Different Types Of Adoptions Options In California

By Author: Emily Wright
Total Articles: 2
Comment this article

Each U.S. state has certain laws that decide that either an individual or couple is eligible to adopt a child or not. Child adoption in California is more than a legal process. There is no age limit for adopting a child in this city. As per the state adoption law, to adopt a child, the adoptive parent must be at least 10 years older in age than the child.

Adoption is a process that creates a lifelong relationship between the adoptee and adoptive parents. For adopting a child in California, many people generally hire an adoption attorney. A professional lawyer not only just helps them in adopting a child but also protects their legal rights. Adoption in California has some exceptions if the adoptive parent is the sibling, stepparent, aunt, first cousin, or uncle, of the child. At such time, if the hopeful parent is already married, then he or she has to adopt the child jointly with the spouse. The different types of adoption option in California include:-

Adopting Independently:-

Adopting the child independently is a type in which the child ...
... is adopted with a direct arrangement between adoptive parents, and birth mother. It is a common type of adoption that involves adopting a healthy baby whose birth parents continue holding the parental rights on the baby until the adoption is finalized by the court. Independent adoption doesn’t involve the Department of Social Services and adoption agencies, throughout the adoption process. The adoption of the child is granted by the court, not an agency. The biological parents of the child have the full right to take the decision that who will adopt their child. This type of adoption includes a petition to adopt and recommendations and investigation given to the court.

Agency Adoption:-

The agency adoption is a type of adoption option in California that is done through an agency. The adoption agency can be private or public or can also be a California Department of Social Services office. Public adoption agencies handle the children who have been abused, orphaned abandoned, or are older children. The biological parents of such children have given up their legal parental rights either by filing a relinquishment or through a court order. The legal responsibility of the child care is taken by the adoption agency. Before adopting a child through this adoption option, the agency does a detailed investigation that of the adopting parents. As per the new law in California, adoptive parents are allowed to keep their parental rights with the consent of the adoptive parents.

Stepparent Adoption:-

It is another adoption option that is also considered the easiest type of adoption. This type of adoption needs the spouse or domestic partner of the child’s parents to adopt the child. To adopt the child, it is essential that the couple must be registered as domestic partners, or are legally married. This type of adoption is known as the best, as it gives the child, the opportunity to remain with his or her one parent.

International Adoption:-

Families in California are also allowed to choose intercountry or international adoption. With this, they can adopt a child from another country. As compared to other types of child adoption, international adoption is highly complicated. It is always better to consult a good adoption attorney while choosing this or any other type of adoption. Under this adoption, it is essential for the adoptive parents to follow the international laws and requirements while following the legal adoption requirements of the state. They also have to obtain an immigrant visa through the USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) for the child.

Family Divorce Lawyer, California, USA