An international adoption is the adoption of a child who is the citizen of one country by adoptive parents who are citizens of a different country. Generally, for families living in the United States, an international adoption involves the adoption of a child born in another country by U.S. citizens. A number of factors must be considered in pursuing an international adoption, not only adoption laws of the sending country, but also the immigration requirements of the United States. The Hague Convention on Inter-country Adoptions governs adoptions between many countries. As with any area of adoption, prospective adoptive parents seeking to adopt a child internationally should look for the services of an adoption professional who is experienced, not only in the field of adoption, but also in the field of international adoption. Once an adoption has been granted in a foreign country, the order or decree of adoption may be registered in the state of residence of the adoptive parents by an adoption attorney so that it becomes legally recognized and enforceable under the laws of that state.
