Marriage & Family
How to adopt a child
Adoption is a legal process that creates a permanent parent-child relationship. There are several paths — domestic infant adoption, foster care adoption, and international adoption — each with different timelines, costs, and requirements.
Adoption is governed by state law. International adoptions also involve federal immigration requirements. For private domestic and international adoptions, a family law attorney is strongly recommended. Foster care adoptions can typically be completed without one — your state agency guides families through the court process at no cost.
Last reviewed: June 5, 2026
What you will need
- ✓Completed home study
- ✓Background checks (FBI fingerprints, state criminal check, child abuse registry)
- ✓Financial statements
- ✓Medical statements
- ✓References (personal and professional)
Steps
Choose your adoption path
The three main paths differ significantly in cost, timeline, and process.
- Foster care adoption: free or very low cost; children are typically older; you may foster before adopting
- Domestic infant adoption: through a private agency or attorney; higher cost; typically newborns
- International adoption: involves both the child's birth country and U.S. immigration; longest and most expensive path
Complete a home study
A licensed social worker visits your home, interviews household members, and reviews your background, finances, and parenting readiness. The home study is required for all adoption types. It typically takes 2–4 months and costs $1,000–$3,000.
Register with an agency or the state foster care system
For foster care adoption, register with your state's foster care agency and take required training. For private domestic adoption, work with a licensed adoption agency or adoption attorney who will help match you with a birth family.
Wait for a match
For foster care and domestic infant adoption, wait for a match with a child or birth family. This phase is the most variable in duration — weeks for some, years for others.
Finalize the adoption in court
After placement and a required supervisory period (typically 6 months), the adoption is finalized in court. A judge signs a final adoption decree. The child's birth certificate is reissued with the adoptive parents' names.