Adoptions
Long Island Adoption Attorney
Domestic Adoption - International Adoption
Suffolk County - Nassau County - New York
Phone: (631) 473-5100
Conveniently located on Long Island, the adoption attorneys at the Law Offices of Barbera & McElhone represent individuals and families throughout Nassau County and Suffolk County, New York who want to pursue a child through adoption.
One of the most rewarding fields in the practice of law is the field of adoption. It is an adventure for those embarking on the international realm and fulfilling for those seeking the domestic route.
International or Domestic
The first rule in planning for a successful adoption is to be prepared. Read as many books on the subject as possible and if choosing International Adoption, read as many personal experiences from other adoptive families as you can get your hands on. International Adoption offers a gateway into a new culture. The couple gets to immerse themselves in the social mores and lifestyle of the country where their child lives; experiencing new foods and customs.
The second step whether you choose to adopt internationally or domestically is picking an agency. The agency you choose should be fully accredited here in the United States as well as the countries in which they facilitate adoptions. Speak to people who have used the agency to get both the pros and cons of their experience. Whether you are interested in Domestic or Foreign adoption, you will be asked to put together a Dossier of your family.
While International Adoptions require much more official paperwork than Domestic Adoptions, this is probably the area which will require the most time. Birth Certificates, Marriage Licenses, Divorce Decrees of the couple and any existing children of the marriage will be required as will the need for formal medical examinations and criminal background checks. You will be fingerprinted by your local police precinct and checked out by Federal and State agencies. A home study will also be required by an accredited social worker or agency. A picture album of your family and your home will be necessary to show that the environment is acceptable for the child and you will need to be prepared with answers about childcare, extended family and their role in the child’s life.
The commonly asked question is: Why adoption? There are so many reasons people choose to adopt that agencies and birth mothers often use this as a tool in matching families to children.
Open Adoption versus Closed Adoption
While Domestic adoption may give rise to phenomena known as open adoption; international adoption does not offer this option. An open adoption is a form of adoption wherein the birth parents stay involved in the life of the child to some extent. The child knows his or her birth parent or parents and the adoptive couple establishes some guidelines by which the contact is maintained. All parties are aware of the identities of both the biological parents and adoptive parents. In most instances involving International Adoption, the files of the birth parents are sealed and no information is given to the adoptive parents or the child.
Re-Adoption in the United States
While in the foreign country the adoption process is legalized in the court of that country. Although it is not required, many couples thereafter choose to re-adopt the child here in the United States in order to facilitate the ease in which original paperwork for the child may be obtained. If the parents choose not to re-adopt in the United States, any additional birth certificates needed throughout the life of the child must be obtained through the foreign country where the adoption was accomplished. If a re-adoption is done here in the States, a new Birth Registration is issued by the individual state, and that document stands in the place of the foreign birth certificate and can be utilized in its stead, negating the need to apply internationally for any documentation later required by the child. If a re-adoption is desired, it is best to accomplish apply for same as quickly as possible upon returning to the US. Most of the same paperwork used in the international adoption as well as the home study can be used for the re-adoption if done timely, saving the family both time and money. The Law Offices of Barbera and McElhone can help facilitate both foreign and domestic adoptions and provide counsel and service throughout the entire adoption process.
Ms. Barbera has been intimately involved in the adoption process and has facilitated the adoption of many children including one foreign adoption of her own. Ms. Barbera is the mother of three homegrown children and one child of her heart.
For more information on foreign or domestic adoptions, or to schedule a free confidential consultation with an experienced Long Island adoption attorney, please call us at (631) 473-5100, e-mail us Link to e-mail, or fill out our intake form on our Contact Us page.
