Application Fee??

mrs.goget

I just spoke to a fourth DA agency and they require a $195 application fee.  This is the first one that I have spoke with that have an app fee, my question is, is this normal?  What are your thoughts on application fees? 

noonecarewhoiam

I believe we paid them. It discourages people from wasting the agency's time and resources. I have no problems with that.

FinallyMrs.G

noonecarewhoiam:

I believe we paid them. It discourages people from wasting the agency's time and resources. I have no problems with that.

Agree! All the agencies we looked into had them ranging from $150-$1,000.

DavezWife

I wanna know the 3 that didn't! ;-)

I have seen an app fee for all I've looked into. Average of $250. (IA)

GulfCoaster

Bethany's preliminary application for IA is free.  (DA, I don't know about since they don't have an office in our state and can't send us DA info.)  I think they use it to pre-screen applicants since they do have some requirements (esp. re: religion) that other agencies may not.  The full application is $550.

It surprised me that their preliminary application was free, because all the other IA agencies I'd found charged from $150-300 for the pre-application.

CaptainSerious

We also paid an application fee, of about $300 if I remember correctly.

The only thing you should be wary of is an agency whose application fee seems to be a large portion of the adoption services cost.  I would balk at anything over a few hundred, and wonder how the fees are staggered and why a large portion of the fees are required upfront.

Dr.Loretta

Ours had one. I'm sure it costs someone's time to process the application.

mrs.goget

I guess I'm surprised.  I'm positive that the two DA places I talked to had no app fee.  The 3rd that I talked to was IA and I cannot recall off the top of my head if they had one. 

 Thanks for responding!

doxgirl

GulfCoaster:

Bethany's preliminary application for IA is free.  (DA, I don't know about since they don't have an office in our state and can't send us DA info.)  I think they use it to pre-screen applicants since they do have some requirements (esp. re: religion) that other agencies may not.  The full application is $550.

It surprised me that their preliminary application was free, because all the other IA agencies I'd found charged from $150-300 for the pre-application.

To answer your question, they do have a $100 fee for the DA preliminary application. 

mrsdrkwaver

We had a 250 application fee and we talked to several aganecy here and they al lhad a 250 ap fee or one close to that