Income-Based Sliding-Scale Placement Fees

Domestic Infant Adoption

Domestic Infant Program Additional Fees at Placement

• Medical Expense Fee: $2,000
  • Covers allowable healthcare and living expenses for birth parents prenatally, through birth, and shortly thereafter.
• Post-Placement Reports: $375 each
  • Three reports required if completed by Adoptions Together. Additional reports may be required.
• Guardianship Expense Fee: $2,000
  • Covers cost of searching for missing parents, court costs, publication, and legal expense.

Domestic Infant Program Potential Fees After Placement

• Legal Counsel for Birth Parents: $500-1,500
  • Legal fees for families matched with a minor birth parent or birth parent who requests counsel. Approximate range; does not cap at $1,500.
• Final Petition for Adoption : $500-1,500
  • Covered by adoptive parents or their attorney. VA costs include filing and adoption disclosure.
• Interim Care Services: $100/day
  • Interim care services are delivered on a case-by-case basis.
• Maryland Finalization with Agency Assistance: $250
  • Legal fee for families who are eligible to finalize in Maryland and work with the Domestic Infant Program to complete their petition for adoption.

Domestic Infant Fees Refund Policy

The program fee is nonrefundable.

The placement fee is refundable if the placement is disrupted by the birth parent or Adoptions Together prior to finalization of the adoption.

Fees paid for interim care services are refundable if the placement is disrupted prior to finalization of the adoption, unless the placement is disrupted by the adoptive parents.

Fees paid for birth parent medical and living expenses are refundable if the placement is disrupted prior to finalization of the adoption, unless the placement is disrupted by the adoptive parents.

Domestic Infant Adoption

• Application Fee: $630
• 30-Hour Foster Care Adoption Training Fee: $400
• Foster Care Adoption Home Study Fee: $1,210
• Initial Program Fee: $3,000
• Placement Fee: $8,000
• Case Management Fee: $500
• Annual Program Update Fee: $1,000

*Additional Sibling Placement Fee (where applicable): $7,000

Partnership with A Fearless Life

Adoptions Together, a program of Paths for Families, is partnered with A Fearless Life. A Fearless Life’s mission is to “find and fund a family for every adoption-eligible foster child in America”. They provide families with funding to partner with placement agencies that will match them with a foster child (or foster children) in need of adoption. To learn more and inquire, click here to go to their website.

Domestic Infant Adoption

Foster Care Adoption

International Adoption

Due at confirmation of receipt of all required home study documents. Each new adoption requires a new application to be submitted. As such, the fees listed below do not include the application, technology, and case management fees, which will be invoiced to you upon application approval.

• Subsequent Home Study for additional child within 3 years of previous home study: $735
• Expedited Subsequent Home Study: Additional $550, total $1285
• A full home study will be required after 3+ years since previous adoption.

These fees are for services required in private/independent adoptions in Virginia. These adoptions involve a direct placement of a child with the adoptive parent(s) by a birth mother/father. These fees are in addition to those charged for a domestic home study.

• Expedited Fee for Post-Placement: $100
• Post-Placement Supervision for additional child during same visit
  • Infant Adoption
    • $200 per visit without a separate report
    • $375 per visit with a separate report
  • Foster Care Adoption/International adoption
    • $250 per visit without a separate report
    • $400 per visit with a separate report 
• Post-Placement Supervisory Phone Conference
  • $150 with Report
  • $50 without Report

• Interstate Relocation Update: $825
  • Due when moving from one state to another within Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, DC. Payment due at confirmation of receipt of all required home study update documents.
• Intrastate Relocation Update: $400
  • Due when moving within the same state. Payment due at confirmation of receipt of all required home study update documents.
• Program Conversion: $825
  • Due when changing from one Adoptions Together program to another.
• International Request for Evidence (RFE) Update: $450
  • Due when RFE is received. It is not uncommon for families to receive additional requests for evidence from USCIS. Adoptions Together will work in conjunction with a Primary Provider to ensure the prepared Home Study Update includes all requested pieces of evidence and submit in advance of the due date.
• Home Study Amendment: $250
  • Any change made to home study after it has been finalized, due prior to service. This does not include Relocation or RFE Updates.
• Home Safety Assessment: $400
  • Assessment of physical home environment required during a child custody/guardianship court proceeding. Due at time of application approval. Technology and Case Management fees also apply.
• Consultation Regarding an Identified Child: $200
  • Review of documentation and conversation with social worker. Due at time of request. Additional fees assessed if written report is required.
• Home Study Restart/Late Fee: $225
  • Due if initial home study documents are not completed within 6 months of application payment. Due for a home study update if documents are not completed within 45 days of the expiration date.
• Travel Fee:
  • Home Study: $100. To be invoiced at time of home study balance.
  • Post-Placement: To be determined and invoiced prior to placement (with the exception of foster care adoption).
• Returned Check Fee: $35