Can People From a Different State Adopt My Baby?

Yes. You may be able to choose an adoptive family from another state. Interstate adoption is a common option in domestic infant adoption and can give you more families to consider beyond those who live in your area.

Looking at families across the country can give you more opportunities to find prospective parents whose values, lifestyle and hopes for adoption align with the future you picture for your child. At American Adoptions, we can help you explore families nationwide and coordinate the additional requirements involved in an interstate adoption.

You Can Choose the Adoptive Family You Want – Even if They Live in Another State

Where an adoptive family lives does not have to be the main factor in your decision. You can consider families based on the qualities that matter to you and the future you picture for your child, whether they live nearby or in another state. As you consider prospective adoptive families, you can think about:

• Values and Parenting: The beliefs, parenting approach and principles you hope will shape your child’s upbringing
• Lifestyle and Family Life: Their home, community, interests, family structure and everyday life
• Culture and Traditions: Cultural, religious or family traditions you hope will be part of your child’s life
• Future Relationship: The communication, updates and visits you hope to have with your child and the adoptive family after placement

Considering families outside your state can expand your options and give you more opportunities to find prospective parents who reflect the priorities you have for your child.

How Choosing an Adoptive Family in Another State Works

Choosing an adoptive family in another state starts much like choosing a family who lives nearby. You focus on finding prospective parents who reflect what you want for your child, while we help coordinate the additional interstate requirements. The process generally includes:

• Step 1: Establish Your Preferences: Talk with your adoption specialist about the qualities you want in a family, the future you picture for your child and the kind of relationship you hope to have after placement.
• Step 2: Review Adoptive Family Profiles: Explore profiles of carefully screened prospective adoptive families who reflect your preferences, including families who live outside your state.
• Step 3: Learn More About Families: Talk with prospective parents who interest you, ask questions and get to know more about their family life, values and plans for adoption.
• Step 4: Decide Whether to Move Forward: Choose whether you feel comfortable moving forward with a particular family after you have had the opportunity to learn more about them.
• Step 5: Coordinate Interstate Requirements: Once you choose an out-of-state family, we work with the appropriate professionals to coordinate the legal and administrative requirements involved in the interstate adoption.

Throughout the process, your family preferences guide your choices while we help manage the additional steps that come with an interstate adoption.

What Changes When Your Baby’s Adoptive Family Lives in Another State?

Choosing an adoptive family in another state does not change your ability to have a say in your adoption plan. You can still choose the prospective parents you want, make decisions about your hospital experience and discuss the kind of post-placement relationship you hope to have.

What changes is the legal and administrative coordination involved. Since the adoption involves two states, requirements from both states may need to be addressed before the interstate placement can move forward.

We work with the appropriate adoption professionals to coordinate these additional requirements and help you understand what they mean for your specific adoption plan. The next section explains one of the main parts of that process: ICPC.

What Is ICPC and Why Does it Matter in an Interstate Adoption?

The Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) is the process used to coordinate certain child placements across state lines, including interstate adoptions. It allows the appropriate authorities in both states to review the placement before the baby travels to the adoptive family’s home state.

For you, ICPC is mostly handled behind the scenes. We work with the appropriate professionals to coordinate the required paperwork and interstate requirements.

The adoptive family may need to remain in the state where the placement occurs until ICPC clearance is received. We can help you understand what this process means for your specific adoption plan.

Does Choosing an Out-of-State Family Change Your Adoption Rights?

Choosing an adoptive family in another state does not mean giving up control over the decisions that are yours to make. You can still choose the adoptive family, create your hospital plan and discuss the kind of post-placement relationship you want.

Your legal rights and the procedures for consenting to an adoption are governed by the laws that apply to your specific situation. Interstate adoption may involve requirements from more than one state, so we coordinate with the appropriate adoption professionals to help you understand those requirements and how they affect your adoption plan.

Throughout the process, you can continue asking questions and making informed decisions about what you want for yourself and your baby.

Can You Have an Open Adoption With a Family in Another State?

Yes. You can have an open adoption with a family who lives in another state. Where the adoptive family lives and how much contact you have after placement are separate considerations. An open adoption with an out-of-state family may include:

• Calls and Messages: Regular texts, phone calls, emails or video chats
• Photos and Updates: Pictures and updates about your child as they grow
• In-Person Visits: Planned visits based on distance, travel and what works for everyone involved
• Special Occasions: Communication around birthdays, holidays and other milestones

As you consider families, talk about how often you hope to communicate, whether in-person visits matter to you and how each family plans to maintain contact across the distance. This can help you find prospective parents whose expectations for openness align with the relationship you want after placement.

What Happens at the Hospital if the Adoptive Parents Live Out of State?

When your chosen adoptive family lives in another state, additional travel planning may be needed around your delivery. Your adoption specialist can help coordinate with the family and hospital so everyone understands the plan and what to expect. Your hospital plan can address:

• When the Family Arrives: Travel can be coordinated around your due date and delivery while accounting for the possibility that timing may change.
• How Involved They Are: You can express your preferences for whether and when you want the adoptive family involved during your hospital stay.
• Your Time With Your Baby: Your plan can reflect how you want to spend your time with your baby before leaving the hospital.
• What Happens After Discharge: Your adoption professionals can explain the next steps based on your circumstances and any interstate requirements that apply.

Having an out-of-state family may add travel and coordination, but you can still make choices about the hospital experience you want as part of your adoption plan.

Should Location Matter When You Choose an Adoptive Family?

Location can be an important part of choosing an adoptive family, but how much it matters depends on the future and post-placement relationship you picture. Consider how proximity compares with the other qualities you want in a family.

When Proximity May Matter More

• In-Person Visits: Living closer may make it easier to have the kind of regular in-person contact you want in an open adoption.
• Location and Environment: You may have preferences about the region, community or environment where you hope your child will grow up.

When Overall Family Fit May Matter More

• Family and Lifestyle: You may prioritize a particular family structure, lifestyle, parenting approach or home environment over location.
• Values and Traditions: Shared religious beliefs, cultural traditions or family values may be higher priorities for you.
• Openness Expectations: An out-of-state family may still offer the communication, visits and ongoing relationship you want after placement.

Consider which preferences are most important to you and where you have more flexibility. This can help you decide how much location should factor into your search for an adoptive family.

American Adoptions Gives You More Families to Choose From Nationwide

At American Adoptions, our national reach gives you access to many diverse, carefully screened prospective adoptive families across the country, so your choices are not limited to families who live nearby. You can consider families with different:

• Family structures and backgrounds
• Values and traditions
• Lifestyles and parenting plans
• Locations and communities
• Expectations for open adoption

More family options give you more opportunities to find prospective parents who reflect what matters to you and the future you picture for your child. You decide which families you want to consider and ultimately which family you choose.

Find Adoptive Families in Your State or Across the Country

You do not have to decide on adoption before exploring your family options. An American Adoptions specialist can talk with you about the qualities you want in an adoptive family, answer your questions and help you view carefully screened families in your state or across the country.

Call 1-800-ADOPTION or fill out our online contact form to tell us what you’re looking for and begin viewing adoptive families that reflect your preferences.

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