Adoption procedures vary by type (agency, private, stepparent, foster-to-adopt) and by state, but the legal core is similar everywhere: home study, placement, court petition, and a final adoption decree. Here's the practical roadmap.
Agency (public or private), independent (often through an attorney), stepparent, relative/kinship, foster-to-adopt, or international. Each has different costs, timelines, and rules.
A licensed social worker visits your home, interviews household members, runs background checks, and writes a report. This is usually required before placement and takes 2–6 months.
Adoption can't finalize until the birth parents' rights are legally terminated — voluntarily (consent) or involuntarily (after a contested proceeding). This step varies most by state and case type.
Once placed with you, there's typically a 6-month supervised period before finalization. The agency or social worker visits to confirm the placement is going well and updates the court.
The court holds a finalization hearing — usually a celebratory event — and issues a decree. From then on, the child is legally yours for all purposes, including inheritance and birth-certificate amendment.
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