Who can adopt
To adopt a child from another country and bring that child to live in the United States, you must be found eligible to adopt under U.S. law.
1. You must be a U.S. Citizen.
2. You must primarily reside in the United States (if you do not live in the United States, you may still be eligible to adopt if you intend to bring the child to the U.S. before he/she turns 18).
3. If you are unmarried, you must be at least 25 years old. 4. If you are married, you must jointly adopt the child (even if you are separated but not divorced), and your spouse must also be a U.S. citizen or a legal permanent resident of the United States.
5. You must meet certain requirements that will determine your suitability as a prospective adoptive parent, including criminal background checks, fingerprinting, and a home study.
6. In addition to qualifying to adopt under U.S. law, you must also meet your home state’s requirements for prospective adoptive parents.
Foreign Country Requirements
Every country has certain requirements for prospective adoptive parents, usually regarding age, some indicator of marital stability (number of divorces, years married) number of existing children in the home, some indicator of marital stability (number of divorces, years married) and, in the case of single parent adoption, gender. In a few countries, adoptive parents must be a certain number of years older than the child.
Adoptive parents may be married or single, childless or already parenting other children. Having a disability does not automatically disqualify you from adopting a child; rather agency will want to ensure that you can care for a child and meet his or her needs throughout his or her childhood. Divorce or a history of marital or personal counseling does not automatically eliminate you as a candidate. You are not required to own your own home or to have a high income in order to give children what they need: permanence, stability, a lifetime commitment, and a chance to be part of a family.
Children do not need “perfect” parents, they need one or more caring and committed individuals willing to meet their needs and to incorporate them into a nurturing family environment.
To adopt a child from another country and bring that child to live in the United States, you must be found eligible to adopt under U.S. law.
1. You must be a U.S. Citizen.
2. You must primarily reside in the United States (if you do not live in the United States, you may still be eligible to adopt if you intend to bring the child to the U.S. before he/she turns 18).
3. If you are unmarried, you must be at least 25 years old. 4. If you are married, you must jointly adopt the child (even if you are separated but not divorced), and your spouse must also be a U.S. citizen or a legal permanent resident of the United States.
5. You must meet certain requirements that will determine your suitability as a prospective adoptive parent, including criminal background checks, fingerprinting, and a home study.
6. In addition to qualifying to adopt under U.S. law, you must also meet your home state’s requirements for prospective adoptive parents.
Foreign Country Requirements
Every country has certain requirements for prospective adoptive parents, usually regarding age, some indicator of marital stability (number of divorces, years married) number of existing children in the home, some indicator of marital stability (number of divorces, years married) and, in the case of single parent adoption, gender. In a few countries, adoptive parents must be a certain number of years older than the child.
Adoptive parents may be married or single, childless or already parenting other children. Having a disability does not automatically disqualify you from adopting a child; rather agency will want to ensure that you can care for a child and meet his or her needs throughout his or her childhood. Divorce or a history of marital or personal counseling does not automatically eliminate you as a candidate. You are not required to own your own home or to have a high income in order to give children what they need: permanence, stability, a lifetime commitment, and a chance to be part of a family.
Children do not need “perfect” parents, they need one or more caring and committed individuals willing to meet their needs and to incorporate them into a nurturing family environment.