One of the decisions that a family can make when they decide to adopt a child is the decision to adopt a child from another country. International adoption appeals to many families for many different reasons, and some adoptive parents feel a strong desire to adopt a child from a particular country from the very beginning of their adoption journey while others simply know that they wish to adopt internationally and are unsure of which country to explore.
While there are children in need of loving homes in every country, there are some countries that make the process of adopting children easier for American families than other nations do. If you are wondering which countries offer the most support for American adoptions, the following countries have established favorable relationships with the United States over time. Each adoption is a unique situation and choosing an adoption-friendly country is not a guarantee of smooth sailing, but it does give you a better chance that things will work out the way that you would like them to than choosing a country that is known for being more challenging.
Domestic adoptions involve state and federal laws. International adoptions have the added layers of international adoption law and the laws of a child’s home country. If you plan to adopt internationally, there is a good chance that you will be adopting from one of the ninety countries that are part of the Hague Adoption Convention, which serves the dual purpose of setting protocols for international adoption and requiring that each country has one central authority to handle its international adoptions. For example, the Department of State is the central authority that handles international adoptions for the United States of America. Hague countries provide more protections for both adopted children and adoptive parents, such as more detailed documentation and more types of certified information.
One of the things that make a country a good choice for an international adoption to an American family is the lack of a residency requirement. Of course, some families actively choose relocation as part of their journeys, but many American families who wish to adopt internationally want to remain in the United States. All of the countries discussed in this article do not have residency requirements for adoption.
Countries do vary on what types of people can adopt their children. For example, China requires a couple to be married, but there is an exception that permits single women to adopt special needs children. Haiti allows adoptions by singles, as well as couples that have been married or living together for five or more years. Criminal records are another area where countries have varied rules for adoption. China looks at criminal records on a case by case basis, which is fairer than countries that bar people from adopting if they have any criminal record whatsoever. Some countries consider the ages of the child and the parents, such as Ethiopia, which requires that parents be no more than 45 years older than the child that they wish to adopt. Haiti has a minimum age of thirty.
Whether you choose to adopt a child from within the Unite States, or you decide to adopt internationally, it is essential that you work with a Kansas Adoption Attorney throughout the adoption process. If you have questions about adoption, Kansas Adoption Attorney Thomas McDowell is here to help you. Please call our office today, at (316) 633-4322 to make an appointment for your initial consultation.