Adoption Agencies and Information for Sierra Leone

Under Sierra Leonean law, adoptive parents are currently required to be resident in Sierra Leone for six months and to attend the court hearing for the adoption. Although in the past the High Court of Sierra Leone would sometimes waive either the personal appearance of prospective adoptive parents at adoption proceedings or the six-month residency requirement, this was always at the Court’s discretion and should not be considered the norm. The High Court is currently reviewing its application of the Adoption Act and practices may change without notice.

The U.S. Embassy in Freetown maintains a list of local attorneys. There are no registered adoption agencies in Sierra Leone.

For more information about adoption from this country and about adoption agencies that can assist you, please visit the websites below.  Prospective adoptive parents are advised to fully research any of the adoption agencies they plan to use for adoption services.

The U.S. Department of State: Sierra Leone Adoption and Adoption Agencies
The U.S. Department of State: Authentications Office
Child Citizenship Act of 2000
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
U.S. Foreign travel registration

*Footnote: The Joint Council for International Children’s Services (JCICS) is one of the oldest and largest membership associations of licensed non-profit international adoption agencies.  All of the above adoption agencies are listed as members of JCICS.

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