The Foreign Adoption Process

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How To Complete a Foreign Adoption

If you are considering foreign adoption there are many things that you should know when you are going through the process. Different countries will have different criteria for adopting children. The U.S. will also have policies about adoption. It is necessary to know these policies before you go through with the process.

There are generally two ways to complete foreign adoption. The first way is to complete the foreign adoption process in the country where the child is born. If you are already in the country where the child was born, then you can adopt the child there. Once the foreign county’s adoption process has been completed, the child will be given an IR-3 visa, and granted U.S. citizenship when he or she enters the country. Forty-five days later you will receive a certificate of citizenship.

The second way to complete adoption is to pick up the child in the country of birth, but to proceed with adoption in the United States instead of the country of birth. In this case, the child will be issued IR-4 visa. Once you have returned to the United States you will have to complete the adoption process. Once the foreign adoption is completed, American citizenship will automatically be granted. If the parents need American citizenship, it will have to be filed separately.

If you completed the foreign adoption process in the child’s country of birth, it might be advantageous to re-adopt the child in a United States court. Only 26 states recognize an adoption decree. If you live in one of the other 24 states, the legality of your adoption will not be recognized. This will bring up issues in the years to come. The child could be deported after the age of 18 if he or she ever commits a felony crime. If the child is due an inheritance he or she will not be able to receive it without a legitimate foreign adoption.