Program Fees and Documents (Copy)

First Step

The first step for all ACI programs is submitting an Application with the Program Phase I fee. Please review our Adoption Programs Overview and Fee Structure prior to completing the Application.

Visit our Application Page to get started.

Adoption Programs Overview and Fees

Domestic & International Home Study Only (HSO) Program

ACI can complete a Home Study (Domestic or International) for Illinois prospective adoptive parents who are working with other placing resources (agencies and/or attorneys). Our agency’s HSO Program for International Adoption does not include Primary Provider Services. Any family pursuing International Adoption must identify and retain a Primary Provider to oversee their International Adoption.

HSO Program Fees Overview

View Phase I & II Fees ▼

Phase I: Comprehensive Home Study

  • Initial Application Interview
  • Home Study
  • Adoption Education / Training
  • Up to 5 Post-Placement Visits for one child
  • Court Report
Domestic updates: $750 annually until placement. International updates required when I-800A/I-600A expire (if no petition filed).
Fee due with application: $4,900
ACI Alumni Fee: $4,400

Phase II: Agency Coordination

  • Coordinating with other agencies for home study review, document submission, and ongoing case support
  • ICPC Coordination (Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children)
Fee due upon finalization: $500
*Waived for families who submitted Phase I fee prior to September 30, 2024.

Traditional Adoption Placement (TAP) Program

In the TAP Program, families continue with ACI after completing their Home Study by submitting the Phase II fee and photo books. ACI then facilitates the adoption placement and provides the necessary post-placement supervision, as required by Illinois law. To minimize prospective adoptive parents’ financial risk, there are no matching fees, and our agency pays all expectant parent expenses.

TAP Program Fees Overview

View All Phase Fees ▼

Phase I: Comprehensive Home Study Services

  • Application & Initial Interview
  • Home Study
  • Adoption Education / Training
  • Up to 5 Post-Placement Visits for one child
  • Court Report
Domestic home studies must be updated annually for a $750 fee until placement occurs.
Fee due with application: $4,900
Fee for returning ACI applicants: $4,400

Phase II: TAP Program

  • Expectant Parent (EP) outreach / advertising efforts
  • Emergency response service – staff on call 24 hours per day
  • Support/feedback in creation of family profiles
  • Expectant Parent Counselor services
  • Family profile services on agency website
  • EP expense fund coordination of post-placement communication plan between APs and EPs
Fee due after acceptance into program: $6,500

Phase III: Placement

  • Fee due at the time of placement
  • Sibling placements: Two or more children placed simultaneously pay 1.5 full placement fees
Fee: $28,500

Family-Based Financial Aid (TAP Program Only)

  • Apply before submitting formal ACI application and Phase I fee with $250 non-refundable FBFA fee (applied to Phase I if proceeding)
  • Alternatively, submit FBFA application within 60 days of Phase I fee; any award applied to Phase III placement fee
Additional information can be found HERE.

Agency-Assisted Placement (AAP) Program

An Agency Assisted Adoption occurs when prospective adoptive parents match with an Illinois expectant mother considering adoption through their own efforts. Similar to our TAP program, ACI will provide the expectant mother with emotional support, options counseling, and facilitate final surrenders if she decides to move forward with her adoption plan. Prospective adoptive parents are responsible for staff expenses related to the case (mileage, time, etc.) and expectant parent expenses, as allowed by Illinois law. These fees are not recoverable if placement does not occur. The placement fee is only paid after surrenders have been signed. 

Assessment & Program Fees Overview

View All Fees ▼

Assessment Only Fee

  • Initial meeting and assessment with expectant parent
Fee: $400 + mileage and travel expenses

Phase I: Comprehensive Home Study Services

  • Initial Application Interview
  • Home Study
  • Adoption Education / Training
  • Up to 5 Post-Placement Visits for one child
  • Court Report
  • ICPC (Interstate Placement of Children)
Domestic home studies must be updated annually for a $750 fee until placement occurs.
Fee due with application: $4,900
Fee for returning ACI applicants: $4,400
Fee for applicants with current Home Study: $3,000

Phase II: AAP Program Services and Fees

  • Emergency response service – staff on call 24 hours per day
  • Expectant Parent counseling services to identified EP(s)
  • Coordination of hospital plan
  • Management of EP Expense Fund
  • Coordination of post-placement communication plan between APs and EPs
Fee due with submission of AAP Program Agreement:
Expectant Parent Counseling Services: $3,000
Expectant Parent Expense Fund: $3,000
Total: $6,000
ACI manages and disburses these funds for pre-approved expenses, such as living, medical, and transportation costs. Expenses may exceed this amount. Unused funds will be refunded.

Waiting Child Services (WCS) Program

ACI’s Waiting Child Services (WCS) Program helps prospective adoptive parents navigate adoption from foster care throughout the United States, including Illinois.  For a breakdown of these fees by phase please see below. Total fees do not include travel expenses.

WCS Program Fees Overview

View Program Fees ▼

Phase I: Comprehensive Home Study Services

  • Application & Initial Interview
  • Home Study
  • Adoption Education / Training
  • Foster Family Home Licensing
  • Post-Placement Visits / Reports
  • Court Report
All domestic home studies must be updated annually for a $750 fee until placement occurs.
Fee due with application: $4,900
Fee for returning ACI applicants: $4,400

Phase II: WCS Program

  • Pre-placement matching assistance
  • Obtaining information about available children
  • Coordinating process with the sending state
  • Child Specific Home Study
  • Identifying and locating services that may be needed (i.e. counseling, psychologists)
  • ICPC Coordination (Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children)
Fee due after acceptance into program: $3,000

Primary Provider (International Only)

Primary Provider Program Fees Overview

View All Program Fees ▼

Document Review Fee

  • Document Review & Consultation after initial email questions answered
If the review stage has not progressed within 12 months from first contact due to lack of communication or documentation, the file will be closed. Restart with newly scanned documents plus $250 review fee per child.
Fee: $250 per child (non-refundable)

Phase I Fee

  • Initial Consultation with other adoption service providers, in-country attorneys and/or foreign authorities
  • Review of any adoption documents already obtained
  • Determination of the viability of providing primary provider services
  • Includes $815 Monitoring and Oversight fee paid directly to CEAS for ONE child
  • Additional $1,100 per child if more than one child (includes $815 CEAS fee per child)
Fee: $3,100

Phase II Fee

  • Ongoing communication/supervision of home study providers, attorneys, foreign & US governmental agencies, and Central Authorities
  • Review of documentation to verify completion of all six adoption services
  • Support with USCIS and Visa application process
Fee: $3,100

For Illinois Residents: International Home Study Services

  • Initial Application Interview
  • Home Study
  • Adoption Education / Training
  • Up to 5 Post-Placement Visits for one child
  • Court Report
All International home studies must be updated when prospective adoptive parents’ I-800A/I-600A will be expiring (if petition not filed). Home study update fee: $750.
Fee due with application: $4,900
Fee for returning ACI applicants: $4,400

Hague Outgoing Primary Provider (International Only)

The Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention) governs adoptions from the United States to other Convention countries – not just adoptions to the US. Adoptions from the US are referred to as Outgoing Adoption Cases.

Hague Adoption Program Fees Overview

View Program Fees ▼

Phase I Fee

  • Review of current Home Study and Article 15
  • Orientation to the Hague Convention process
  • Communication with other adoption service providers (ASPs)
  • Determination of the viability of the possible adoption
Fee: $4,000

Phase II Fee

  • Ongoing communication and/or supervision of other ASPs
  • Preparation of all required preliminary documents in compliance with the Hague Convention
Fee: $4,500

Phase III Fee: Placement

  • Review and/or preparation of Child Background Study, Birth Parent consents, Article 16 & 17 letters, post-placement supervision reports, and documentation for Hague Adoption Certificate
Fee: $4,500

Home Study Process and Agreement

If ACI will be completing a Home Study for you, please review the following:

ACI Home Study Forms

Once your application is received and payment is processed, you will receive the following forms. Do not complete or submit any of the forms listed below prior to your initial interview.  

Financial Resources

Adoption Tax Credit

NCFA Press Release – The adoption tax credit is now refundable. A partially refundable tax credit allows taxpayers with little or no tax liability to claim part of the adoption tax credit in a given year and they can claim it now—during the 2025 tax year. LEARN MORE

For a comprehensive list of fees for additional services, third-party fees, and our refund policy, please download

ACI Program Overview and Fee Structure Guide