While all Custom Visits are currently suspended due to COVID-19, we hope you’ll continue to dream about and plan for a time when you can experience Compassion in person.



About Individual Custom Child Visits

With Custom Visits, Compassion will coordinate the logistics of your visit day and provide a trained Compassion host to facilitate your time with your sponsored child. Sponsors are responsible for arranging all international travel details outside of the visit day. If you are not comfortable traveling on your own, we encourage you to consider joining one of Compassion’s Sponsor Trips instead.

Chidren hugging
Sponsor and child hugging
group hugging and smiling
Arranging Your Visit

An Individual Custom Visit is when one sponsor visits one or more children they sponsor. The sponsor may bring other family or friends as guests on their visit. A Group Visit is when two or more sponsors are visiting two or more children who they sponsor separately.


  • Eight Weeks Advance Notice — Compassion requests that you submit a visit request form a minimum of eight weeks’ notice prior to the date of your visit.
  • Visits Are Conducted Monday through Friday — Visits are limited to weekdays during regular business hours.
  • Location and Activity — Our field office will make a recommendation on the best location and activities for a visit, taking into account any preferences you may have. A visit may include a visit at your child’s home and Compassion project, a meal together, and a local attraction such as a park or zoo where you can get to know each other. If you are not able to travel to your child’s community, you may request that Compassion bring your child to your in-country location instead.
  • International Travel Arrangements — When you have registered, and everyone in your party has completed the necessary documents, your Visit Specialist will submit your request to our local field office. Although no visit date can be guaranteed in advance, Compassion will make every effort to arrange your visit accordingly. If you decide to make travel arrangements (such as purchasing flight tickets) in advance, and your visit is subsequently declined by our field office, Compassion is not responsible for your costs.
  • Starting the Process — While all Custom Visits are currently suspended due to COVID-19, we hope you’ll still continue to dream about and plan for a time when you can experience Compassion in person.
How It Works
  • Review Process — A Visit Specialist will review your visit request form and send you a personalized email with a link to register for your visit and complete some necessary documents.
  • Necessary Documents — Each adult visitor (18 and older) must complete a background check, and every visitor (both adult and minor) must electronically sign the release form.
  • Arranging Logistics — When everyone in your party has completed the necessary steps, your Visit Specialist will submit your request to our local field office and begin communicating with our field staff to arrange the logistics.
group of children smiling
Child smiling on sponsors back
two children smiling
Cost and Expenses
  • Cost Estimate — The expenses involved in a Custom Visit depend on the logistics necessary, and may include transportation, host/translator services, activities, and meals on your visit day. Visit day costs are in addition to the non-refundable $40.00 per person background check, and the $25 service fee, which covers you and one guest; the service fee for additional guests is $10.00 per person. We are unable to provide an estimate of your visit day costs prior to your registration because each visit is unique, and only our field staff in the country where your sponsored child lives can provide an accurate estimate of the costs in that area. Once you have registered, and everyone in your party has completed the necessary documents, your Visit Specialist will submit your request and the field office will provide an estimate of any anticipated costs specific to your visit arrangements.
  • Detailed Itinerary — When the information is received from the field office, your Visit Specialist will send you an email containing your detailed itinerary, an explanation of expenses due prior to your visit, and expenses that you will need to pay during your visit.
  • Confirmations and Trip Contacts — When you have paid all expenses due prior to your visit, your Visit Specialist will send a final confirmation to you with contact information for your in-country host, as well as any other relevant contact details for the field office staff.
  • Important Guidelines/Policies — Please read our Custom Visit Guidelines and our Expense and Cancellation Policy prior to submitting your visit request.
  • FAQs — If you have additional questions, please refer to our Custom Visit FAQs, filled with commonly asked questions. We also welcome your questions by phone at 800-336-7542, option 2, or by email at [email protected].

What are my other options?

  • Send a Gift Package — If you find you are unable to meet your sponsored child personally, we encourage you to contact us for instructions on how to deliver a gift to the country office, or mail a gift while you are in-country.
Contact Custom Visits

Please call (800) 336-7542 ext. 2, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. MT, or send an e-mail to [email protected].