Understanding Inter-Country Adoption

Inter-country adoption, or international adoption, is the process by which an individual or a couple from the United States adopts a child from another country. The child becomes a citizen of the United States and the parents become the legal and permanent guardians of the child. If you are considering inter-country adoption, it is important to understand the process of adoption and the adoption rules of the country from which you wish to adopt a child.

In the United States, those wishing to adopt typically first contact an international adoption agency, although the process of adopting a child can be performed independently of an agency. Each agency works with a different set of countries and collects information about the couple or individual wishing to adopt. Different countries vary widely in their requirements concerning adoption. Eligibility to adopt a child from a particular country can be based on a variety of factors, including the adoptive parents':

• Financial status and history
• Age
• Marital status and history
• Number of dependent children
• Mental health
• Sexual orientation
• Ancestry

In addition, there exist large variations in the age of the child, the cost of adoption, and travel requirements for adoptive parents for different countries. Each country also follows separate procedures about sharing information concerning the child's health and appearance.

Contact Us

If you are considering inter-country adoption, the Raleigh divorce lawyers of Marshall & Taylor, P.C. can help you handle any legal issues that arise. Contact our offices today at 919-833-1040.