Justice – 5 BGN + bank fee of 4 BGN = 9 BGN (= 4.60 euro)

- legalization at the Ministry of Exterior – 30 BGN + bank fee of 4 BGN = 34 BGN (= 17.38 euro)

d) legalization of court ruling:

- at the Ministry of Justice – 5 BGN + bank fee of 4 BGN. Usually 2 copies are legalized, i.e. = 10 BGN + bank fee of 4 BGN = 14 BGN (= 7.15 euro);

- at the consular department at the Ministry of Exterior – 30 BGN + bank fee of 4 BGN = 34 BGN. 2 copies are legalized, i.e., 60 BGN + bank fee of 4 BGN = 64 BGN (= 32.72 euro)

e) legalization of the new birth certificate – two legalizations at the Ministry of Exterior: of the translator’s signature (30 BGN) and the document itself (30 BGN). 2 copies of the birth certificate are legalized, i.e., the fee is 2 х 60 BGN = 120 BGN + bank fee of 4 BGN = 124 BGN (= 63.40 euro)

TOTAL AMOUNT OF STATE FEES = 1427.80 BGN (= 730.02 euro)

including 1395.70 BGN for state fees + 32.10 BGN for bank fees (= 713.61 euro for state fees + 16.41 euro for bank fees)

(calculations are based on exchange rate of 1 Euro = 1.95583 лв.)

ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES

1. Expenses related with improving the qualification of the specialists, associates, translators working for ANIDO, including organization and participation in international programs in Bulgaria and abroad                                                                              500 Euro

2. Courier services in Bulgaria and abroad, phone, internet and other consumables, including office supplies, etc.                                                                             200 Euro

3. Rent for the office of ANIDO and expenses for its maintenance           600 Euro

4. Salaries (including insurances and taxes)                                                 700 Euro

TOTAL AMOUNT OF ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES = 2 000 EURO (calculations are based on exchange rate of 1 Euro = 1.95583 BGN.)

TOTAL section I + section II + section III = 7 280 EURO

Please, find below the bank details of ANIDO Association:

Bank – UniCredit Bulbank AD

IBAN:  UNCRBGSF

Bank account: BG52 UNCR9660 1420 5144 01

                                   Chairperson of the Management Board of ANIDO

                                                           attorney Nelly Gantcheva