Gathering Maryland Homestudy Paperwork for an International Adoption – With Checklist

When we began our current adoption process, we found ourselves working with two separate agencies.  Our placement agency – the one connected with El Salvador – is in Kentucky.  But we were required to get our homestudy done by an agency here in Maryland.

So we have a second agency this time (last time we used one for everything).  And with a second agency comes a second set of personalities and some extra expectations to meet.

So as I mentioned in my prior dossier checklist post, I compiled a checklist table in Word for both agencies’ paperwork requirements.  I laid it out so I could check off each stage for each document (since many of our homestudy docs had to be notarized prior to submission)  And then I highlighted the items on each list that were duplicates, so I could collect them simultaneously.

It took us two months to get everything submitted – not bad considering how many of the items involved waiting on government entities.  When our homestudy report “expires” this Spring, we’ll have to re-submit a portion of these as part of an updating amendment we’ll be required to submit to El Salvador to remain in good standing there.

So I’ll be referencing this checklist again all too soon!  Hope it’s a helpful concept for someone else out there, in the meantime, too!

[Note: when compiling paperwork for your own homestudy, please reference your own agency's particular requirements.  They should be similar to this list, but may vary slightly.]

HOMESTUDY DOCUMENT LIST