1. Choose an Accredited Adoption Service Provider:  

The first step in adopting a child from Mali is to select an adoption service provider in the United States that has been accredited.   Only these agencies and attorneys can provide adoption services between the United States and Mali.  Learn more.

2.  Apply to be Found Eligible to Adopt:  

After you choose an accredited adoption service provider, you apply to be found eligible to adopt (Form I-800A) by the U.S. Government, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).   Learn how.   

Once the U.S. government determines that you are “eligible” and “suitable” to adopt, you or your agency will forward your information to the adoption authority in Mali. Mali’s adoption authority will review your application to determine whether you are also eligible to adopt under Malian law. 

3.  Be Matched with a Child: 

If both the United States and Mali determine that you are eligible to adopt, and a child is available for intercountry adoption, the central adoption authority in Mali may provide you with a referral for a child.  Each family must decide for itself whether or not it will be able to meet the needs of the particular child and provide a permanent family placement for the referred child.   

4.  Apply for the Child to be Found Eligible for Adoption: 

After you accept a match with a child, you will apply to the U.S Government, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for provisional approval to adopt that particular child (Form I-800).  USCIS will determine whether the child is eligible under U.S. law to be adopted and enter the United States.   Learn how. 

After this, your adoption service provider or you will submit a visa application for to a Consular Officer at the U.S. Embassy.  The Consular Officer will review the child’s information and evaluate the child for possible visa inelegibilities.  If the Consular Office determines that the child appears eligible to immigrate to the United States, he/she will notify the Malian adoption authority (Article 5 letter).  For Convention country adoptions, prospective adoptive parent(s) may not proceed with the adoption or obtain custody for the purpose of adoption until this takes place.

Remember:  The Consular Officer will make a final decision about the immigrant visa later in the adoption process. 

5.  Adopt the Child (or Gain Legal Custody) in Mali:  

Remember:  Before you adopt (or gain legal custody of) a child in Mali, you must have completed the above four steps.  Only after completing these steps, can you proceed to finalize the adoption or grant of custody for the purposes of adoption in Mali. 

The process for finalizing the adoption (or gaining legal custody) in Mali generally includes the following:

·         ROLE OF THE ADOPTION AUTHORITY: Adoption Filiation must pass through the MPFEF’s Direction Nationale. The MPFEF works exclusively with the only orphanage in Bamako. Malian law strictly prohibits the involvement of other agencies or associations. See the section “Adoption Process” for more information on their role.

·         TIME FRAME: The adoption process in Mali can take from three to eighteen months to complete. Once the case has been presented to the Court of Justice, final review and the issuance of the adoption decree typically takes 15 days.

·         ADOPTION PROCESS: As part of their formal application to adopt a Malian child via adoption filiation, prospective adoptive parents may express preferences with regard to child’s gender and age. However, the MPFEF’s Direction Nationale identifies the specific child.

Prospective adoptive parents residing in the United States may submit their adoption applications to the Malian Embassy in Washington, D.C. Be sure to address the envelope to the Ministère de la Promotion de la Femme, de l’Enfant et de la Famille. The complete mailing address is listed under Contact Information.

Prospective adoptive parents residing in Mali should submit their applications directly to the

Direction Nationale de l’Enfant et de la Famille, Ministère de la Promotion de la Femme, de l’Enfant et de la Famille. The complete mailing address is listed under contact information.

If the prospective parent(s) are working with a Malian lawyer, it is possible for the adoption procedures and court proceedings in Mali to be held without the presence of the adopting parent(s). In this case, the parent(s) would still need to travel to Mali to accept the adopted child from the Direction Nationale once those proceedings have been completed.

The MPFEF will not release newly adopted children to anyone other than the adopting parent(s).

The process for obtaining an Adoption Filiation decree in Mali is as follows:

1. The prospective parent(s) compile all required documents, including an application and written statement of preferences, to the “Ministère de la Promotion de la Femme, de l’Enfant et de la Famille” (see address above). A list of required documents is noted below.

2. The MPFEF’s Direction Nationale notifies the prospective adoptive parent(s) of the status of the pending application, i.e., whether it has been approved or denied. Once an adoption application has been approved, the Direction Nationale offers a child to the prospective parent(s). The applicant parent(s) may decline the child, but if they wish to proceed with a Malian adoption of a different child they must then resubmit a new application and start the process from the beginning.

3. After agreeing to adopt a child identified by the Direction Nationale, the prospective adoptive parents, together with a representative from the Direction Nationale, take the case to the ‘Tribunal de la Première Instance’ in Commune 5 in Bamako. During the court hearing the Direction Nationale serves as an advocate for the adopting parent(s). Only the Court in Commune 5 is authorized to issue adoption-filiation decrees. There is a 15-day waiting period after the Court’s decision in case someone objects to the adoption. The fee for the Court proceedings is 10,000 West African Francs

4. An Adoption Filiation can occur only when the following conditions are met:

a.     There is good reason for adoption and the adoption will benefit the child;

b.    The child is under 5 years of age

c.     The child has been abandoned, with parents either unknown or deceased, and no other parent is capable of caring for the child.

·         ADOPTION FEES: In the adoption services contract that you sign at the beginning of the adoption process, your agency will itemize the fees and estimated expenses related to your adoption process.

The U.S. Embassy in Mali discourages the payment of any fees that are not properly receipted, “donations,” or “expediting” fees, that may be requested from prospective adoptive parents.  Such fees have the appearance of “buying” a baby and put all future adoptions in Mali at risk.

The fee for issuing an adoption decree is 10,000 West African Francs or approximately 25U.S. Dollars.

·         DOCUMENTS REQUIRED:  

1. Certified true copies of the following:
   a. Birth certificates of the adopting parent(s)
   b.  Marriage certificate of adopting parents
2. Police record or certification of the lack thereof
3. A home-study conducted by U.S. authorities if prospective parent(s) live in the U.S. If prospective parent(s) live in Mali, the home-study will be conducted by the Direction Nationale du Developpement Social in Bamako
4. Certificate attesting to the good health, both mental and physical, of the adopting parent(s)
5. Residence certificate (if resident in Mali)
6. U.S. passport and/or certificate attesting to nationality of adopting parent(s) issued by the U.S. Embassy in Bamako
7. Pay statements and tax records indicating residency, employment and annual income of adopting parents
8. Notarized statement appointing a parent or friend as the child’s guardian in the case of adopting parents’death
9. Agreement to provide a yearly report on the child’s welfare to the MPFEF’s Direction Nationale
10. Four letters of reference        
    
    NOTE:  Additional documents may be requested.  If you are asked to provide proof that a document from the United States is authentic, we can help.  Learn how. 
    
    

6.  Bringing Your Child Home

Now that your adoption is complete (or you have obtained legal custody of the child), there are a few more steps to take before you can head home.   Specifically, you need to apply for three documents for your child before he or she can travel to the United States:

• Birth Certificate
  You will first need to apply for a new birth certificate for your child, so that you can later apply for a passport.  Your name will be added to the new birth certificate. 
  
• Malian Passport
  Your child is not yet a U.S. citizen, so he/she will need a travel document or Passport from Mali.  
   
• U.S. Immigrant Visa 
  After you obtain the new birth certificate and passport for your child, you also need to apply for an U.S. visa from the United States Embassy for your child.  After the adoption (or custody for purpose of adoption) is granted, visit the U.S Embassy for final review and approval of the child’s I-800 petition and to obtain a visa for the child.  This immigrant visa allows your child to travel home with you.  As part of this process, the Consular Officer must be provided the “Panel Physician’s” medical report on the child if it was not provided during the provisional approval stage.  Learn more.     
  
  All Immigrant Visas for the U.S. Embassy in Bamako, Mali are issued by the U.S. Embassy in Dakar, Senegal. A Malian child, even if adopted by an American citizen, must obtain an immigrant visa before he or she can enter the U.S. as a lawful permanent resident.   As the Embassy in Dakar prioritizes the scheduling of visa interviews for orphan adoptions, adopting parents are encouraged to contact the Embassy directly, by email (consulardakar@state.gov), in order to arrange an interview appointment, rather than booking an appointment through the Embassy’s call center. 
  
  The U.S. Embassy in Dakar, Senegal is located at:
  U.S. Embassy
  Avenue Jean XXIII, angle Rue Jacques Bugnicourt - BP 49
  Dakar, Senegal
  Telephone: (221) 33-829-2100
  Fax: (221) 33-822-5903
  Email: ConsularDakar@state.gov
  
  Mailing Address:
  U.S. Embassy
  Consular Section
  2130 Dakar Place
  Washington, D.C. 20521-2130
  
  International Mailing Address:
  U.S. Embassy-Consular Section
  Avenue Jean XXIII, angle Rue Jacques Bugnicourt - BP 49
  Dakar, Senegal

NOTE: Visa issuance after the final interview now generally takes at least 24 hours and it will not normally be possible to provide the visa to adoptive parents on the day of the interview.  Adoptive parents should verify current processing times at the appropriate consulate or embassy before making final travel arrangements.

Child Citizenship Act

For adoptions finalized abroad:  The Child Citizenship Act of 2000 allows your child to acquire American citizenship when he or she enters the United States as lawful permanent residents. 

For adoptions to be finalized in the United States: The Child Citizenship Act of 2000 allows your child to typically acquire American citizenship when the U.S. state court issues the final adoption decree.  We urge your family to finalize the adoption in a U.S. State court as quickly as possible.

*Please be aware that if your child did not qualify to become a citizen upon entry to the United States, it is very important that you take the steps necessary so that your child does qualify as soon as possible.  Failure to obtain citizenship for your child can impact many areas of his/her life including family travel, eligibility for education and education grants, and voting. 

Learn more about the Child Citizenship Act. 

TRAVELING ABROAD

Applying for Your U.S. Passport
A valid U.S. passport is required to enter and leave Mali. Only the U.S. Department of State has the authority to grant, issue, or verify U.S. passports.

Getting or renewing a passport is easy. The Passport Application Wizard will help you determine which passport form you need, help you to complete the form online, estimate your payment, and generate the form for you to print—all in one place.

Obtaining Your Visa
In addition to a U.S. passport, you also need to obtain a visa.  A visa is an official document issued by a foreign country that formally allows you to visit.  Where required, visas are attached to your passport and allow you to enter a foreign nation.

To find information about obtaining a visa for Mali, see the Department of State’s Country Specific Information.

Staying Safe on Your Trip
Before you travel, it's always a good practice to investigate the local conditions, laws, political landscape, and culture of the country.  The State Department is a good place to start.

The Department of State provides Country Specific Information for every country of the world about various issues, including the health conditions, crime, unusual currency or entry requirements, and any areas of instability. 

Staying in Touch on Your Trip
When traveling during the adoption process, we encourage you to register your trip with the Department of State. Travel registration makes it possible to contact you if necessary. Whether there’s a family emergency in the United States, or a crisis in Mali, registration assists the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in reaching you.

Registration is free and can be done online.

AFTER ADOPTION

What does Mali require of the adoptive parents after the adoption?

Mali requires an agreement from the prospective adoptive parents to provide a yearly report on the child’s welfare to the MPFEF’s Direction Nationale.

We strongly urge you to comply with the wish of Mali and complete all post-adoption requirements in a timely manner.  Your adoption agency may be able to help you with this process.  Your cooperation will contribute to that country’s history of positive experiences with American parents.

What resources are available to assist families after the adoption?

Many adoptive parents find it important to find support after the adoption.  Take advantage of all the resources available to your family -- whether it’s another adoptive family, a support group, an advocacy organization, or your religious or community services. 

Here are some good places to start your support group search:

·         Child Welfare Information Gateway

·         North American Council on Adoptable Children

Note:  Inclusion of non-U.S. Government links does not imply endorsement of contents. 

CONTACT INFORMATION

U.S. Embassy in Mali
Ambassade des USA

ACI 2000

Rue 243 Porte 297
B.P. 34
Bamako
Tel: (223)-270-23-00

Mali’s Adoption Authority
Direction Nationale de l’Enfant et de la Famille
Ministère de la Promotion de la Femme, de l’Enfant et de la Famille
B.P. 2688, Bamako, Mali
Email: mpfef@cefib.com

Embassy of Mali
Embassy of the Republic of Mali
2130 R Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20008
Tel: (202) 332-2249
Fax: (202) 332-6603

Internet: http://www.maliembassy.us/new_site/default.htm

Office of Children’s Issues

U.S. Department of State

2201 C Street, NW

SA-29

Washington, DC 20520

Tel:  1-888-407-4747
E-mail:  AskCI@state.gov

http://adoption.state.gov

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
For questions about immigration procedures, call the National Customer Service Center (NCSC)

1-800-375-5283 (TTY 1-800-767-1833)