For families wishing to adopt a child from another country, The attorneys at Family Formation Law Offices will share their experience and knowledge in navigating and understanding the process. In addition, we can help new adoptive parents to complete the finalization/re-adoption process once you have successfully adopted a child in another country and returned home to MD, VA or DC.
International Adoptive Services in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC
We do not process or handle international adoptions but will instead refer you to an agency or international adoption service provider should you need representation. We also do not handle immigration matters. If the child you are seeking to adopt is not in the United States on an IR-4, IR-3, IH-4 or IH-3 visa, we require that you hire an immigration attorney to consult and advise about any possible adoption and the implications.providers,
o not process or handle international adoptions but will instead refer you to an agency or international Adoption Service Provider should you need representation. We also do not handle immigration matters. If the child you are seeking to adopt is not in the United States on an IR-4, IR-3, IH-4 or IH-3 Visa, we will require that you hire an immigration attorney to consult and advise about any possible adoption and the implications.
To learn more about our international re-adoption services or to receive referrals to international adoption service providers, contact us now.
The following guide will provide you with an overview of international adoption in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia:
How We Help Protect International Adoption
Our firm handles re-adoptions for a flat fee. Contact us now to learn how we can help protect your international adoption.
Below are helpful links for intercountry adoption forms and other international adoption resources:
ADOPTION TAX IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
An adoption tax identification number (ATIN) is obtained for your adopted child when you are not yet able to get a social security number (SSN). It is a temporary number that can be used until the SSN is issued. To get an ATIN, adoptive parents must file a W-7A form, which can be downloaded from
www.irs.gov. It takes 4 to 6 weeks to obtain an ATIN, and it expires two years after being issued (by then you should have the SSN!). For information on getting a social security number, go to
www.socialsecurity.gov or call 1-800-772.1213.
WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF ADOPTION?
Domestic Agency Adoption, Domestic Independent (non-agency) Adoption, & Intercountry Adoption. Within domestic agency adoptions, there are Public Agency Adoption and Private Agency Adoption. For legal purposes, every case must be either an agency or independent adoption.
There are two steps:
- The birth parents’ rights are relinquished to an agency.
- The agency consents to an adoption by a adoptive parent(s).
Independent adoption have one step:
- Birth parent(s) give consent directly to an adoptive parent(s).