Adoption Process

Adoption is a legal process in which all parental rights and responsibility to a child are transferred from a birth relative to an adoptive parent.

The adoption process, which is undoubtedly time-consuming and emotionally draining at time, takes far more than paperwork and fees. In some cases, the adoption process can take only a few months from application to finalization and for others the process may take years.

Couples looking to adopt should pursue an adoption route that matches their lifestyle and desire to adopt. After deciding whether they want to work with an adoption attorney or an agency, they'll complete an application, undergo a home study, and begin the waiting period of the adoption process. Before a child is placed, a couple may also be interviewed by a future birth mother (if they're pursuing an infant adoption) or be asked to foster a potentially adoptable child. The adoption process can range from being free to have over $40,000 in expenses and service fees. In general, infant adoptions cost more than older child placements because there are fewer birth mother expenses, such as counseling, to be paid.

Once a placement agreement is signed, either after birth or at an agency, adoptive parents will still undergo a supervisory period that can last up to three months for infant adoptions or a year for adoptions of older children.

If a couple adopted domestically, a finalization process that includes an in-court appearance will follow the supervisory period. International adoptions are primarily finalized at the time of adoption, although it's sometimes suggested that a re-finalization occurs for the sake of paperwork.