The Woodlands Foreign Adoption Lawyers
If you are interested in adopting a child from a foreign country, BB Law Group PLLC‘s The Woodlands foreign adoption attonreys can help you navigate this complicated process. The regulations and requirements involved in foreign adoption may seem confusing and sometimes frustrating. Our goal is to make the process more seamless and achievable for you. To learn more about the requirements of foreign adoption and how we can help you form your family, contact us today at (832) 534-2589.
Why You Need a Lawyer
These days, there are far fewer children available for adoption in the United States, which in some ways makes international adoption an easier choice. However, international adoption also adds numerous complications and barriers to the adoption process. You may experience a cultural or language barrier when trying to interact with foreign state departments or adoption agencies. Gathering the necessary information about your potential future child can be more difficult when you are dealing with a foreign agency. Furthermore, trying to understand and adhere to the adoption requirements of Texas, the United States, and the foreign country all at once can be overwhelming.
Hiring a lawyer will help ensure that your foreign adoption goes smoothly. Adoption lawyers have experience dealing with foreign adoption agencies and know what to expect from the process. They can help you understand the adoption requirements you are facing and ensure that you adhere to them. If anything goes wrong, having a lawyer on your side will be instrumental to discovering the problem and finding a solution as quickly and efficiently as possible. With something as important as the formation of your family on the line, you don’t want to risk forging ahead without legal assistance.
Why Choose BB Law Group PLLC?
When it comes to international adoption, BB Law Group PLLC is the team you want on your side. We are dedicated to giving personal, close attention to every client we take on. Unlike large firms with massive caseloads, we are able to deliver on this promise because we are a small, detail-oriented firm. This is especially helpful when it comes to international adoption. We will be able to put in the time to truly understand your needs, the adoption requirements of the specific country you choose to adopt from, and the full situation at hand. Our custom-tailored legal assistance has won us the praise of many past clients, and we are ready to help you as well.
Foreign Adoption Requirements
The requirements of your particular adoption will vary depending on which country you decide to adopt from. However, in most cases, you will need to follow several key steps:
- Submit to a home study to demonstrate that you can provide a safe and secure home for your prospective child
- Fill out and file all necessary documentation
- Obtain a visa to allow your child to immigrate to the United States
- Obtain citizenship for your child after bringing them home
The specifics of each of these tasks, and others that may exist in your case, will depend on the details of your particular situation. A lawyer can help guide you successfully through every step in your adoption.
Deciding Where to Adopt
One of your first decisions will be the part of the world from which want to adopt a child. A lawyer can help enormously with this task by assisting you in researching the foreign country’s adoption requirements. For instance, some allow single-parent adoption, while others forbid it. Some nations have age or income requirements for prospective parents.
The Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Convention) is an international agreement that established safeguards to ensure that intercountry adoptions take place in the best interests of the child. It was ratified in the United States in 2008. Hence, The Hague Convention applies to adoptions between the United States and the other countries (approximately 100) that have also joined. The Hague regulates the way adoptions are carried out, and can simplify the process for you.
Adoption from a non-Hague country is still possible. There are procedural differences between Hague and non-Hague countries and you will need a detailed country-specific understanding. A lawyer can help you evaluate your own personal preferences and capabilities and match you with a country, and then a child, that best fits you.
According to The Department of State, the top-sending Hague countries include China, Columbia, India, Haiti and the Philippines. The top-sending non-Hague countries include Ethiopia, South Korea, Ukraine, Nigeria, and Uganda.
Benefits of Readoption
Once you have successfully brought your child home to Texas, an often-overlooked but key step is to go through the process of readoption. Readoption is a second adoption that occurs in Texas, in addition to the first adoption that occurred in your child’s birth country.
Readoption provides an extra level of security, ensuring that your adoption will be recognized throughout the country and in the future. Foreign documents do not always hold up in the United States, and sometimes foreign adoption rules change, adversely affecting your adoption. Furthermore, readopting can safeguard against your parental rights ever being challenged.
Readoption is an essential step in obtaining citizenship. Although the United States grants permission for the child to enter by granting a visa, this does not automatically confer citizenship, nor does it require the state to issue a birth certificate. The status of the child can always be subject to challenge in a state court unless an adoption decree is entered in a state in the United States
The U.S. Constitution requires that every state must give full faith and credit to the laws of another state. Readoption confirms the status of the child under U.S. law, making it unnecessary to rely on the validity of foreign decrees. This could become important if you were to move to a state that does not recognize international adoption. Hence your child can move freely to any state as a bona fide U.S. citizen.
Contact Us
The Woodlands adoption lawyers from BB Law Group PLLC are here to help you navigate the complexities of intercountry adoption. With our experience and track record, you can avoid the pitfalls and problems of this complex process. If you are considering foreign adoption, contact us today at (832) 534-2589 to learn how we can help you.