International Adoption - Home Study
 
United States immigration laws require prospective parents to undergo a "home study" before they can adopt a child from a foreign country. A home study is an investigation into the prospective parents' fitness to raise an adopted child. A home study is conducted by an individual or agency that is licensed by the prospective parents' home state.

International Adoption - Requirements for Adoptive Parents
 
Under United States law, a married U.S. citizen and his spouse may adopt a child from a foreign country. If the spouse is not a U.S. citizen, the spouse must be a legal immigrant in the U.S. An unmarried person may adopt a child from a foreign country if the person is at least 25 years old.

Adoption
 
An adoption is a legal process by which a person who is not a child's biological parent obtains all of the legal rights and responsibilities of the child's biological parents.

Fraud During a Marriage or Relationship and Transmissions of a Serious Disease

Many states have recognized a cause of action for fraud during a marriage or relationship. Specifically, some states have recognized a plaintiff's claim that they were induced to have sex with a defendant based upon the defendant's representations as to his health or fertility. The states that permit this claim on the basis that the plaintiff did not actually consent to having sexual relations with the defendant.

International Adoption - Advance Processing

The United States Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recommends that all prospective parents file an application for "Advance Processing" before they identify a foreign child to adopt. Advance Processing is a procedure whereby the USCIS pre-approves the prospective parents' application to adopt a child.

"Tough and Aggressive. Giving You Peace of Mind."

• Family Law
• Business Law
• Real Estate
• General Litigation