To start with, adoption laws vary from state to state. Granted, there are laws, and depending on where you live these laws can be different, but there are certain laws that are very common all across. Firstly, there is the consent for adoption. Such consent refers to the agreement by a parent, or agency or a person acting on behalf of a parent, to release the child for adoption and to bequeath all rights and duties regarding the child.
Which means that prior to you adopting the child the agency in charge or birth parent have to approve for the adoption to go ahead.
Who CAN actually adopt? As a matter of fact anyone above the age of 18 but in certain places 21 and in others 25 is the minimum age. All this is again, state regulated. Some states allow minors to adopt under certain circumstances but this is a very rare occurrence. Particular states rule that the adopting parents should be at least 10 years older to the child. Hence, if you wish to adopt a 15-year-old boy you have to be at least 25 years old. There is of course the residency question, then. Usually states require that should be living in your present address since 60 days at the least.
So whom can we adopt? Usually, law can adopt anyone below 18 years of age. Depending from state to state there are additional changes required. For example, in certain states the child has to be a resident of that state during the adoption process. Under the circumstances an adoption from overseas would not be possible. For some states this is extended to the child having to be a resident for a certain period time. Few states do not allow adoption at all, regardless of age, though this is a very rare occurrence.
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