In addition to satisfying the adoption requirements of both the foreign country and the parents' home state in the U.S., the parents must obtain an immigrant visa for the child through the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service. The INS has its own rules for international adoptions, such as the requirement that the adoptive parents be either married or, if single, at least 25 years old. The INS also requires adoptive parents to complete several forms and submit a favorable home study report. When a child is related to the adoptive parent by blood or marriage, the adoption is a relative adoption. The most common example of this type of adoption is a stepparent adoption, in which a parent's new spouse adopts a child from a previous partner.
Grandparents often adopt their grandchildren if the parents die while the children are minors.
In most states, these adoptions are easier and simpler than non-relative adoptions. Click here to support international family planning. Dr. Dorree Lynn talks about divorce and depression. Copyright 1999, SingleMOMZ, All Rights Reserved. No portion of this site may be reproduced without written permission.