Paid Search Services

DECEMBER 13, 2022 – SEARCHES ARE OPEN, HOWEVER, ADDIS ABABA SEARCHES ARE ON HOLD UNTIL WE FINISH WHAT WE HAVE. SEARCHES FOR REQUESTED NOW WILL BE DECLINED. EXPECT ADDIS ABABA TO REOPEN AROUND APRIL 2023. Thank you.

Our mission has always been to help as many Ethiopian families and adoptees as possible through our database, at no cost to them, rather than focus on individual searches which help one person/family at a time. To support that goal, we have a limit to the number of searches we take on, which is 3 per month. A schedule will be set for the remaining waiting cases, and new cases will be added as they are processed and accepted. Every search helps support our free services to Ethiopian families and adoptees. We also facilitate ongoing communication such as letter delivery and family visits, phone call check ins, and translation services.

Note that we have many searches and there can be a delay of six months in starting new searches.

Read This: Before registering we urge you to read our SEARCH PROCESS and an EXAMPLE REPORT. It will most answer many of your questions.

Adult Adoptees: We believe adoptees are entitled to their full adoption documentation and information about their first families, with connection and reunion whenever possible. We are a non-profit organization which means we do not profit from this. However, searching and researching in Ethiopia does cost money. It takes time, expertise, dedication, and sometimes even bravery. Governments, adoption agencies, and orphanages have not taken responsibility for providing these services to adoptees. We do this because it is the right thing to do, we are able, and we want to do it. That does not mean we can finance searches in Ethiopia for every adoptee or even most adoptees. We do not have the backing of a foundation; we are volunteers who cannot personally finance searches, as much as we would love to do it. Our team in Ethiopia must be compensated for their hard work. So, yes, there are fees for searches in Ethiopia. If you have financial need, please let us know. We will do our best to work wih you.

Travelers: We sometimes get requests to search with clients during a visit to Ethiopia. We do not do this. Why? Because a search is tedious, hard work. Having to translate everything will slow us down. Moreover, we are not tour guides. What we recommend is that we do the search before you travel. We’ll provide you with a detailed report which you can use to continue your research in person. Or maybe we will find your family and you can just enjoy tour trip! You must sign up at least six months before your trip to make this happen.

Register for an Ethiopian Family Search

*****Please read this entire page before starting your form!*****

Beteseb Felega offers searches throughout Ethiopia. Comprehensive, detailed reports are provided for all searches. Careful and diligent effort will be made to find your or your child’s Ethiopian family. It’s important for clients to understand that not all searches are successful. Regardless of outcome, you will be provided with written and photographic documentation of your search.

Every file must be CLEARLY LABELED beginning with the CHILD’S ETHIOPIAN NAME, as such: Mimi Court Docs, Mimi Referral, Mimi Birth Certificate, Mimi Police Report, etc.

Every search request must include ADOPTION DOCUMENTS IN ALL LANGUAGES YOU HAVE. 

Files must be uploaded to a Google Drive Folder and the link must be shared within your form. So, gather your documents and upload them as directed below to Google Drive before you start your form. Your case will not be looked at without adoption documents. No Exceptions. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HEIC FILES.

Every question on the form must be answered. “See Documents” is not an acceptable answer.

A $50 registration fee will enable us to review your adoption information and provide you will a quote for your Ethiopian family search. After you’ve made your registration payment and prepared your Google Drive folder, you will provide your adoption search information through our easy to use website form. You will be able to save the form and return later for up to 30 days if needed (be sure to follow the instructions), and when you submit your data, you will receive a copy via email.

IMPORTANT – READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS

REPEATING: EVERY SEARCH CASE MUST INCLUDE ADOPTION DOCUMENTS IN ALL LANGUAGES GIVEN TO YOU. YOUR CASE WILL NOT BE LOOKED AT WITHOUT ADOPTION DOCUMENTS. NO EXCEPTIONS. There is often significant information contained within that the adoptive parent is unaware of. This information can mean the difference between success and failure and can save time and money.

We will no longer be providing “soft” quotes. Too often we spend hours or more reviewing and discussing a case only to finally see the adoption documents and realize the case looks completely different from the information we were initially provided.

Please follow all the instructions!

Please make every effort to present your case in a clearly-organized and labeled manner. We volunteer our time helping many clients, and you know your child’s story better than we do. We don’t have the resources to devote to organizing a jumble of files into a coherent story. We ask that you present us with well-organized documents and that your request and priorities are clearly stated. We will absolutely work with you and give input on your search, but we can’t do it if your information is incomplete or unclear.

INSTRUCTIONS

Search requests are accepted only from the adoptive parent/legal guardian of the minor child in question or the adult adoptee in question. Social workers, friends, and relatives may not sign up on behalf of an adoptee. However, with permission from the adult adoptee in question, another person may be included in correspondence and contact information.

These steps should be done BEFORE you fill out our form. Your Google Drive Folder link must be included in the form. We are getting a lot of files not labeled and things. Please, please follow the instructions below and be sure you actually give a SHARE link in your website form. Only two people have access to this data: Andrea and Danielle.

1. 1. Your search information will be in two places:
      1. The website form you fill out on this page
      2. Your Google Drive Folder
   2. Create a Google Drive folder. This is where all your files go (docs, photos, previous search reports and photos, etc). You will put the share link into a space on the website form you are about to fill out. If you feel better about it, share the link directly with EthiopianAdoptionConnection at gmail dot com, but you MUST note this fact in your form. Note that if we have to ask you for access to your folder or we don’t know how to find it, we will move on to the next case and yours will be delayed.
   3. Every search request must include ADOPTION DOCUMENTS IN ALL LANGUAGES YOU HAVE. These go into your Google Drive Folder.
   4. Include previous search reports, notes, and photos. We will not base your search on this; we do searches with fresh eyes. However, there may be useful information in a previous search. Add this to your Google Drive Folder.
   5. Clearly label all files beginning with the CHILD’S ETHIOPIAN NAME, as such: Mimi Adoption Docs, Mimi Birth Certificate, Mimi Police Report, etc.
   6. Include a short letter for the family, 1 family photo, and 4-5 photos of the adoptee at different ages. Label them properly. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HEIC FILES.
   7. Provide ALL your documents via your Google Drive folder LINK. There will be a place to provide this within your form. Do this in advance so you can include it in your form.
   8. Your website form shall include a list of all the significant organizations, people, and contact information (as much as you have) for the people and places you want us to visit and/or interview AND a chronological summary of your child’s or your history in Ethiopia and state your goals for the search.
   9. If you need to add additional details or information later, you must put it into your Drive Folder. We get a ton of emails and we cannot guarantee we will find your extra information buried deep in our email box. Send an email to tell us you added more information to your folder.

Note that emailed files are not accepted, your proposal will become void if you have not included all the locations and people you want us to investigate, all adoption documents must be provided, and unlabeled files will not be accepted.

When your deposit is made, you will be taken to the form to sign up. Hang on while the process completes. On the confirmation page, click on the link provided to upload your Ethiopian Family Search data. We will contact you with a quote.

Wait! Before hitting the button – Did you create your drive folder and label your files using the instructions above? Please do so before moving forward! Please, please follow these instructions and be sure you actually include the Google Drive link in your form. We are volunteers. Have mercy. Thanks.

You will be taken to the sign up form after you make your deposit.