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Practice & Experiences

Adoption (sometimes with immigration issue involved too)

Adoption is a social/legal process that creates a new parent-child relationship by transferring parental rights and responsibilities from one adult, usually one pair of adults, to another.

Yim & Zhou is one of the few firms that could handle your adoption issues and immigration issues at the same time.

• In California, there are five types of adoption: Agency, Independent, Intercountry Adult, and Stepparent.
  • Agency Adoption. It is the most common type of adoption. A typical public agency child is from foster care and has special needs. From the time a child is freed until the child is adopted, the adoption agency assumes full legal responsibility for the child.
    • Significant events in the process include:
  
  • Independent Adoption. It is the second common form of adoption. A typical child is a healthy infant. The birth parents retain full legal responsibility for the child until the adoption is granted by the court.
    • Significant events in the process include:
    
  • Intercountry Adoption. A typical child is orphaned or abandoned in foreign country. A court in California may finalize the adoption; a court in the child’s country of origin may finalize it; or, it may be finalized in both places.
    • Significant events in the process include:
    
  • Stepparent and domestic partner adoption. California courts generally require the absent parent to consent to the adoption. If the child is over the age of 12, the child’s consent is also needed. In cases where the absent parent does not consent or cannot be found, an adoption is still possible, but becomes more complex.
  • Adult adoption. Generally, parental consent is not required and there is no requirement for a home study or report unless a court orders it.