Adopting Overseas & International Adoption

The U.S. State Department advises ALL U.S. Citizens to check their domestic health insurance and purchase good supplemental international travel health insurance before traveling overseas.

Some countries require adoptive parents to remain “in-country” (a period of residence) between the time they appear before a judge to initiate the adoptive process and while waiting upon USCIS to complete their process . They are required to issue paperwork before returning home with their newly adopted children. In these cases, you may find it necessary to spend an extended period in the foreign country awaiting the completion of the foreign adoption. Both of the above emergency medical plans are also great plans for extended periods of time overseas, from a few days up to half a year abroad. They can be extended if necessary.

For either plan above, it is important for the adoptive child to travel under their new name, with new travel documents, as a U.S. citizen.

Again, we would like to emphasize that these international health insurance adoption plans are inexpensive travel insurance plans (for new medical conditions, unforeseen accidents and emergencies). They are not designed to pay for medical conditions your child may already have or be getting treatment for. This is especially important for new parents of adoptive children to understand, since children adopted internationally often have preexisting conditions needing care. We understand. These plans do feature excellent medical coverage for evacuation, political evacuation and all other travel. They provide medical benefits for the remainder of your time overseas until arriving safely home.

For children on prescription medicine prior to adoption, we recommend purchasing a supply of medicine (prior to leaving their country of origin) that will continue until your child is covered under your domestic health insurance plan. The local embassy should also be able to help advise you on medication allowed into the USA. You can speak with them when you visit them regarding your international adoption papers and to apply for/pick up your child’s immigrant visa at the U.S. Embassy.

What if you live overseas? Will an adopted child be accepted on your insurance plan?

Here is information about a couple of international health insurance adoption plans you may want to consider if you plan on adopting while living abroad:

– GeoBlue Navigator and Xplorer: If your adopted child is added to your coverage within 31 days of adoption, all children are automatically accepted.

– The GMMI Plan: You must submit an application for a new child and the application will go through underwriting. A child could be declined or medical conditions could be excluded.

– Meridian Essential and Enhanced: You must submit an application for a new child and the application will go through underwriting. A child could be declined or medical conditions could be excluded.

(If you are not already on an international health insurance plan, or if your renewal is coming up, AND you are thinking you may adopt a special needs child, we recommend one of the GeoBlue plans. You GeoBlue plan must be in place before the adoption process begins or your application will be declined.)