Athens GA Divorce Lawyer and Family Attorney

Interstate and International Adoptions

Adoption laws in the United States are regulated by state laws. Adoption facilitates legal transfer of a person from biological family to other persons. Mostly children are adopted, but adult adoptions are also prevalent and legally accepted. The rules governing both are different; adoption of children is more common, though. Once adoption is finalized, legally biological parents do not have any right to child as well as they are relieved of any responsibilities or duties towards him or her. The adoptive parents are from then on legally entrusted with welfare of child.

Adoption is not an easy process since it involves transfer of rights or waiver; hence there are many legal documents that are required. The process would be easier with an experienced and qualified attorney by your side. In order to adopt someone, there are certain rules which have to be followed pertaining to age of person adopting, marital status, residency etc. In Georgia, you must be a resident adult and elder to child being adopted by a minimum of ten years. Similar standards exist in all other states. Intra state adoptions are easier to handle.

Interstate Adoptions

In case of inter state adoptions, the laws are more stringent and rules more cumbersome to satisfy. Most commonly observed situation include:

• Mother is resident of a state and prospective adoptive family resides in another state.
• Prospective parents, residents of a state want to adopt a child from an adoption agency which is located in another state.

Interstate adoptions follow the Interstate Compact on the Placement of children. Adoptions under this have to satisfy certain legal requirements of both states before being accepted by court.

International Adoptions

Adopting children from other countries have become very common even though the legalities involved are mind racking. Children from other countries can be adopted in two ways:

• Through a licensed adoption agency.
• Private adoptions through intermediary in other country and an attorney.

The adoption formalities can be completed in the foreign country or back home in Georgia. In the event of completing adoption process in foreign country, there is need to re-adopt or domesticate adopted child in Georgia, US. Once this is done, a birth certificate and adoption decree is awarded by Georgia Vital Records Office. The child is legally adopted once the certificate is issued.

If the adoption process was not performed in foreign country, the process becomes even more stringent back home in Georgia. The child would be issued Proof of Foreign Birth from Georgia Vital Records Office once the adoption process is successfully completed. The records are sealed and would need a court order to be accessed again. Due to many legal nuances involved in adoption process, would be invaluable.