Foreign Adoption Vs. Local Adoption
In both foreign and local adoptions, courts create a new parental relationship. There are several types of local adoptions: public agency adoptions, private agency adoptions, and independent parental placement adoptions. International adoptions are facilitated by U.S.-based adoption agencies in conjunction with the U.S. Department of State and foreign governments.
Jurisdiction
In an international adoption, prospective adoptive parents typically select a child based on photos and a written history before they travel to the child's country of origin to complete the adoption. International adoptions are completed under the legal system where the child resides, so each nation sets its own guidelines for who may adopt.
Within the U.S., domestic adoption laws vary between states, but most of the differences are procedural. The general adoption process is the same in all U.S. jurisdictions.
Placement
In each type of domestic adoption, the prospective adoptee typically resides with the family for several months, under the supervision of a social worker, to ensure that the parties are a suitable match.
In foreign adoptions, it is rare for the child to reside with the parents prior to legally finalizing the adoption because the court proceedings take place in the child's country of origin.
Birth Family Relationships
As most children who are available for adoption internationally have been abandoned or orphaned, foreign adoptions rarely allow for ongoing contact with the child's birth parents. While some adoptive parents prefer closed adoptions and choose international placements for this reason, other families wish to stay connected with the birth family through letters, photos, and visits.
In adoptions within the U.S., ongoing contact with the child's birth family is common and easy to facilitate.
Child's Health and History
Adoptive families generally receive a comprehensive health and background history on their child when they adopt within the U.S. Because adoption agencies and attorneys often work directly with the birth parents, they are able to compile this information with the adoptive child's future needs in mind.
While families may be able to access post-birth health and immunization records for internationally adopted children, families rarely receive information on the birth family's medical history.
Special International Considerations
Because individual countries establish their own adoption laws, international adoptions from developing or unstable nations can be risky. Prospective adoptive parents may face problems with government agencies, orphanages, and individual officials working outside of adoption protocols established by the U.S. Department of State and the Hague Adoption Convention.
Additionally, international adoptees may have exceptional health and emotional problems stemming from their placement in group orphanages from an early age. These issues are uncommon in domestic adoptees.
Cost
The cost of domestic and foreign adoptions can vary significantly based on the agency's fees and the complexity of the adoptive family's circumstances. Although both types of adoptions may cost families between $5,000 and $40,000, international adoptions are usually on the higher end of that range due to travel costs.
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