Adoption ABC's: Requirements

While the most important requirement for adoption is an open heart and commitment to love and nurture a child being brought into your home, there are specific requirements that will have to be met to successfully complete your adoption. Your social worker is well versed in all of the requirements of an adoption and will work closely with you to ensure they are met.

State Requirements

The state in which you reside has established requirements which include physical requirements of your home in order to ensure that your home is safe, free of obvious safety and fire hazards and that a new family member can be comfortably accommodated. Your homestudy agency is the best source of information about the requirements of the state in which you reside.

U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (UCIS) Requirements

When adopting internationally, at least one prospective parent must be a U.S. citizen, be at least 25 years old and able to qualify for an orphan visa petition. Fingerprints will be required for the 1600A form, "Application for Advance Processing of an Orphan Petition", which can be obtained from the USCIS website. Detailed filing instructions are provided with our Wide Horizons application packet.

Wide Horizons For Children Requirements

As an adoption and child welfare agency, we have guidelines which we believe provide the best possible environment and opportunities for children placed. These include pre-adoption preparation, a commitment to stay home with your child for two months following your child's arrival and post placement follow-up with your social worker. Issues around parenting skills, family relationships and cultural awareness will be discussed with your social worker in your pre-adoptive group and during the home study process. These guidelines are provided in our application packet.

Placement Country Requirements

These requirements vary and may include marital status, age, number of children in the home and length of marriage. Please refer to information on a specific adoption program for more detail.

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