INTERCOUNTRY ADOPTION


CYPRUS

April 2006

Disclaimer: The following is intended as a very general guide to assist U.S. citizens who plan to adopt a child from a foreign country and apply for an immigrant visa for the child to come to the United States. Two sets of laws are particularly relevant: 1) the laws of the child’s country of birth govern all activity in that country including the adoptability of individual children as well as the adoption of children in country in general; and 2) U.S. Federal immigration law governs the immigration of the child to the United States.

The information in this flyer relating to the legal requirements of specific foreign countries is based on public sources and our current understanding. It does not necessarily reflect the actual state of the laws of a child’s country of birth and is provided for general information only. Moreover, U.S. immigration law, including regulations and interpretation, changes from time to time. This flyer reflects our current understanding of the law as of this date and is not legally authoritative. Questions involving foreign and U.S. immigration laws and legal interpretation should be addressed respectively to qualified foreign or U.S. legal counsel.

PLEASE NOTE:   There are no children available for adoption in Cyprus.  Cypriot couples who wish to adopt usually look to other countries for adoption possibilities.   No Cypriot orphans have received U.S. immigrant visas in the past five years.  U.S. citizens living in Cyprus who are considering adopting from another country should consult with the appropriate authorities in all three countries (Cyprus, the U.S., and the child’s country of origin) before proceeding with an adoption case.  Questions concerning the effect of a third-country adoption on U.S. visa qualifications, U.S. citizenship and related issues may be directed to the U.S. Embassy in Nicosia.

ADOPTION AUTHORITY IN CYPRUS: The Department of Welfare at the Ministry of Labor & Social Insurance oversees adoptions in Cyprus. 

Ministry of Labor & Social Insurance
Department of Welfare
63 Prodromou Street
1468 Nicosia
Cyprus
Tel: 357-22-406650/406609         
Fax: 357-22-667907           
E-mail: central.sws@sws.mlsi.gov.cy or mrossidou@sws.mlsi.gov.cy

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR ADOPTIVE PARENTS:  At least one parent must be 25 years old.  If the adopting parents are relatives of the child, one of them must be at least 21 years old.  Married couples must adopt jointly unless one spouse is incapable of giving consent or cannot be located.  Unmarried couples may not adopt jointly.  The court may approve adoptions by single adoptive parents if that person has applied alone and if the court determines that special reasons exist.  “Special reasons” are not listed or defined in the Cypriot adoption code, but the prevailing view in Cyprus is that a family with two parents is in children’s best interests.

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS:  Prospective adoptive parents must be permanent residents of Cyprus or have resided in Cyprus for at least two years prior to the submission of the application.

TIME FRAME:  Since there are no children available for adoption in Cyprus, all times are related to the requirements of the child’s country of birth.  American citizens resident in Cyprus and considering adopting from another country should consult the Department of State’s flyer for that country, available at http://travel.state.gov.

ADOPTION AGENCIES AND ATTORNEYS:  There are no adoption agencies in Cyprus.  The Consular Section at the U.S. Embassy in Nicosia maintains a list of English-speaking lawyers who are licensed to practice in Cyprus.  The U.S. Embassy cannot recommend the services of any specific attorney. 

Prospective adopting parents are advised to fully research any adoption agency or facilitator they plan to use for adoption services.  For U.S.-based agencies, it is suggested that prospective adopting parents contact the Better Business Bureau and/or the licensing office of the appropriate state government agency in the U.S. state where the agency is located or licensed. 

Please see Important Notice Regarding Adoption Agents and Facilitators at the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs web site travel.state.gov.

ADOPTION FEES IN COUNTRY:  Attorneys in Cyprus provide legal services only when Cypriot families adopt children from abroad.  Fees vary from case to case.

ADOPTION PROCEDURES FOR ADOPTING A CHILD FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY WHO WILL THEN IMMIGRATE TO CYPRUS: 

Prospective adoptive parents must be approved for intercountry adoption by a local Cypriot welfare officer.

The actual adoption of the child is governed by the laws of the child’s country of origin.  Once the information listed below has been submitted to the Cypriot Central Authority for the Hague Adoption Convention, the Central Authority will guarantee to the government of the child’s country of origin that the child will be permitted to enter and reside permanently in Cyprus.

  1. Information on the child’s identity, adoptability, background, social environment, family and medical histories, and any special needs.
  2. Proof that the necessary consents have been obtained and the reasons for the placement.
  3. A determination that the placement of the child with the prospective adoptive parents is in the best interests of the child.
  4. Confirmation from the Central Authority of Cyprus agreeing that the adoption may proceed.

The child will be authorized to enter and reside permanently in Cyprus as soon as a certificate is issued and presented to the Immigration Office of Cyprus stating that the adoption has been done in accordance with the Convention.

Please see the Cypriot Department of Welfare web site at http://www.mlsi.gov.cy/sws and search the word “adoption” for detailed information.

Documents Required for Adoption in cYPRUS:  Prospective adopting parents need only to submit a written application signed by both spouses to the District Welfare officer of the district of their habitual residence. During the eligibility study they will be requested to undergo full medical tests.

AUTHENTICATING U.S. DOCUMENTS TO BE USED ABROAD: The language describing the process of authenticating U.S. documents to be used abroad is currently under review. Please click on the following link for more information until the new language is finalized: http://www.state.gov/m/a/auth/.

CYPRIOT EMBASSY AND CONSULATE IN THE UNITED STATES:

Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus
2211 R St., NW
Washington, D.C.  20008-4082
Tel: (202) 462-5772
E-mail: info@cyprusembassy.net
Web: http://www.cyprusembassy.net

Cyprus also has a Consulate in New York City, which may be reached at (212) 686-6016.

U.S. IMMIGRATION REQUIREMENTS

U.S. citizens residing in Cyprus who have adopted children from third countries are advised to contact the U.S. Embassy in Nicosia for information on how to apply for an immigrant visa on their child’s behalf.   

Prospective adopting parents are strongly encouraged to consult USCIS publication M-249, The Immigration of Adopted and Prospective Adopting Children, as well as the Department of State publication, International Adoptions. The USCIS publication is available at the USCIS Web site. The Department of State publication International Adoption can be found on the Bureau of Consular Affairs Web site, travel.state.gov, under “International Adoption.”

Before completing an adoption abroad, prospective adoptive parents are strongly encouraged to read the requirements for filing Form I-600, Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative.  Please see the flyer “How Can Adopted Children Come to the United States” at the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs web site travel.state.gov.

U.S. EMBASSY in Cyprus: Americans living or traveling abroad are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department’s travel registration website, https://travelregistration.state.gov/, and to obtain updated information on travel and security within the country of travel.  Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.  By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency.  The U.S. Embassy in Cyprus may be reached as follows:

Embassy of the United States of America, Nicosia
Metohiou & Ploutarchou Street –
Engomi - 2407 Nicosia - Cyprus
or
P.O.Box 24536, 1385 Nicosia - Cyprus
Telephone number:357-22-393939
Fax: 357-22-776841
email: consularnicosia@state.gov
http://cyprus.usembassy.gov

ACQUIRING U.S. CITIZENSHIP: The language describing the acquisition of U.S. citizenship for adopted children is currently under review. Until the new language is finalized, please click on the following link for further information: http://travel.state.gov/family/adoption/info/info_457.html.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Specific questions about adoption in Cyprus may be addressed to the U.S. Embassy in Nicosia. General questions regarding intercountry adoption may be addressed to the Office of Children’s Issues, U.S. Department of State, CA/OCS/CI, SA-29, 4th Floor, 2201 C Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20520-4818, toll-free Tel: 1-888-407-4747.

Useful information is also available from several other sources:

Telephone:

  • Toll Free - For information on intercountry adoption and international parental child abduction, call Overseas Citizens Services at 1-888-407-4747. This number is available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). Callers who are unable to use toll-free numbers, such as those calling from overseas, may obtain information and assistance during these hours by calling 1-202-501-4444.
  • U.S. Department of State Visa Office - recorded information concerning immigrant visas for adopting children, (202) 663-1225.
  • U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services - recorded information for requesting immigrant visa application forms, 1-800-870-FORM (3676).

Internet:

  • Adoption Information Flyers: The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs web site at: http://travel.state.gov/ contains intercountry adoption information flyers like this one and the International Adoptions brochure.
  • Country Specific Information: The State Department has general information about hiring a foreign attorney and authenticating documents that may supplement the country-specific information provided in this flier. In addition, the State Department publishes Country Specific Information for every country in the world, providing information such as location of the U.S. Embassy, health conditions, political situations, and crime reports. If the situation in a country poses a specific threat to the safety and security of American citizens that is not addressed in the Country Specific Information for that country, the State Department may issue a Travel Alert alerting U.S. citizens to local security situations. If conditions in a country are sufficiently serious, the State Department may issue a Travel Warning recommending that U.S. citizens avoid traveling to that country. These documents are available on the Internet at: http://travel.state.gov/ or by calling the State Department's Office of Overseas Citizen Services Toll Free at 1-888-407-4747. This number is available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). Callers who are unable to use toll-free numbers, such as those calling from overseas, may obtain information and assistance during these hours by calling 1-202-501-4444.
  • USCIS web site - http://uscis.gov/.