The Latest International Adoption Statistics

Adoption Friends:

Data available from the US Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs' web site on "Immigrant Visas Issued to Orphans coming to the United States" (http://travel.state.gov/family/adoption/stats/stats_451.html) gives us a good idea on how many children were adopted internationally last year in the United States.

The data shows that during the last fiscal year (October 2004-September 2005), 22,728 visas were issued, just slightly lower than the 22,884 issued during the same period the previous year.

While the total number was relatively constant, the number of adoptions from Russia dropped by 1,226 (21%) to 4,639, the lowest amount since FY2001. Still, Russia ranks second only to China (which increased 12%) in the number of orphan visas issued last fiscal year. Also of note was that 441 visas were issued in FY2005 for children from Ethiopia, up 53% from the previous year.

As it was last year, visas issued for children being adopted from the top four ranking countries -- China, Russia, Guatemala, and South Korea -- account for the vast majority of all international adoption in the US (79% in FY2005). However, there were 16 other countries from which children were adopted ranging from Kazakhstan and the Ukraine to Moldova, Nepal, and Jamaica.

We've compiled all the U.S. Department of State's Orphan Visa statistics from 1995-2005 in a single, easy to view spreadsheet on ThinkingOfAdopting.com. You can find it on the "Int'l Adoption Statistics" page by going to the International Adoption Statistics Page on ThinkingOfAdopting.com. I think you'll find it very interesting -- I sure did!

Robin Bartko