December 26, 1995 Implementing Rules & Regulations on Intercountry

Adoption
The process stipulated in said IRR is as follows:
1. The Questionnaire for Relative Adoptive Applicants (ICAB Form No.2) shall
be submitted by the prospective adoptive parents (PAPs) to the Central
Authorities (CAs)/ Foreign Adoption Agencies (FAAs).
2. The CAs/FAAs shall endorse to ICAB the completed Questionnaire for
Relative

Adoptive

Applicants

with

the

agency's

assessment

and

recommendation on the prospective adoptive parents.

3. If the CA/FAA favorably recommends the PAPs, the ICAB social worker will
then request the CA/FAA to proceed with the preparation of the PAPs dossier.
4. Periodic follow-ups will be made with the DSWD-FO. (The time frame from
request to ICABs receipt of the report will be 3-6 months.
5. Once the ICAB receives from the DSWD-FO the childs dossier and the
complete adoption application dossier of the PAPs from the CA or FAA, the
ICAB social worker will prepare an executive summary on the case with
his/her recommendation on the childs adoptive placement for the disposition
of the Board.
December 8, 1998 Implementing Rules and Regulations of Domestic
Adoption Act
The process stipulated in said IRR is as follows:
1. A lawyer prepares the petition for the person or persons wanting to adopt.
The petition includes documents like birth certificates, marriage certificate,
proof of financial capacity, clearances, and proof of good moral character, good
health, etc.
2. Upon payment of the filing or docket fee, the petition is raffled to a Family
Court (of the city nearest the place where the petitioner resides).
3. If the petition is sufficient in form and substance, the court issues an order,
usually within a month after the filing of the petition, setting the case for

initial hearing and ordering the court social worker to conduct a case study
and home visit.
4. The court order is published in a newspaper of general circulation once a
week for three weeks. The newspaper is chosen by raffle conducted by the
Office of the Clerk of Court, in compliance with a Supreme Court circular.
5. Before the initial hearing, the social worker conducts a case study and home
visit. The social worker submits his investigation
recommendations to the court before the initial hearing.

report

and

6. On the date of the initial hearing, the petitioner and the prospective adoptee
must be present. The lawyer presents what are known as the jurisdictional
facts (petition, proof of publication in newspaper, notice to the Office of the
Solicitor General, etc).
7. If there is no opposition to the petition for adoption by any party, then the
lawyer asks the court permission for an ex-parte presentation of evidence,
done before only the court stenographer and the court appointed
commissioner.
8. If the court decision is favorable and there is no appeal by any party, then the
court issues a Certificate of Finality. The lawyer then coordinates with the
Local Civil Registrar and the National Statistics Office for issuance of a new
birth certificate bearing the petitioners surname.
January 8, 2004 Amended Implementing Rules & Regulations on InterCountry Adoption
The process stipulated in said IRR is as follows:
1. If the CA/FAA favorably recommends the PAPs, the ICAB social worker will
then request the CA/FAA to proceed with the preparation of the PAPs
dossier.
2. On the other hand, based on the significant data on the child as indicated in
the QRAA, the assigned ICAB Social Worker will request the DSWD Field
Office (FO) to conduct the Child Study Report with supporting documents.

3. Periodic follow-ups will be made with the DSWD-FO.

4.

Once the ICAB receives from the DSWD-FO the childs dossier and the
complete adoption application dossier of the PAPs from the CA or FAA, the
ICAB social worker will prepare an executive summary on the case with
his/her recommendation on the childs adoptive placement for the disposition
of the Board.

June 18, 2009 Implementing Rules & Regulations of RA 9523 (An Act
Requiring Certification of the DSWD to Declare a Child Legally Available
for Adoption)
The process stipulated in said IRR is as follows:
1. The adoption process begins with the application for adoption submitted to
the ICAB. The PAP may be an alien or a Filipino citizen permanently residing
abroad.
2. The Inter-Country Adoption Board is expected to act upon the application
within one (1) month from its receipt.
3. Applications are reviewed and processed only when the required documents
are completely submitted.
4. Matching the prospective adoptive child with an applicant shall thereafter be
carried out in a matching conference conducted by the ICAB. This usually
takes two (2) to three (3) years after the approval of the matching proposal.
5. Upon approval of a matching proposal, notice shall be given to the concerned
Central Authority or foreign adoption agency.
6. After the applicant has accepted the matching proposal, the ICAB shall issue
a Placement Authority.

7. The applicant is thereafter assessed for pre-adoptive placement fees which

may range anywhere between US$2000 to US$3000 per placement.