Adopting a baby is a life-changing and exciting experience for families, yet the adoption process can be time-consuming and stressful. From a few months to several years, the length of the process often varies depending on factors such as the child’s age and the type of adoption. If you are considering adoption, you might be wondering: how long does adoption take in the US?
Read on to learn more about how long adoption can take in the US.
How Long Does It Take to Adopt an Infant?
Generally, adopting an infant can take nine months to a year, while others can take longer. In the United States, families can adopt an infant either through domestic infant adoption or foster care adoption.
Domestic Infant Adoption Process
The domestic infant adoption process varies between parents and involves various steps with variable timeframes. Factors that can influence the time it takes to adopt a child through domestic infant adoption include:
- The home study: This involves evaluating your home and family to determine if it is safe for a child. Depending on the paperwork, it usually takes 2-3 months or longer.
- Finding a match: Once cleared to adopt a child, a family will have to wait to get selected by a birth mother. This step may take several months, although some parents may hardly wait.
- Placement and post-placement: Some parents may match with a birth mother who is a few months or days pregnant, resulting in a longer wait time.
- Finalization: While several post-placement visits with a social worker are necessary during adoption, this may extend the wait time before finalizing the adoption process.
Other Factors Affecting Time
Other emerging factors that can shorten or prolong the domestic infant adoption process include:
- Birth mother and child preferences: When you are more flexible with your preference during adoption, you are likely to match quickly with several birth mothers, shortening the wait time.
- Advertising of your adoption professional: Working with an adoption professional can help match with more birth mothers, helping you finalize the process faster.
- Disrupted adoption: Some birth mothers may change their minds and decide to parent, affecting the wait time for your adoption process. Several other disruptions may also affect the wait time.
How Long Does It Take to Adopt a Child from Foster Care?
Besides domestic infant adoption, you can adopt a child from foster care and grow your family. Most requirements are similar, but processes differ. With foster care adoption, the process often takes between 6-18 months but can vary due to various factors.
Foster Care Adoption Process
Foster care adoption is divided into two ways: adopting a foster child and fostering to adopt. Adopting a foster child involves adopting children who cannot be reunified with their birth parents. On the other hand, fostering to adopt refers to caring for children in a foster home with the intention of adopting them if they don’t return to their birth parents.
Despite following the same process, here are the steps that can affect the time it takes to adopt through foster care adoption;
- Completion of training: Potential foster parents must undergo training, which can take a short or long period, depending on the requirements.
- The home study: This step for foster care adoption is similar to domestic infant adoption, and the time frame varies between parents.
- Waiting for placement: Once cleared for adoption, foster parents can receive child placement at any time. However, the timeframe may vary depending on the child’s situation and other factors.
- Waiting for adoption opportunity: The child for adoption may or may not be available for adoption. If the child may never return to the birth family, foster parents can have an opportunity to adopt the child.
What If I Adopt Across State Lines?
Federal law provides between six months to a year for the finalization of the adoption process. For instance, home studies must be completed within 60 days, while child placement should take six months. However, some adoption processes across state lines may take longer, more than a year, depending on factors like the method of adoption.
How to Make Sure You’re Protected and on the Right Timeline for the Adoption Process
Certain factors can minimize adoption wait times and protect you during adoption. Your adoption preferences play a critical role in your wait time, with stricter adoption plans and preferences resulting in longer wait times. Flexibility offers room to make changes, increasing your chances of adopting a child sooner.
Working with an experienced adoption attorney can help navigate the process seamlessly and adopt the child within the proper timeline. It is also an effective way to understand and adhere to laws and regulations that govern child adoption within a given state.
The Attorneys of Greenville Family Law are Here to Help with the Adoption Process
At Greenville Family Law, we understand how stressful it can be to wait for longer to finalize the process of adopting a child. Regardless of the adoption method, our well-trained and passionate attorneys can help you ease the adoption process and remain on the correct timeline for your adoption. Schedule a consultation at our Greenville, SC office, or call one of our attorneys to learn more today.
