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Your Guide to International Adoption in Kansas

The KS International Adoption Process

Because adoption in Kansas means many different things to so many people, having the best understanding and information of your options available is the key to a successful adoption.

American Adoptions understands this is a big decision, and we are here to help.

Adoption is a decision which takes plenty of thought, research and planning.  If you are a hopeful adoptive parent, one of the first steps in the research process is determining what type of adoption is best for you. As a prospective birth mother, you will want to start by making sure adoption is right for your situation. If you are in the early stages of your adoption research, you may consider domestic infant, foster care or international adoption in Kansas, but which is best for you?

Domestic Infant vs. International Adoption in Kansas

As one of the nation's largest national domestic adoption agencies, we have helped thousands of birth mothers and adoptive families complete successful adoptions through domestic adoption. By providing all of the services birth mothers and adoptive families need, the experience of working with our agency is unmatched. Some of the benefits we offer include:

  • Firsthand knowledge and experience. Our staff is made up of adoptive families, birth parents and adoptees. For you, this means you will not only be working with professionals trained and licensed in adoption, but also have personal experiences with adoption. They understand the thoughts, concerns and emotions that you may be going through during your adoption journey.

  • A national scope of opportunities. For prospective birth parents, our size and national reach means you will have more available families to choose from, increasing your chances of finding your perfect family for your baby. For hopeful families, this means shorter-than-average wait times, eliminating some of the stress and emotions involved with waiting for a match.

  • A truly full-service agency. We’ve got you covered — from start to finish. Our agency provides service throughout every step of the Kansas adoption process. Other agencies will require the assistance of third-party professionals or will guide elsewhere, but we simplify things by offering a true full-service experience.

  • Pre- and post-placement support services. Our adoptive families and our prospective birth parents receive constant support and counseling, which is hard to find anywhere else.

These are just some of the services we provide. To get a true feel for what adopting with our agency can be like, you may benefit from hearing testimonials and stories from adoptive families and birth mothers who have used our agency.

If you are unsure what type of adoption is right for you, or if adoption is the right decision for your baby, we encourage you to speak with an adoption professional to gain a better understanding for your adoption in Kansas. 

International Adoption in Kansas

Another option you have to adopt a child in Kansas is international adoption, or “intercounty adoption.” This is the process of adopting a child from a country outside of the U.S. Even though American Adoptions only completes domestic infant adoptions and cannot help with your international adoption in Kansas, we want to help you understand all of the family-building methods that could fulfill your dreams of becoming a parent.

Here, learn how the international adoption process works in Kansas and find the resources you need to successfully complete this type of adoption.

The Kansas International Adoption Process

No matter where your adoption journey takes you, the process can be a complicated one. Your specific adoption process will look different depending on the laws of the specific country you adopt from and whether it is part of The Hague Adoption Convention. But generally, there are eight major steps to the international adoption process in Kansas:

Step 1: Choose a Country to Adopt From

Not every adoptive family has a strong preference about the country in which their child is born. Sometimes, current political affairs, travel restrictions, or changing adoption laws will influence which countries you’ll most likely be able to adopt from at a given point in time. Research should be your first action when deciding which country to adopt from.

Other factors can influence which country you adopt through, including:

  • The availability of certain types of children; children of particular ages, sibling groups, and genders will be more frequently available for adoption in some countries than in others.

  • Countries have individual eligibility requirements, so you’ll need to meet those in order to be able to adopt from that particular country.

  • Total costs to adopt internationally will vary based on the country, largely due to travel costs.

  • Culture and race play a large role in the life of an internationally adopted person, and it’s something that adoptive parents should be prepared to embrace as a new part of their family’s uniquely formed culture.

Step 2: Choose a Kansas International Adoption Professional

Not all international adoption agencies in Kansas are authorized to complete adoptions within certain countries, so if you have your heart set on adopting from a particular country, you may want to find an international adoption agency that’s experienced and licensed in that region of the world.

Your international adoption agency should also be Hague-accredited via the Universal Accreditation Act of 2012.

A good Kansas international adoption professional will:

  • Educate, support, and guide you throughout your adoption journey, and carefully manage your case with the optimal well-being of young adoptees as their top priority.

  • Handle communication with the country through which you intend to adopt and communicate with the adoption professionals there.

  • Conduct your international adoption home study, or oversee the home study conducted by an approved Kansas home study professional, including post-placement visits.

  • Search for children and birth families who are potential matches with you.

  • Talk you through the international adoption process, including the necessary paperwork, legalities, and re-adoption processes that may be required in your situation.

It can be helpful to check reviews and ratings of Kansas international adoption agencies online whenever possible to ensure that you’re working with a high-quality professional who will take care of you and put the best interests of children first.

Step 3: Complete Your International Adoption Home Study in Kansas

Unlike a home study for domestic adoption, your Kansas home study professional must be licensed according to the Hague Convention requirements, even if you’re not adopting through a country that’s associated with the Hague Convention. If you work with a home study professional outside of your adoption agency, your agency will likely need to approve the home study professional that you choose in addition to reviewing their reports.

The home study process for international adoption in Kansas can take as long as three months, so it’s best to start right now.

In other respects, the home study is very similar to the domestic adoption home study. You’ll need:

  • Clearances on criminal background checks in Kansas as well as on a federal level

  • Recent health statements

  • Recent financial statements and documentation

  • Personal references

  • Autobiographical statements regarding your intent to adopt

  • In-home visits involving an interview and a home inspection to verify safety

  • Post-placement visits to verify that everyone is adjusting well to the adoption placement

Step 4: Apply to Be Eligible for Adoption

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Adoption Department must verify that you’re eligible to adopt.

If you’re adopting through Hague Convention countries:

You’ll file Form 1-800A along with your information, documentation, and completed international adoption home study. Your adoption eligibility for a Hague Convention country is valid for 15 months.

If you’re adopting through a non-Hague Convention country:

You’ll file Form 1-600A if you haven’t matched with a child that you intend to adopt yet. Or, you’ll file Form 1-600 if you’ve already matched with a child through your Kansas international adoption agency, along with your information, documentation, and completed international adoption home study.

Your adoption eligibility for a non-Hague Convention country is valid for 18 months.

Once the USCIS adoption authorities have cleared your adoption eligibility, your KS international adoption provider will send your completed form and your adoption dossier to the country’s adoption authorities, where they’ll also review it to ensure that you’re eligible to adopt according to their own laws.

Step 5: Apply for the Child to be Eligible for Adoption

Once you’re matched with a child that you wish to adopt, you’ll essentially repeat the process that verified your eligibility to adopt, but this time with the purpose of confirming that the child is eligible for immigration to the U.S. from their country.

Previously, you either filed Form 1-800A or 1-600A. Now, you’ll need to file Form 1-800 or 1-600, depending on whether you’re working with a Hague Convention country or not.

The USCIS will review your child’s form and information, and if they approve their adoption eligibility, you’ll apply for the child’s U.S. visa to be able to leave their country. This requires you to submit Form DS-260, which is reviewed by the child’s home country’s administration.

Step 6: Travel and Return

Most stays within your child’s home country for the adoption last one to four weeks. You’ll complete the final steps of your child’s visa application, move on to the legal steps of the KS international adoption process, and spend time getting to know your child.

There will be a final interview with the country’s adoption authorities where they verify that you’ve met all requirements for adoption. If you receive that last verification, they’ll grant your child a visa corresponding to your situation, either:

  • An IH-3 (Hague) or IR-3 (non-Hague) visa if both adoptive parents (when applicable) are present and the adoption is completed in the child’s native country

  • An IH-4 (Hague) or IR-4 (non-Hague) visa if only one of two adoptive parents are present and/or the adoption has to be finalized in Kansas

When you return to Kansas, make sure that your child has their:

  • Passport

  • Visa

  • Birth certificate

  • Social Security card

  • Any additional documents required by the “sending” country

Returning home with your child is an exciting milestone, but it is not the final step of international adoption in Kansas.

Step 7: Finalization or Re-Adoption

Next, you’ll need to complete the international adoption process in Kansas through either a finalization or a recommended re-adoption.

  • If your child was given an IH-4 or IR-4 visa, you will finalize the adoption for it to be complete.

  • If your child was given an IH-3 or IR-3 visa, the adoption is technically complete since it was finalized in your child’s home country, but a re-adoption within the U.S. is strongly recommended by professionals.

This final step ensures that your child’s adoption is legally recognized in both countries, and that they will receive full rights as a U.S. citizen. Failing to finalize or re-adopt an internationally adopted child in Kansas can bring about legal difficulties regarding citizenship or parenthood. Finalization is necessary; re-adoption helps ensure legal safety for you and your child.

After the finalization or re-adoption in Kansas, your child’s adoption is successfully completed!

Where to Find International Adoption Agencies in Kansas        

While there currently aren’t any full-service international adoption agencies in Kansas, some national agencies have home study providers or branches located within the state that can help you with your international adoption needs, including:

If you are still researching your options, or have questions about adoption, request free information here. Whether you are a prospective birth mother, or hopeful adoptive family, a professional can help provide you the peace of mind you are looking for before making such an important decision.

Disclaimer
Information available through these links is the sole property of the companies and organizations listed therein. American Adoptions provides this information as a courtesy and is in no way responsible for its content or accuracy.

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