Texas Adoption Attorney Giving You the Representation You Need for International Adoptions

Becoming a parent through adoption can be one of life’s most rewarding opportunities. This can be especially true for international adoptions. Children in many parts of the world struggle to find loving homes. Americans can make them part of their families and provide them the safe, happy upbringing every child deserves.

Domestic adoption can be a complicated process. The same is even more true for an international adoption. While adopting a child from abroad can be difficult, it is not impossible. With the assistance of an experienced attorney, adopting a child from overseas can be a straightforward and rewarding way to extend your family.

What Are the Benefits of International Adoption?

Some families may be hesitant to adopt children from another country. They may worry about factors such as cultural barriers, travel, and other factors. However, adopting internationally has many advantages over domestic adoption. These include:

• Shorter Wait Times
• Lower Adoption Costs
• Higher Likelihood of Closed Adoption

Although there are many children in need of homes in the United States, domestic adoption can be a lengthy process. Many people only wish to adopt American children of certain ages and demographics. This can lead to competition and wait times. Even when they do become available, there can still be legal hurdles to overcome. Many international adoption agencies have large numbers of children in need of homes. This can lead to lower wait times. Additionally, overseas adoption is often less expensive.

International adoption also leads to the likelihood of a closed adoption. This is when a child’s biological parents have no contact with either the child or their adoptive parents. In many domestic adoptions, a child’s biological parents may want or need to interact with you. They may even wish to continue trying to be a part of your child’s life. This can be distressing for both parents and children. By adopting internationally you lower the chances your child’s biological parents will be involved in your life.

How Can I Adopt a Child Internationally?

There are multiple ways to adopt children internationally. Because you will be dealing with both domestic and international law and traveling, every method of international adoption can be complex. However, a skilled attorney can help reduce the level of difficulty involved. The most common methods of international adoption are:

• The Hague Convention Process
• The Orphan Process
• The Family Petition Process

The Hague Convention Process is one of the most common methods of international adoption. The Hague Process was outlined in a 1993 agreement signed by the United States in 1994. It sets international standards for inter-country adoption. This includes children being adopted out by accredited organizations. This lowers the potentiality of human trafficking and ensures children will be well cared for during the adoption process. In the Hague Process, you will deal with a sanctioned organization in another country to adopt a child. This process is much like adopting a child in the United States in that it involves filling out paperwork and meeting with a child prior to adoption. This means you will have to travel to the foreign country yourself. You will also need to obtain a passport for your child as well as a U.S. birth certificate.

The Orphan Process is more complex. The orphan process involves claiming legal custody of a child who is deemed an orphan by international law. An orphan is classified as a child under 16 whose parents are both deceased or a child who only has one living parent that is incapable of caring for them and who has legally relinquished their parental rights. Adopting a child through the Orphan Process will involve an investigation by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This investigation will be to determine if the child qualifies as an orphan under law, if your adoption is valid, and whether the child has any medical or developmental issues which were not disclosed to you. As with the Hague Process, you will need to obtain a passport and U.S. birth certificate for the child.

Another method of adoption is the Family Petition method. This is a method that can be undertaken if the child you wish to adopt is from a non-Hague Convention country. In the Family Petition method, you will have the child legally declared your son or daughter. This can be a lengthy process as you must satisfy two-year legal custody and joint residence requirements before the child may be considered yours for purposes of immigration.

What Should I Do if I Want to Conduct an International Adoption in Texas?

International adoption can be difficult. It involves traveling to foreign countries and dealing with international agencies and laws. You will also need to coordinate with US legal agencies to ensure your child has a passport, birth certificate, and other legal documents. This process can seem overwhelming to many potential parents. This is why several people do not move forward with international adoption. This can lead to missed opportunities and the loss of a potentially happy family. This is why a skilled adoption and immigration attorney is vital to international adoption.

It is vitally important that you do this process legally because there are also international laws that make it a crime to kidnap a child and take them out of their home country. Often there are two adoption orders, one in the foreign country and one in the United States. You will need to file for adoption here, which is a court proceeding. An adoption attorney can help make that process smooth, write the final order of adoption for you, including any name change, and assist with the process of getting a new birth certificate.

If you or a loved one are considering international adoption, don’t hesitate to contact Laura D. Heard Law Firm Inc. today. We’re located at 14607 San Pedro Ave Suite 205 Hill Country Village, TX 78232. Our attorneys are skilled and experienced in international adoption, and we love to do adoptions. We know how to address all the potential legal hurdles and complexities involving paperwork in international adoption, and if new hurdles arise, we will be with you every step of the way. We can help make international adoption as quick and easy as possible for you. This can allow you to expand your family without the difficulties that can be involved in both domestic and international adoptions.

Adopting a child from abroad can be a rewarding way to grow your family. An experienced attorney can make it as easy as possible. Don’t allow intimidation to get in the way of you and a happy family. If you or a loved one want to adopt internationally, call Laura D. Heard Law Firm Inc. today at 210-775-0353 or email us for an initial consultation.