International Adoptions

Approximately 1/3 of adoptions in the United States involve foreign-born children. The process of international adoption will vary with the child’s birth country.

The first step in international adoption is determining whether a prospective parent is eligible to adopt a child from the country in question.

The second step is determining whether or not the country is a member of the Hague Convention, which is international law that protects all involved. Hague Convention adoptions will finalize in the foreign country, while non-Hague Convention adoptions may require finalization in a US state court.

Once a child’s adoption is finalized, either domestically or abroad, the child will automatically naturalize in the US, provided that they reside in the US (unless a parent is a US service member serving abroad) and at least one parent is a US citizen.