Families interested in adopting a child from Ghana should understand that intercountry adoption is a rare event there, only recently becoming a practical option. Because intercountry adoption is not very common families should anticipate occasional bumps in the road that could delay the adoption process. We are working hard to make sure that any possible bumps are addressed in advance so that the adoption process can smoothly proceed. It is important to note that in Ghana the adoption process may vary slightly from one region to another, and sometimes from one attorney to another. Ghana adoptions are conducted according to the Children’s Act of 1998 (Act 560). The adoptions are processed by the court system in each region rather than by a central governmental agency. There are two ways an international family may adopt from Ghana: through the domestic adoption law (subsection 67) or through the international adoption law (subsection 85). Under the domestic law families are expected to foster the child for at least 3 months (or provide foster care by another family) and then a final adoption decree is almost assured. In contrast, families may adopt under the international adoption law, which does not require fostering. However, families adopting through the international adoption law may, at the discretion of the judge, either be given a permanent adoption decree OR a two-year interim adoption. The two-year interim adoption does not seem to be a common ruling, but all adoptive parents need to be aware that the judge does have the power to grant a two-year interim adoption (which may prohibit the child from entering the United States).
