Getting Started
The first step for all potential adoptive parents is to complete the application phase. To do this, you will:
1. Create your login and password for our online portal site (SAM)
You will receive an email from me with a link to establish your login and password for SAM and begin filling out your application.
The email will also contain several important “tips” for learning to make the most of SAM. So, be sure to read it carefully and refer back to it as needed.
2. submit your application (in SAM), and
3. we will collect your $500.00 application fee (pay by check or credit card).
Soon, you will receive an email from our office with your application fee invoice and your options for payment.
After you have submitted your application and sent your application fee, please begin to review the materials below.
Completing the “Application Phase”
Picking up with step 4 of your application phase:
4. we will review your application together
Once your payment has been processed, and your application received, we will schedule a phone conversation to review your application, clarify any information you may have provided, and discuss the next steps.
Following this, you will receive an email with your “SAM Portal Link” and a link and password to our COTW “China Program Site”.
5. complete the following sections in sam
Contracts & Fee Schedules
Acknowledgements & Disclosures
You will be downloading / printing and signing several documents in this step, and afterwards, mailing the originals to COTW
Children of the World, Inc.
your sam portal link
The “SAM” portal is our source to securely share and organize copies of documents and information related to your adoption process
You will have a personalized checklist in SAM that provides you with forms, instructions, and places to upload some digital copies of your items.
MANY tasks in SAM will instruct you to mail me an original of the document / form. For these items, please do not upload a scan. I will upload a scan once I receive the original from you. This helps us keep up with a more accurate list of what we have for your file.
As wonderful as “going digital” is in terms of efficiency and convenience, I also STRONGLY encourage our families to keep an organized binder with paper copies of all documents. This is why I will also provide you with a personalized “paper” checklists that you may print and use to keep track of your progress.
Your application phase will be complete once we have received the following items:
Completed / Finalized Application
Your application fee payment
Signed Original Fee Schedule and Contract (Printed from the Contracts & Fee Schedules section of SAM)
Signed Original Initial Disclosures (Also printed from your SAM checklist, in the Acknowledgements & Disclosures section)
China Program Contract Samples / Materials you may review:
