Journeying through the process of international adoption comes with numerous challenges. If you are looking to expand your family by adding a new child from abroad, one of the first aspects you may want to consider is the U.S. immigration process. The information on international adoptions and the immigration system below may provide you with some help navigating through this hurdle.
Types of adoptions
There are a couple of ways to handle a non-familial international adoption. What will likely determine your process is the country you are adopting from and whether or not the child you plan to adopt is an orphan.
The Hague Process is one in which you go through an approved adoption agency to adopt a child. This process works to ensure that international adoptions undergo strict processing to prevent trafficking in children. When using this process, children must come from a specific country on the convention list and get an immigration visa to enter the U.S.
The Orphan Process works a bit differently. If you decide to go through this type of adoption, you will need to prove that the child is an orphan or that the parents of the child are unable or unwilling to care for them. This process is sometimes lengthier as U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will investigate the adoption overseas prior to approving the immigration request.
Help from an attorney
The complex nature of international adoptions can often mean it is helpful to get an experienced immigration attorney on your side. You may want to look for an attorney with significant experience working on international adoptions to provide support throughout your adoption processing.
Welcoming a new little one to your family via an international adoption is certainly exciting. Now that you have a bit more knowledge about international adoptions, finding a skilled attorney may help you throughout the adoption process.