What’s The International Adoption Process In Missouri

Adoption can change your life for the better. Many people choose to adopt to be able to complete their family or to help a child in need. There are various kinds of adoptions that are allowed in the state of Missouri, and international adoptions are allowed in this state. This is one of the most common ways to be able to connect with a child in need, but there are some additional steps that need to be done in an international adoption.

You will want to be sure to work with a skilled adoption attorney in St. Louis, MO, while you navigate this process. There are lots of steps that have to be taken care of, and missing things along the way can lead to problems with your adoption and delayed timelines as well.

The International Adoption Process in Missouri

1. Secure a Skilled Lawyer

The very first step in the process of considering an international adoption in the state of Missouri, is to secure a lawyer. All adoptions are complicated but international ones have lots of added steps that you need to be sure are handled correctly. It can be a big struggle to try and handle an international adoption on your own, and it is not recommended that you try and do so.

Once you are working with a lawyer, they will ensure that you meet all the adoption guidelines in the state of Missouri. You must meet these guidelines, as well as the international guidelines before you can undertake the process of adopting a child.

2. Approval by USCIS

Prospective international adoptive parents will need to be approved by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services adoption department before they can apply for an international adoption. This is done by filling out the I-600A or I-800A form. Your lawyer can help you to take care of this step so that you are able to start working toward actually meeting a child you can adopt.

3. Work With an Agency

You will need to select a Hague-accredited international adoption agency that is based in or coordinates with the state of Missouri. There is really no other way to get connected with kids in other countries who need a place to live and a family to love them. Accreditation is key as you want to be sure that you are involved with a legal adoption and not a scam.

4. Receive a Referral

When a child is ready to be adopted, they can be referred to you. This referral will come with information about the child, a picture, and the reasons and justifications for the agency providing the match. There are instances where you might choose not to accept a match, but the pickier you are, the harder it will be to find a child to adopt.

Most people need to be sure that they are not expecting to get to pick out the child that they will adopt. Your lawyer can prepare you for this step in the process so that you are not disappointed by this aspect of international adoption.

5. Apply for Immigration

Once you have been paired with a child and accepted the match, you will need to apply for immigration for the child to come to the US. Your lawyer will take care of the forms that are related to this process and inform you about the waiting time to see if they are approved or not.

6. Apply for a Visa

Once immigration has been approved, you will have to apply for a visa. This is done with a DS-260 form. The visa process is not a speedy one, so don’t expect this part of the work to be done quickly. You might need to wait for a while to hear back about your child’s visa.

7. Travel to the Child’s Home Country

Once all the documents are approved, you can travel to the child’s home country. You will be allowed to stay for 1-4 weeks as you decide if you and the child are a good match. This can be a really stressful part of the process, but your lawyer can prepare you for what to expect from this step in the process.

8. Finalization

Once you have decided that you and your child are a good match and you want to proceed, you will come back home with your adoptive child. A judge will need to look at the details of your application for adoption and approve and make the adoption legal before your child can come to the US.

There are a few different ways that the final documents are filed. It all depends on how the adoption was set up in the first place. Your lawyer will be able to help you to take care of the final steps to make the adoption official.

Be sure to ask about applying for your child’s new birth certificate and other information like dual citizenship as well. There are many different kinds of additional processes that need to be completed when children immigrate to the US to start new lives with new parents. Trying to tackle all of these different steps can be really hard without a skilled lawyer on your side.

An Adoption Lawyer is Critical To The Adoption Process

There is essentially no way to handle a complex and confusing international adoption without a skilled lawyer working on your side. You need to be sure that you do not miss any of the essential steps in the adoption process, and having a legal team on your side can be an amazing help when it comes to immigration documents, passports, and so much more.

Adoption can change your life for the better and can be an amazing way to give a child a new and safe life in the US. Make sure that you understand all of the various steps and stages of the international adoption process before you embark on this amazing, memorable, and special experience.