Tonga Adoptions

The U.S. government has very strict regulations in place for children who are adopted from Tonga.  The biological mother of the child being adopted must be unmarried, and must show proof that she cannot support the child being placed for adoption.  Children born to a legally married couple are not eligible to be adopted by American citizen families because of United States Citizenship and Immigration Service laws and regulations.  There are no age restrictions or current number of children living in the prospective adoptive family’s home.  However, USCS regulations require both adopting families and single parents who wish to adopt to be at least 25 years of age.  Adopting families must have a completed home study and USCIS approval before beginning the adoption process.  Also, travel to Tonga is required and at one of the adopting couples should plan to stay in Tonga for approximately 2 to 3 months.

When a family makes the decision to go forward with an adoption, it is best to call WIA’s office and talk to our Tongan Coordinator before submitting an application to adopt.  Our Coordinator can assess their situation and the situation of the child they wish to adopt.  If the criteria for both Tonga and USCIS are met by both the prospective adoptive family and the child they wish to adopt, the family can then submit an application to go forward with the adoption process.  Once their application is approved, they will be assigned a Case Manager who will help them throughout the adoption process.  The first step of the adoption process will be to complete a home study.  If you live in the State of Utah, WIA can complete a home study for adoptive parents.  If you live outside the State of Utah, we can help you find a home study agency in your state of residence.  When families have completed a home study, the home study needs to be approved by WIA and then submitted to USCIS for approval.  Your Case Manager will assist you throughout the home study and your USCIS submission.

When your home study is completed and has been approved by both WIA and USCIS, one of the adopting parents must travel to Tonga to begin the adoption process.  The actual adoption in Tonga is done through Crown Law, the high court in Tonga, and families usually can either retain an attorney to help them through the process or they can do the adoption process on their own.  If a family choses to work with an attorney, often times the adoptive families know of an attorney through their family contacts in Tonga who can help them.  WIA also has worked with attorneys in Tonga who are willing to help families with the adoption process and can help families locate an attorney if desired.  Once the adoptive parent is in Tonga, the paperwork can be gathered and presented to the court to petition for the adoption.  When the judge reviews and approves the paperwork, a legal adoption decree will be issued and the adoption is completed.

The family will provide the following documents to the court:

1. Letter stating why they want to adopt the child
2. Original copy of their home study
3. Copies of birth certificates and marriage license
4. Letter from the Ecclesiastical leader stating the situation of the birth mother including the fact that neither she nor her family can support the child, that the bio mother wats the child to be adopted, and knows she will never see the child again.  The person writing the letter also needs to state the fact that according to his knowledge the bio mother has not been paid money, given promises of gifts in the future, or been coerced to place her child for adoption.
5. Copies of financial records – bank accounts, savings accounts, etc.

1. Termination of parental rights of the biological mother
2. Affidavit from the bio mother stating she wants to place her child for adoption
3. Guardian ad Litem report
4. Child’s original birth certificate
5. Child’s new birth certificate once the adoption is finalized
6. Oder of adoption

Once the adoption has been finalized, the adoptive parents must then complete and submit the I-600 and accompanying documents.  When the I-600 has been approved the adoptive parent who is in Tonga must then fly to Fiji for an appointment with the U.S. Consulate in order to obtain the child’s U.S. visa.  Once the visa is issued, the child can come home to the U.S.

Agency Fees

Application fee –$1,000

First Program fee – $6,000

Coordinator Fee – $1,000 for the first child, $875 per each additional child

Home study for Utah families – $1500

Home study review fee for non-WIA home study – $250

Maintenance and Oversight fee – $850 for each child being adopted

Second Program fee – $4,500 for first child, $2,000 for each additional child adopted

Post Adoption Monitoring Fee – $800

USCIS Fees

I-600A submission – $775

Fingerprints – $85/per person

Medical Exam, U.S. Visa for adopted child – 425

Foreign Fees

Court Fees – $20

Attorney Fees (if desired) – $200-500

Additional Fees

Airline flights

•  To Tonga ≈$1800 per person/round trip
• To Fiji ≈ $350 to $500 per person/one way flight
• Child’s flight to Fiji ≈ $32 infant, children $350 to $500 one way

Accommodations ≈$150-300 per day/per person

Schedule of Fees, Expenses, Financial Obligations and Refund Policy | Wasatch International Adoption (wiaa.org)

Get Sample Contracts | Wasatch International Adoption (wiaa.org)