Archives for October 2022

All About the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption

How Can You Adopt a Child From a Treaty Country?

The Hague Adoption Convention allows American families to adopt children from other countries. The convention simultaneously protects children from trafficking, exploitation and other abuses. Families looking to adopt a child from a Hague country must meet certain criteria to ensure that the child will be safe in their new homes.

What Is The Hague Adoption Convention?

The Hague Convention is short for the “Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption.” It was created in 1993 in the Netherlands as an international law to protect children during international adoption and is one of many laws by the Convention.

When prospective parents wish to adopt a child through intercountry adoption, they are required to meet certain criteria. The Hague Convention aims to match children with the best potential families.

What Are the Benefits of Adopting a Child from a Hague Country?

Certain countries are considered Hague-accredited. When a child is available for adoption from one of those countries, families in their birth country have first priority to offer them a home. However, if it’s impossible for these children to be adopted in their home countries, American families can adopt them as long as they meet certain criteria.

There are notable benefits of adopting a child from a Hague country. Adoption through The Hague Adoption Convention offers families more resources. There is a specific established process in place for adoption and decisions are made quickly so that families know whether they have the opportunity to adopt. The family is also provided with all medical and social information about the child they plan on adopting. They also get access to an international adoption doctor.

Children get to benefit by being adopted by loving families. Through Hague Convention adoption, children are also able to be protected against potential trafficking.

What Is the Criteria for Adopting a Child from a Hague Country?

Prospective parents wishing to adopt a child from a Hague country must meet strict requirements. A New Jersey adoption attorney can assist you with information to help the process along. The following requirements should be met:

• Prospective parents must be United States citizens who live in the U.S.
• Those adopting as a couple must both sign Form I-800A.
• Prospective parents who are unmarried must be at least 24 years old upon signing Form I-800A and 25 when filing Form I-800.

In addition to these basic requirements, you must also meet the criteria required from the country from which you wish to adopt. All countries have their own set of rules including the age of prospective parents, marital status of the parents, sexual orientation of the parents and age difference between the parents and child.

Parents are also required to take a 10-hour pre-adoption course for adopting a child from a Hague Convention country. This helps to educate parents on the child’s history and special needs. For example, some children have a history of trauma.

How Does the Adoption Process Work?

When you decide to go with intercountry adoption through a Hague country, there are three sets of laws to follow: United States federal law, state law and the laws of the child’s country of origin. Parents wishing to adopt should expect the process to take one to four years depending on the situation and country. However, the adoption process may take even longer in some circumstances. A New Jersey adoption attorney can help make the process as smooth as possible.

There are eligibility criteria for children from Hague countries being adopted. The following must be in place for adoption to be possible:

• The child is younger than 16 when Form I-800 is filed or under 18 and a sibling of a child younger than 16 who has been or will be adopted by the same parents.
• The child will be adopted by a married couple where both spouses are at least 25 years old and at least one spouse is a U.S. citizen who has resided in the U.S. and the U.S. Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS) has found that couple suitable to adopt.
• The Central Authority of the child’s home country has determined that the child is eligible for intercountry adoption and has proposed placement that was accepted but the child hasn’t yet been placed in custody.
• The child’s birth parent or parents or other legal guardian has given consent to the adoption and agreed to terminate their parental or guardianship rights.
• The child’s birth parents are considered incapable of caring for the child if they signed the consent form to give up the child for adoption.

If you live in New Jersey or Pennsylvania and are interested in adopting internationally through The Hague Convention, contact one of the New Jersey adoption attorneys at Cofsky & Zeidman by calling us (856) 429-5005 at your earliest convenience.

How Much Does It Cost to Adopt a Child?

The Costs of Adoption: What to Expect

The cost of adoption varies depending on the type and the specifics of your situation. While it may be possible for a public adoption to cost less than $1,000, you can’t always rely on that figure. In some cases, the expenses associated with adopting a child might be in excess of $50,000 when all is said and done.

Adoption is often a costly and drawn-out process, but there’s a good reason for that. These hurdles are partly in place to make sure that the people who end up being approved are genuinely committed to the role of parenting these children in need.

Allow for More Costs Than You Expect

It’s likely that your emotions will be tried just about as much as your finances. No matter what, you should expect the process to take a significant amount of time.

It’s a good idea to set aside more funds than you think you’ll need and give yourself plenty of time. You don’t want this to be a stressful process for the child, your partner, or other family members – not to mention yourself.

There are different types of adoption, each one with its own costs and resultant price range. It’s helpful if you know what to expect from each and learn which one is right for your situation ahead of time. This will allow you to handle everything more smoothly, avoiding wasted time and money while ensuring the best possible outcome.

Help Is Out There

If you’re feeling overwhelmed already, it may help to remember that you don’t have to cover all the costs yourself. Adopting a child is a major endeavor, and trying to handle everything alone often turns into an exercise in futility.

Luckily, it’s easier than ever to reach out for help nowadays. You’d be surprised by all the places you can find it and how many people are willing to pitch in. Numerous parents have utilized online fundraisers to pay for the myriad adoption expenses. Grants and personal loans are also viable options.

Adopting Through Public Welfare

A public agency adoption is one route you can take if you’re working with a tight budget. You’ll start off as a foster parent when adopting through the public welfare system.

There’s a specific agency for each state that’s in charge of placing foster children with adoptive families. These agencies are responsible for distributing licenses, overseeing kids’ education, and providing support when it’s needed.

The benefit of adopting through foster care is that it saves a substantial amount of money when you compare it to other adoption options. You can usually cover all associated costs of adopting a child this way with $1,000 or less because foster adoptions come through the help of federal programs that provide assistance to foster families. These are programs meant to entice adoptive parents because, sadly, foster care kids have often already passed the “prime” age for adoption.

The foster care system is also full of kids who have had difficult experiences and likely suffered trauma because of them, or they may have a disability that requires special care. There will be more obstacles to overcome than most children face, and the adoptive parents will need to step up in every possible way to facilitate that.

If you think adopting a child through the foster care system is right for you, many helpful resources may be found through the Children’s Bureau, which is a federal agency. This is where you can find a trove of information on adoption-related topics and reliable assistance to guide you through the process. The Children’s Bureau also breaks things down for every state, so you’ll know you’re looking at the guidelines that are relevant to you.

Independent and Private Adoptions

Other options include private and independent adoption. With private, it’s up to the parents to find an attorney or work directly with the adoption agency that they choose. Either way, the process is similar. A home study, placement, counseling, training, and legal documentation are the steps that comprise this route to adoption.

But the price isn’t always consistent going directly through the adoption agency. It may be as low as $30,000 and as high as $60,000, leaving considerable room for uncertainty in the middle. For independent, on the other hand, you might want to retain a New Jersey adoption lawyer.

The obstacles between potential adoptive parents and children are there in part to make sure they’re in it for the long haul. It’s a way of verifying not just that they are fit to be parents – they also have to be the right fit for this particular child.

If you’re trying to figure out adoption and feel lost, you are not alone. Help is out there, so give us a call today at (856) 429-5005 for a New Jersey adoption lawyer or request a consultation with Donald Cofsky.

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