There are children all over the world in need of loving families and a safe home, which is why many Americans choose to pursue international adoptions. In an international adoption, a child who is a citizen of another country is adopted by an American citizen and returns to this country to live. Although this type of adoption is becoming more common, it is still a unique area of the law and can be a challenging process to complete.

Special Hurdles Families Face

Although no adoption is simple, international adoptions come with unique hurdles that make them slightly more challenging than domestic adoptions. There are more parties involved in international adoptions and these arrangements are subject to several sets of laws. Not only must the adopting party satisfy the laws in the child’s country of residence, but they also must satisfy state and federal laws in the United States.

This can involve the following, depending on the country:

- Obtaining a visa for the child before leaving the United States
- Applying for immigration once the child arrives in this country
- Filing for adoption in the other country
- Re-filing for adoption in U.S. courts
- Fulfilling any requirements within your own state
- Travelling to the country before the adoption for evaluation
- Providing the foreign agency with personal information including financial records

Challenges and Benefits

Adopting a child from another country is a process that requires a great deal of patience. It is often bureaucratically challenging and unforeseen issues can arise at any moment.

Some of the advantages and disadvantages that you may want to consider include:

- It will be very difficult to adopt a newborn from a foreign country because the process and paperwork take longer than a domestic adoption
- The wait may be significantly shorter for an international adoption, allowing you to add to your family sooner.
- Not all countries are equally welcoming to American adoptive families. Going through one that has a history of adoptions with Americans can make it easier and simpler.
- Each country has its own criteria for selecting adoptive families and matching them with children, but many are more open to nontraditional families than American agencies.

International adoptions and domestic adoptions are both great ways to add to your family and to offer a child a loving family. If you are considering either or both of these options, contact a legal professional with experience in this area today for more information and to explore your choices.

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