International Couples

Services Available to Couples Outside the United States

If we Don't Live in the United States, Can American Adoptions Still Work With Us?

No matter what country you call home, American Adoptions can help you fulfill your dreams of parenthood.

Our agency has worked with couples from across the globe. We have provided adoption services to American citizens living overseas, military families stationed outside of the United States and other international couples who have begun their overseas adoption journey with American Adoptions.

*Note: Currently, the Austrailian government will not allow families living in Australia to adopt from the United States until our government ratifies the Hague Convention. The United States is expected to implement this important act in early 2008.

Important Facts for International Couples

Step 1: The Adoption Home Study
A home study is required for each adoption. This study is a basic overview of your life - including criminal background checks, your finances and even your personal relationships. It is used by the courts to assess if a stable environment exists for a family to receive an adoptive placement.

International couples must ensure that their home study meets the regulations of the country they reside in. Couples are encouraged to first research the home study requirements of their country prior to beginning the home study process. The agency will also require the home study be translated into English. Additional supporting documents needed to activate with our agency will also be required to be translated, such as reference letters, physician reports, criminal clearances, marriage licenses, birth certificates, etc. Translation services are not provided by our agency and are at your expense.

Depending on the country, the home study may either be completed by a government agency, a licensed private social worker or a licensed adoption agency. Once the home study is complete, American Adoptions will work with the home study provider to ensure the study meets all United States requirements. Depending on the laws of the country you reside in, there may be limitations as to where the home study is valid outside of your country. Please speak to your home study provider to learn if this will affect you.

Step 2: Legal Representation
American Adoptions strongly recommends that couples living outside of the United States speak with an adoption or immigration attorney in the country they reside in to discuss any legal issues that may affect the adoption process, as well as any immigration or citizenship issues that may affect your adoption. Couples should seek to retain an attorney with specific knowledge and experience in the steps that will be necessary to bring a child from the United States into the country they reside in. Our agency will require written verification from either legal counsel or an adoption authority in your country verifying that your adoption will be accepted and valid in your country.

Step 3: The Adoption Process
Once American Adoptions verifies that your home study meets all United States requirements and we have received your Preliminary Application, your Adoptive Family Profile Kit and your Adoption Planning Questionnaire, you will become an active family with American Adoptions and your profile will begin to be shown to expectant mothers. Your adoption process will then proceed as all other American Adoptions' cases from the time you are active with the agency until being matched with an expectant mother and the placement of the child.

Step 4: Placement/Finalization
Travel
International couples will be required to travel to the United States for the placement of the child. You will need to apply for a passport for the baby prior to being allowed to return to your country of origin with the baby. This process can take an average of 2-4 weeks. American Adoptions and/or your legal counsel will guide you through the steps for this process. This process may require you to travel to another part of the United States to physically appear at one of the passport agencies that can assist in expedited passport services. Additionally, couples may be required to travel back to the United States for the finalization of the adoption, which typically occurs approximately six months following the placement of the child.

Citizenship
International couples will be responsible for meeting all citizenship requirements in their country for the adopted child. Couples should note that procuring a passport for their adopted child may require lengthy steps. Additionally, American Adoptions cannot be responsible for getting citizenship for the child once you return to the country you reside in, as each country has different policies for this process. Couples are encouraged to seek the services of an experienced immigration or adoption attorney in the country they reside in to ensure that all immigration and citizenship requirements are met. Attorneys should have specific knowledge of the requirements necessary to bring a child from the United States into the country you reside in.

Post-Placement Visits
All post-placement supervision visits must be done according to United States requirements and the requirements of the state where the adoption occurs. Since American Adoptions will not yet know in which state the adoption will occur, international couples must ensure that their post-placement provider is prepared to meet these requirements. Our agency will give your post-placement provider further assistance at the time of the supervision so they know how many visits to have, how to write the reports, where to send them and more. If you plan to stay in the United States during the post-placement supervision time period, please prepare to contract with a post-placement provider in the United States. We can assist you with this further on a case-by-case basis once you have received your placement.