Child Adoption Forms

Child adoption forms vary from state to state, agency to agency and attorney to attorney.The variances may only be slight, but it's important to trust the lawyer working on your adoption to know the ins and outs of child adoption forms so as to not delay the process, which, in international adoptions can result in months of waiting on a placed child to be legally ready to join your family.

To adopt a child, instead of an infant, means there are not likely to be forms detailing the agreements between adopters and birth mothers, though the Parental Rights Termination (PRT) form will need to be filed to ensure orphan status and the child is adoptable. Adopting a child over the age of 10 or 12, depending on an adopter or adoptee's state, will require the child's consent.

For international adoptions, the adopters will need to file the paperwork for the adoptee's visa. If the adoption is finalized in his or her country, an IR-3 visa will be issued, if not, then an IR-4 visa will be issued. Automatic citizenship will be granted with an IR-3, however, re-finalization is suggested for both situations to ensure the child receives a social security card and birth certificate.

When an adoption request or petition is signed by a judge, he or she will issue an adoption decree that will be filed immediately with the court clerk. All forms will be filed in a sealed adoption record with the state.