International Kinship and Kinship+ Adoption in Ghana

Spence-Chapin is proud to be able to assist families who are looking to adopt their relatives, or children in Ghana who are known to them, through our Kinship & Kinship+ International Adoption Programs.

We know the kinship adoption process can feel like a lot to navigate. Spence-Chapin is here to help you understand what comes next and guide you through each step. As your Primary Adoption Service Provider in the United States, we’ll work closely with you, government agencies, and our trusted in-country providers to help coordinate the many requirements involved in an international kinship adoption. With more than 100 years of experience in adoption, our team brings the knowledge and experience to help you move through the process with greater clarity and confidence.

Spence-Chapin provides Kinship & Kinship+ adoption services in several countries, including Ghana. If you are pursuing a kinship adoption from a country outside of our current country programs and need a home study, we also offer kinship-specific home study services for you and your family. If you’re interested in our Kinship Programs, please reach out directly by giving us a call at 212-360-0400 or submitting an inquiry through the link below.

We are here to support you!

Spence-Chapin is here to serve as your primary adoption service provider! We will support and guide you through the process of adopting a child related to or known to you. We are able to coordinate all the requirements of the child’s birth country and the United States to ensure a smooth integration of the child into your home, providing support through your adoption and beyond.

All U.S. citizens adopting internationally need to work directly with a Primary Adoption Service Provider in the U.S. to oversee the legal requirements in the United States under the Universal Accreditation Act. That is where Spence-Chapin can support your family. Our experienced staff works closely with our in-country provider, PlusOne Charities.

PlusOne Charities

Spence-Chapin’s in-country provider, PlusOne Charities, is an accredited NGO in Ghana who partners with Spence-Chapin to ensure all adoption services are provided in Ghana. PlusOne has experienced adoption staff who will collaborate with Spence-Chapin to support your family throughout your adoption process and facilitate the adoption proceedings in Ghana. PlusOne Charities also provides developmental aid to children with learning and behavioral challenges in Ghana.

What is the process?

If you are looking to adopt a child who is related to you or known to you, please begin by contacting us at 212-360-0400 for an initial eligibility discussion. From the very beginning, we will assess your case through a lens of the USCIS immigration requirements. Because not all children are eligible for intercountry adoption, we will need to assess the individual circumstances of the child you wish to adopt. A member of our team will schedule an initial screening call to understand more about the needs and circumstances of the child you hope to adopt. During this screening process, we may need to collect documentation with respect to the child and may need to confirm eligibility via Ghana’s Central Adoption Authority. Following this initial assessment, you may be invited to apply.

If your application is accepted, Spence-Chapin will begin working with you to prepare all required documents and will guide you through each step in the process as outlined in the below roadmap. Call us or submit an inquiry here.

View the roadmap

Webinar

Attend one of our country-specific webinars to learn about the children and the process.

Application

Your application enables us to get to know your family and ensure your eligibility for the program.

Home study

Through trainings, paperwork, and interviews, the home study is a process of assessment and preparation to adopt.

I-800A

All international adoptions require filing an application with USCIS; we’ll guide you on this!

Dossier

We’ll guide you through the dossier, which is a package of country-specific documents demonstrating your readiness to adopt.

Await referral

We’ll support you through the wait for referral via individual check-ins, workshops, and groups for pre-adoptive families.

Accept referral

Once you accept a referral, we’ll help you prepare to bring your child home!

I-800

Before you travel, we’ll file for the needed pre-approvals to travel.

Travel

You’ll meet your child and finalize the adoption in their birth country! We’ll support you every step.

Return to U.S. with child

Your adoption is finalized! You’ll receive continued support through post-adoption visits.

How Do I Know If I’m Eligible?

Current adoptive parent eligibility as established by Ghanaian and U.S. regulations include:

At least one parent must be a U.S. citizen.

Heterosexual couples may apply. Single women may apply if they are a Ghanaian citizen. Single men may apply if they are a Ghanaian citizen and are a close familial relative of the child to be adopt.

Applicants must be between the ages of 25-55. With special permission from the Ghanaian government and if adopting a relative, the age range may be extended to 25-65. The youngest applicant must be at least 21 years older than the child to be adopted.

Ghana welcomes families who are already parenting as well as families who are not yet parenting. Couples may not have more than 5 children.

Applicants cannot have a history of violent criminal offenses or crimes against children.

Mental health, medical conditions, and other legal history will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Fees

Spence-Chapin prides itself on transparency of fee disclosures. In any intercountry adoption process, families will incur professional service fees from their primary adoption service provider as well as third-party providers and travel costs. Spence-Chapin’s professional service fees reflect the work and support dedicated to your family. Spence-Chapin’s professional service fees are paid in installments as your case reaches new milestones. Please view our Ghana Kinship/Kinship+ fee schedule in our Inquiry Packet

How does Spence-Chapin offset the cost of adoption?

Spence-Chapin is committed to reducing barriers to adoption and partners with the experts at Your Adoption Finance Coach to provide our families with free access to experts, tools, and content that can take the worry out of financing your adoption. This service is available at no additional cost to families. Additionally, the Federal Adoption Tax Credit can greatly offset the costs of adoption. For adoptions finalized in 2026, the Adoption Tax Credit is up to $17,670 per adoption, taken in the tax year in which your adoption is finalized.

International Kinship and Kinship+ Adoption in Ghana

We are here to support you!​

PlusOne Charities​