Raleigh Foreign Adoption Attorneys
Adopting a child from a foreign country can be quite challenging, especially for parents who have never gone through the process before.. Adoptive parents must navigate not only their state’s adoption and immigration laws, but they must be mindful of these procedures at the federal and international levels as well. While the end result is cherished, slogging through these regulations and processes alone can be intimidating, time-consuming, and downright overwhelming. Engaging an experienced adoption lawyer is an important part of ensuring that your international adoption proceeds smoothly. If your family is interested in international adoption, the Raleigh foreign adoption lawyers at Marshall & Taylor PLLC are ready to guide you on that journey.
When considering whether to pursue an international adoption, it is crucial that prospective adoptive parents provide themselves access to a legal team with the necessary knowledge and experience. The family law attorneys at Marshall & Taylor PLLC fully comprehend the myriad obstacles that adoptive parents face. Let the accomplished team of Raleigh adoption attorneys at Marshall & Taylor PLLC to handle your international adoption process so that you can concentrate on the wonderful addition to your life.
The International Adoption Process in North Carolina
While every adoption is uniquely trying, international adoption tends to be the most intricate and frustrating (at times) due to the many entities involved and the differing sets of rules that adoptive parents must follow. The following is a general outline of the international adoption process. It is important to remember that this is a very complex process, and one best approached with the help of an experienced attorney.
- Choose a country to adopt from. This decision has major implications on your adoption process, as the costs and requirements for international adoption differ from country to country.
- Select an accredited adoption service provider. If you are adopting from a country that is a signatory to the Hague Adoption Convention, you need to partner with a Hague-accredited adoption agency. The Hague Adoption Convention is an international adoption treaty providing safeguards that protect children adopted abroad. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services adoption webpage offers helpful details for adoptive parents who find themselves requiring a Hague-accredited adoption service provider.
- Apply for your adoption eligibility in the United States. Those seeking to adopt internationally must apply to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and obtain the approval of adoption authorities in the foreign country.
- Wait for an adoption opportunity. The duration of the waiting period varies depending on the country you seek to adopt from. For starters, the adoptive parents typically must complete a domestic home study. Depending on the country the adoptive parents seek to adopt from, they may also be required to participate in a short period of residence and complete a personal evaluation of each adoptive parent in that country. However, some countries may provide you with an adoption opportunity before you travel to their country, while others still require you to travel in order to pair with the child you seek to adopt and bring home with you.
- If the child is cleared for international adoption, the adoptive parents must apply on behalf of the child to immigrate to the United States. Adoptive parents typically must hire an attorney from the foreign country in which adoption is sought to help determine the eligibility of the child you seek to adopt. Be forewarned, this process can be lengthy and grueling.
- Finalize the international adoption. After successfully completing the above steps, the adoptive parents must present a final adoption decree from the foreign country to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to complete the immigration process.
Finally, once all of these stages are complete, adoptive parents should domesticate the foreign adoption decree pursuant to North Carolina laws. This process is very similar to the adoption finalization steps in private domestic adoptions and ensures that your child is protected by the same rights and privileges as every other U.S. citizen.
Let Us Help You
Deciding on a foreign adoption is a huge decision in many prospective parents’ lives. The legal process that adopting parents must traverse when considering adoption is incredibly complex. Even more so when it is an international adoption. If your family is considering foreign adoption, an attempt to navigate the process alone may lead to frustrating delays and setbacks. Partnering with one of the seasoned attorneys at Marshall & Taylor PLLC is in your best interest. We are ready to help guide the process and ensure you get the best results.
The team of passionate Raleigh adoption attorneys at Marshall & Taylor PLLC is available to help you add to your family. We have an established reputation for putting your needs first, and we dedicated to helping you achieve your goals. Let us be your guide through the complicated international adoption process. Call us today at (919) 833-1040 to schedule your consultation.