Frequently Asked Questions:
Many families choose to adopt due to infertility. Other families feel that adoption is the best choice to add a child to their family. These are some of the most frequently asked questions:

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Do I have to be a US Citizen?
According to USCIS requirements, one applicant must be a US Citizen. The other spouse may keep their foreign citizenship (in some countries it is a benefit to be considered a Heritage family).
If a single applicant, then yes, you must be a US Citizen. 

Do I need to use a Hague Accredited agency/ attorney in the USA?
What if I know someone in country who can help me?
Can I use them and Bal Jagat together? 
According to the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption and the Universal Accreditation Act, all international adoptions require a Hague Accredited Primary Provider agency in the USA with a direct country license or willing to take on the responsibility/liability for the foreign country portion, even for relative adoptions and even if you have a contact in country to help you.
Usually, the Hague Accredited Primary Provider will have their own in staff to assist you that they supervise and are liable for. All adoptions must go through the proper channels and follow the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption, the Universal Accreditation Act, USCIS, the foreign country/Central Authority, the Courts in that country, Orphanage, and the US Department of State guidelines. 

What if I know the child I want to adopt? Can I adopt a family member?
Yes. Family adoptions and identified adoptions also require a Primary Provider. The child must meet the orphan definition. This is on a case by case basis.  Adoption is not immigration.

Can I go to an orphanage and pick a child?
Usually no. 

Do you work with families outside of Southern California?
We are licensed in 9 counties of Southern California to provide direct services to families. No.

Can I adopt if I am still trying to get pregnant? What if I get pregnant during the process?
Can I do both - adoption and surrogacy (IVF) at the same time to see what works?
Can you do more than one adoption at a time? Can I adopt domestically and internationally?
Can I do adoption and foster care simultaneously?  
No to all of these questions above. If you are pregnant or planning to conceive, please wait for that process to finish. We want to insure that the family is in a stable place with each child. You have  recovered from the pregnancy with no postpartum issues and your family is ready for another addition to the household. If you get pregnant, have a foster child in the home, or have another adoption in process, we will not continue the adoption and close the file.
After a year of stability, contact us to start again.
As the info has changed and dates are old, you will have to restart a new adoption process with current documentation at that time. You cannot do both surrogacy and adoption at the same time. If you are still in the surrogacy process and learning about international adoption, just let us know where you are in the process.

Bal Jagat has worked with many partner agencies over the years and may know a Primary Provider with the foreign country license for your country. 
Please make an Orientation appointment for more information.  
For more information on the Universal Accreditation Act, please visit: 
http://travel.state.gov/content/adoptionsabroad/en/hague-convention/agency-accreditation/universal-accreditation-act-of-2012.html

What if the country is non- Hague?
The Universal Accreditation Act, will apply to Non- Hague adoptions.
For the list of Hague & Non- Hague countries visit: 
http://travel.state.gov/content/adoptionsabroad/en/hague-convention/hague-vs-non-hague-adoption-process.html

What if I move during the process? 
If you move within the 9 counties in Southern California that we service, Bal Jagat will complete a homestudy update on the new home, as well as update the current information. Bal Jagat will not perform an update if another agency completed the homestudy (a new homestudy will be required).

​Does international adoption cost money? Is it free? Is it expensive? Can I afford it?
There are costs involved with International adoption. In addition to agency fees, there are USCIS fees, travel costs (Airfare, in country expenses), parenting classes, notary fees, etc. 

1. Many international adoptions are the same if not similar to domestic adoptions (due to attorney fees and birth parent costs).
2. Families must be financially stable with no history of bankruptcy.
3. The Adoption tax credit is currently $14,440. 
4. Certain companies do allocate funds to adoptive parents (please check with your employer).
5. There are many churches and charities that offer grants for special needs adoptions (many of our families have qualified and been awarded).
6. Not all fees are payable at once. Fees are due at different times during the adoption process.
7. All fee information is provided to you in advance, estimated as close as possible.
8. You will be paying each of these entities directly so you are aware of whom you are paying.

Can I adopt a sibling set with Bal Jagat? 
No. Bal Jagat- Children's World Inc. will only do one adoption at a time.

Are the children on your site waiting for adoption?
No. Bal Jagat- Children's World Inc. does not do any photo listing of children to be adopted.

What is the difference between a domestic adoption and an international adoption?
Domestic adoption is the adoption of a child residing in the USA. International adoption is the adoption of a child residing abroad. Bal Jagat- Children's World Inc. completes international adoption only.

Can I use a domestic adoption homestudy for an international adoption?
No. International adoption home studies have very specific content required by USCIS
(US Immigration Department) to meet Hague Requirements.

Can I adopt a child of Chinese, East Indian, etc. descent locally in the USA?
Will Bal Jagat - Children's World Inc. assist me?
Yes, you can, but you must do your own inquiry with an attorney, domestic agency, or Dept of Children and Family Services in your state. We are unable to assist you with this. 

Here are some additional thoughts to consider. 
Have we acknowledged and resolved the losses associated with infertility?
Here are some points to resolve.

1. Our genetic ties to the future generations of our family.
2. The conception of our child together.
3. The physical and emotional satisfactions of child birth/ breast feeding, etc.

Is adoption is the “second best” choice? What are our feelings about that?

1. What kind of images and ideas do we have about the child’s birth parents?
2. How are we going to raise our child? Are we ready to accept the child’s background and genetics?

What kind of positive feelings do we have when we think about international adoption?

1. We are trying to reach out globally. We are honoring the child’s culture
2. We know many of our friends and others have adopted children from foreign countries and they are very happy.
3. We have heard about support groups and we will join them. We will learn many new things from them.
4. We will have an international family.

Have we started talking to others about adoption? What input do we get?

1. How do our extended families feel about the adoption? How will adoption impact our social structure?
2. Are we able to accept the child’s country, culture, race and religion when our child grows up?

What about our religious beliefs?

1. Will we have any problems/ issues in our Church? Temple?
2. Is our child going to be accepted in various religious places?

What aspects of our background and traditions do we want to connect with our child?

1. How will we accept the child of different race, culture, color, religion, nationality, and ethnicity?
2. Are we able to make peace with ourselves if even though we “feel young,” and we cannot adopt an infant?
3. Are we able to parent more than one child if siblings are available? Consider all aspects of this decision.
4. How long can we both take off from our work and to be with our new child?
5. After the child’s arrival, what is the child care plan?
6. How are we going to finance this adoption?

How we will tell our child about his/her adoption and background?

1. How are we going to tell our child about his/her adoption?
2. When will we start?
3. How do we feel about the child’s birth family? What if the child wants to find out about his/her background history? If he/she want to contact them by visiting his/her country in the future, are we open to it?
4. How we will deal with these issues when the time comes?

If you have other children, biological or adopted, there are additional issues to consider.

1. What if our other children do not accept this adopted child? They may not want to share their parents’ attention.
2. What if our children are mean and cruel to him/her? Making fun of his/her appearance?
3. How we will deal with these issues?

If you are a single applicant and adopting a foreign-born child, think about the following.

1. If I adopt a child now, will I be able to date and get married? Will I be rejected by others since I am a parent?
2. Will my future partner accept my adopted child?
3. What if my spouse cannot accept my child?
4. Will I be open to psychotherapy? Family counseling?
5. What if my child rejects my future partner?

How to Begin
Now that you have considered some of the potential issues regarding adoption and decided that you would like to proceed, the following steps are a basic outline of the adoption process.

1. The first step is to check our Eligibility requirements as well as the requirements of the foreign country to confirm that you qualify. If there is another agency also involved, please confirm with them that you will qualify for their program. 
2. The next step is to schedule an individualized personal Orientation meeting designed to help you define a country preference and discuss country details, educate you on USCIS information, and begin the initial assessment. Both you and your spouse must attend together in person or on Skype. Please expect the Orientation meeting to last approximately two hours and set aside the time without interruption. All of your questions will be answered and we will let you know how to proceed from there. There is a fee for the meeting, and it is non refundable.
3. Once you and your spouse have thoughtfully considered all of the information, you may let us know when you are ready to begin. Our agency staff will email you the documentation to become our client. You will come in and meet with us once to review the documentation. We will also complete the interagency partnership agreement between the agencies. We will assign the social worker, who will contact you to begin the homestudy process.
4. Whether BJCW Inc is completing the homestudy directly or working in partnership, we will be actively involved in every step of the adoption.
5. Please note, the Orientation is a tool for Initial Client Eligibility. Therefore, the date of the Orientation must be no less than 6 months from the date of the Application, or a new Orientation Appointment must be made. Clients must be able to recall the information shared with them to avoid misunderstandings, unclear expectations, repetitions, and/or confusion during the process. Laws and processes in the US or abroad may have changed. In addition, as time passes, new information may be relevant that was not shared with BJCW Inc at the time of the initial Orientation, that may alter client eligibility.

Social workers have a Master in Social Work Degree (MSW) and may also be Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs). Social workers are able to provide you with valuable information as well as complete your assessment. The homestudy will be completed in a manner which will be universally accepted by the Central Authority of the foreign country, USCIS (US Immigration Department), The Courts/Orphanages, the State of California, and the Primary Provider.

All applicants must complete Hague Compliant parenting classes. These classes will prepare you for the international adoption journey ahead.


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Please contact us to schedule an Orientation appointment today!

"Adoption is a gift of life." Hemlata Momaya, MSW, Executive Director
​2016 Congressional "Angels in Adoption" Award Recipient

"The team at Bal-Jagat Children’s World have all been incredible. Hemlata, Mausami and Maggie have made the start of the adoption process so attainable by holding our hand each step of the way. They are extremely knowledgeable with impeccable attention to detail. While the process of adoption can feel daunting at times, especially with the stacks of paperwork required, having all of them on our team has given us the confidence and encouragement to successfully begin our adoption journey. We’ve been able to rest easy knowing that their years of experience, coupled with their genuine sincerity and empathetic approach, will help us in our pursuit of growing our family. We would highly recommend them to anyone considering adoption." - Amber & Reno on Google (adoptive applicants in process for adoption from India).

"In 2003 my wife and I were recommended to Bal Jagat. In 2004 we adopted a perfect little girl from Moscow. The girl was 10 months old but weighed only 10 pounds, malnourished, but otherwise healthy. Thank God, today, she is at the top of her class, has a great personality, and is a true blessing. It was a lot of work, but it was well worth it, and much like child-birth, you forget the difficult parts in the process along the way, which took about a year. We had a great experience with Hemlata and Bal Jagat." - Scott V (Adoptive father of a daughter from Russia)

"In creating our family with two adopted children - our daughter from India and our son from Romania-we could not have asked for a more caring partner in the process. Bal Jagat's compassion, knowledge and critical support, transformed our journey and our lives." - David R and Suzanne KR (Adoptive parents of a daughter from India and a son from Romania).

"When I realized adoption was right for me, Bal Jagat helped me achieve my dream. Their compassionate, empathetic, professional, and proficient staff expertly guided me through the labyrinthine process. Their active engagement in each step made success possible. Thank you, Bal Jagat!" Lu (On Google).

"Hemlata and Mausami are two of the most knowledgeable and caring adoption specialist's I know of. Their technical skill in navigating the rather complex and ever changing regulatory environoment surrounding the international adoptions process is second to none. Their professional competence is only exceeded by their warm and caring approach as they work with you to bring a new young life to your family. So if you are contemplating an international adoption, I would highly recommend Hemlata and Mausami of Bal Jagat." -Dean H. (Member of the Community)

"We have only positive things to say about Bal Jagat! My wife and I adopted 2 beautiful children from China with the loving support and guidance of Hemlata and Mausami. I we were always treated with respect and with the upmost level of professionalism. I highly recommend Bal Jagat for any international adoption! " - Doug & Linda Y.