Mali to Namibia

Mali: The Government of Mali gives priority to Malian citizens for adoption of Malian children, but can consider applications from foreigners wishing to adopt Malian children as well. The Government of Mali places orphaned children with families according to the following order of preference: Malian nationals, foreign nationals residing in or who have resided in Mali, qualified foreign families without children and foreign families who have already adopted a Malian child. Adopted children are generally placed with married couples, in which case either the husband or the wife must be at least 30 years old. An unmarried woman may adopt a Malian child if she is at least 30 years old and can demonstrate proof of sufficient economic resources to support the child. Unmarried men may not adopt Malian children.

There are no residency requirements for adoption. However, the Malian authorities tend to view more favorably prospective adoptive parents who are currently living in or have previously lived in Mali.
The adoption process in Mali can take from three to eighteen months to complete. Once the case has been presented to the Court of Justice, final review and the issuance of the adoption decree typically take 15 days.
Adoption Filiation must pass through the MPFEF’s Direction Nationale. The MPFEF works exclusively with the only orphanage in Bamako. Malian law strictly prohibits the involvement other agencies or associations.
Recent U.S. immigrant visa statistics indicate that fewer than five immigrant visas have been issued to Malian orphans in the last five years.

Mauritania: As a Muslim country that adheres to a strict interpretation of Islamic law, Mauritania does not allow full adoptions as these are understood in the West. It is sometimes possible for Mauritanian courts to grant guardianship (establishing a level of relationship short of adoption). Persons seeking guardianship of Mauritanian children must be relatives of the children and also either Muslim or living in a Muslim environment. Guardianship arrangements involving prospective U.S. guardians are further complicated by the fact that Mauritanian law prohibits non-family members from removing children from Mauritania.
No Mauritanian orphans have received U.S. immigrant visas within the past five years.

Mauritius: There are no residency requirements to complete an intercountry adoption in Mauritius. The Mauritian National Adoption Council does not match adoptable orphans with prospective adoptive parents. Adoptable children are located through personal contacts with families who are unable to care for their child and are willing to give up their child for adoption.The approval of the application takes approximately of 60 days, during which time the NAC checks the biological parents’ story about the child, the actual home situation in which the child is living, at times and when necessary gets back to the adoption service provider of the home study of the prospective parents to verify information. There is an additional 15 days needed to complete court procedures for an adoption. If prospective parents are residing outside Mauritius, they may ask to be interviewed by phone, but the Mauritian authorities view this as the exception rather than the rule. Adoptive parents will need to come to Mauritius at the time the adoption is brought before the judge for a decision. A lawyer may be needed to expedite matters. Immigration visas are issued through Nairobi. No information is available on how many visas have been issued in the last five years.

Morocco: The adoption of a Moroccan child by United States citizens who wish to raise the child in the United States is a complex project. It can be quite difficult to adopt a child in Morocco. However, there are several orphanages in Morocco that have a record of arranging for the adoption by non-Moroccans of Moroccan children. These orphanages issue specially worded adoption decrees to foreigners that allow the child to be raised by the “adoptive” parents and to be taken out of Morocco.
In order to adopt a child in Morocco, you must become officially Moslem and obtain a document to that effect from the appropriate religious authorities in Morocco. Statements asserting that Moslem beliefs are held by an American from any religious authorities outside Morocco will not be honored. You must also demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Moroccan authorities that you were resident in Morocco prior to your adoption of a Moroccan child. There is no set time period for residence, which means that Moroccan authorities can essentially decide at will who is and who is not a qualified resident.
No information was available on how many US immigrant visas were issued in the last 5 years.

Mozambique: Rare, if any. There seem to be one or two Spanish agencies that place children from Mozambique.

Namibia: No information on international adoption found.

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