A licensed agency must follow strict guidelines regarding the types of fees, which can be charged to adoptive applicants. If these standards are not met the licensing body can pull the license from the agency permanently or until the problems are rectified. If an agency or facilitator is not licensed in their state, they are not subject to follow any regulations or policies. Non-licensed agencies have no regulations on fees. Fees paid may be considered illegal which can jeopardize the legality of the adoption.
Adoptive families have little control over their international adoption.
Choosing a licensed agency gives you a little more control over your adoption. Talk with other families who have adopted using the agency. They will be able to provide a wealth of information about their experience with the agency. You will want to keep in mind that the experiences will vary widely. The best agency can have facilitated an adoption with many problems, just as a bad agency will have clients who are happy with their adoption.