Foreign Adoption

Foreign Adoption, also known as inter country or international adoption, is the process by which a child born in another country is adopted by American citizens.  Just as with domestic adoption, inter country adoption creates a parent-child relationship between a child and adoptive parents.

The controlling law in an international adoption is generally the law of the place where the child is born. However, parents adopting children from abroad must also follow state and federal laws.  U.S. visa requirements must also be met to bring the adopted child to the United States.

In addition, if they wish, the adoptive parents can re-adopt the child in their home state.  If the child is not adopted in the foreign country but is placed with the adoptive parents by a foreign agency or by a foreign court order, then the adoption process must be completed in the circuit court where the adoptive parents reside.

Adoptive parents may seek to adopt from a foreign country only if it has an established legal process and is not suspended by the U.S. Department of State. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children & Families, the top 10 countries for international adoption in 2009 were:

1.    China

2.    Ethiopia

3.    Russia

4.    South Korea

5.    Guatemala

6.    Ukraine

7.    Vietnam

8.    Haiti

9.    India

10. Kazakhstan

These countries accounted for 84% of all international adoptions.