Frequently asked questions for those who want to adopt a child, including advice for single people and unmarried couples. I'm single, but I'd like to adopt a child. My long-term partner and I prefer not to get married, but we'd like to adopt a child together. Married or unmarried couples may adopt jointly, and unmarried people may adopt a child through a procedure known as a single-parent adoption.
Some states have special requirements for adoptive parents.
A few of these require an adoptive parent to be a certain number of years older than the child. For example, California requires adoptive parents to be at least ten years older than the adoptee, while Idaho requires a difference of 15 years. And some states require the adoptive parent to live in the state for a certain length of time before they are allowed to adopt. For instance, an adoptive parent in Georgia must have been a state resident for at least six months, and Minnesota has a one-year residency requirement. You will need to check the laws of your state to see whether any special requirements apply to you.