Can a Resident of Another Country Adopt a U.S. Child?
Foreign nationals residing in the U.S. are permitted to adopt a U.S. child who is in the custody of a public agency. Most agencies and courts of jurisdiction will require that you furnish proof of residence in the U.S. as part of your adoption application and legal filings. While private agencies may permit residents of other countries to adopt a U.S. infant, this has not been common practice with public agencies and older children. However, this may be changing as workers make more exhaustive searches to find families for waiting children. The Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption is scheduled to enter into force for the United States in 2004. More information about the Hague Convention is available from Permanent Bureau of The Hague Conference on Private International Law, Scheveningseweg 6, 2517 KT The Hague, The Netherlands, or at www.hcc.net Information about U.S.