Overview
Panama is a small Central American country. It has a small international adoption program, with few agencies working there. Panama is party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention). Therefore, all intercountry adoptions between Panama and the United States must meet the requirements of the Convention and U.S. law implementing the Convention.
Children available: Both boys and girls as young as 18 months old and as old as sixteen are available for adoption. Siblings groups are available. Healthy children and those with special needs are available.
Parents Qualifications for Adopting from Panama:
- Singles and couples may adopt from Panama.
- Couples should be married for 2 years
- Persons previously divorced are permitted to adopt
- Applicants must be at least 18 years older than the child they are adopting. Applicants must be between the age of 25 and 55, with some exceptions.
- Married applicants must be married for at least two years.
- There are no restrictions for having other children in the home.
Timeline: Panama adoptions can take on average from 12 to 18 months to complete
Travel: Adoptive parents will travel to Panama and spend up to 30-50 days. One parent must stay in country the entire time; however both parents must appear for the first meeting of the child and for the court hearing before they can bring their adopted child to the US. In the case of adopting a child with special needs the time in the country may be reduced.
