From Adoption 101: How to Adopt a Child:

11. Petition the court to finalize your adoption.

Once you have completed the requirements to adopt in your state, you will need to petition the court to adopt your child. The requirements vary from state to state, so you will need to work with your adoption attorney to make sure you have all of your papers in order.

Paperwork Required

The requirements for each state will vary, but here is some of the information and paperwork that will be needed in most states:

• Home study report


• ICPC information from both states (interstate adoption only)


• New name for child


• Post-placement visits report


• Statement of the court’s jurisdiction


• Termination of parental rights

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Some agencies will facilitate your hiring an adoption attorney to finalize the adoption; others will leave it to you to hire your own adoption attorney. While you might not be required to hire an attorney in all jurisdictions, it is a good idea to hire one to protect yourself. If your adoption is not finalized, then your placement is potentially at risk. This is one area of your adoption where you do not want to skimp on funds.

Time Requirements

Some states require the adoptive parents to file a petition to adopt within a certain amount of time after taking custody of the child, so be sure to file the petition within the time required by law. If you are unable to meet the time limitation, be sure to find out from the court what you need to do to get an extension of time to file the petition to adopt.

International Adoption

Petitioning the court to finalize your adoption might not be required for an international adoption. If it is not, be sure to check with your adoption professional (or see the blog for the country from which you adopted) to learn the steps for obtaining a birth certificate and social security number if you do not need to finalize your adoption locally. See the following posts for more on this topic:

• Re-Adoption Back Home


• Adoption ABCs - Paperwork for after your int. adoption

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