Ms. Erichsen's updated version of How To Adopt Internationally is even better than her first version. She accurately clarifies the steps in a process that can be challenging and lengthy. She provides necessary and detailed information and answers the questions any adoptive parent needs to know. Ms. Erichsen's expertise in the field is quite apparent. The book is extremely well written, thoughtful and an absolute must read for anyone who is thinking about adopting internationally or who is in the process.

Frankly, I didn't know where to start when I decided to try to adopt from Armenia, a country that (at the time) didn't allow agency-directed adoptions. I read this book cover-to-cover, and realized that I would need a LOT of help in order to avoid the pitfalls inherent in independent adoptions. I found a great facilitator to handle the ideosyncratic Armenian requirements, but she didn't know the ins-and-outs of the U.S. side of the equation. This book is exactly as it claims to be: a Guide to International Adoption. It breaks the process down into sequenced steps that make sense of the bureaucratic nightmare inherent in the adoption process.

If every agency was open, honest, and competent, and every country was consistent in its requirements, then books like this one wouldn't be needed. However, I feel that EVERYONE considering international adoption should be armed with the information contained in this book even if it's only used to evaluate agencies before you make your final decision. Furthermore, those choosing to adopt independantly need a guide to sort through the tons of misinformation they will encounter throughout the process.

Keep in mind that ANY info contained in this guide or any other is only the latest info available at the time of printing. Every step along the way, I checked for variations and/or changes with some recent adoptive families from my network of Armenian friends. I also relied on Internet government sites for updates on paperwork requirements.

This is a solid, practical "how to" book that gets right into the nuts and bolts of the international adoption process. While most of the books I found on international adoption were either woefully outdated or tended to be a collection of heartwarming stories about adoptive parents and their journey to their child, this was the only book that explained the entire process from the very beginning to the very end. I have a paperwork phobia, so I especially appreciated all of the examples of the forms and documents the book included, the packing lists for the trip abroad, the guidelines for preparing for the homestudy and for preparing the foreign dossier. I'm planning to get a copy of this book for my parents to help them understand the process.

This book was my "bible" as I prepared to adopt internationally. It guided me through the very detailed, step-by-step process. From finding an agency, initial paperwork, finances, social worker visits, the actual trip and first amazing meeting with your child, to issues once back - such as potential health problems, cultural issues, readopting and adjusting to life as a new family. Sample forms and documents were extremely valuable. I found this more current than other sources available. Also addressed adopting as a single-parent, which was encouraging! I had the opportunity to hear the authors speak in person, and was impressed not only with their first hand experience in adopting and raising their own children, but with their keen knowledge of international politics, and their passion and commitment to guiding others to build their family through foreign adoption. They have a wealth of experience running their own adoption agency, and clearly remain on the cutting edge when it comes to the most current information regarding international adoption. (I now have a beautiful, happy, healthy daughter whom I adopted from China.) This book is a must read for anyone considering the complicated (but ultimately wonderful) experience of adopting a child from a foreign country!

One of the things I liked best about this book is that it included samples of all of the paperwork we needed to collect or submit during the adoption process and gave detailed instructions for finding the necessary forms and documents.

I also liked the step-by-step approach. In addition to making the whole thing easier and less overwhelming, breaking the process down like this, really helped us understand how international adoption works and what government agencies oversaw each part of the process. We could also really track our progress.

The book was also very helpful to us in researching and choosing the right agency and the right country.

I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone even considering the possibility of international adoption.