Intercountry Adoption – What you need to know
Thousands of children are adopted from U.S. Citizens each year, although this is an amazing thing, it can get complicated. Inter-country Adoption is similar to domestic adoption in which it is a legal transfer of parental rights and responsibilities from the child’s birth parent(s), or guardian to the new parent(s). What makes domestic and inter-country adoption different is that there are laws that make it possible to bring the adopted child from their country into the U.S.
Inter-country adoption means that you are permanently and legally adopting a child from a country other than your own and bringing them into your country of residence to live with you. Adopting a child from another country can be difficult and frustrating with the regulations and requirements that are implemented when going through the process. Although it can be complicated, most U.S. law requires that every inter-country adoption follows certain procedures. Below is a general example of a procedures:
- Selecting your adoption service provider
- Gaining approval to adopt
- Being matched with a child
- Adopting or obtaining legal custody of the child in the foreign country
- Applying for a visa for the child to move to the U.S.
- Traveling home with your child
There are three processes for inter-country adoption. Hague, and Orphan (Non-Hague) are for children adopted by U.S. Citizens and depending on what country you choose to adopt from will determine which process you will adopt by. The third process only applies to a U.S. citizen who is petitioning for their adoptive child through an Immediate Relative Petition.
If you are in need of experienced legal counsel for matters regarding immigration, please contact the Law Offices of Salvatore A. Falletta, LLC and we would be happy to provide you with assistance.
