Age Requirment???

Question

How old or young do you have to be to adopt. Can a 18 year adopt...Oh and do you have to be married to adopt??

Answer 1

You don't have to be married to adopt depending on where & how you adopt.  Where & how you adopt will also determine the age you have to be.

To adopt from foster care, go to

http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/reslist...

and look for your state's requirements & process.

To adopt domestically privately, consult with an attorney or lawyer.

To adopt internationally go to:

http://travel.state.gov/family/adoption/...

to see what country you'd like to go with & then choose an agency with a program that works in that country.

You'll find out the marriage and age requirements by doing the research above.  

I wish you well!!

Answer 2

It depends on what state you are in.  Some states allow you to adopt at 18 some require you to be 21.  Google adoption in your state.  Most agencies prefer married couples over single parents since they want the kids to have a mother and father and think that the child will be in a better enviroment and more financially stable if the kid is adopted by a married couple.

Answer 3

You don't have to be married to adopt but you do have to be over 21.

Answer 4

There are organisation that stated the requirement. Generally, you must be financial stable, no criminal background especially involving children, married (but doesn't apply to all) . You should check with some statutory bodies on the legal aspect in your country.

Most importantly, you must ask yourself whether you are mature and willing to commit the rest of your life looking after the child.

Answer 5

depends on where you live and where you are adopting from.

Answer 6

An 18 year old can adopt legally.  However, it is doubtful that an 18 year old is emotionally and financially "equipped" to adopt.

Adoption is an emotional roller coaster.  There are enormous highs (when you hear that you are on a birth mom's "short list") and deep lows (hearing she chose someone else).  

There is also a home study that must be completed.  A social worker will come into your home and determine if it is safe for a child.  They don't wear a white glove or crawl under the sink, they just make sure that the home is physically safe, has adequate space, and is in a safe area.

The financial hurdle is the toughest.  An adoption (there is no such thing as an "average" or "typical" adoption) with no complications, a birth mom with insurance coverage, and a birth mom that is not seeking lost wages from a high paying job, will probably costs about $15,000 to $25,000.  That is not including travel to pick up the child, hotels while you wait for paperwork, baby formula, diapers, clothes, cribs, car seats, etc.

You notice that I haven't said that you need to be married.  You don't.  However, the process usually involves you creating a profile for the birth mother to use in deciding.  A prifile is a "marketing brochure" for you.  It contains pictures of you having fun, descriptions of your family, write ups about your hobbies, etc.  The birth mother will get a stack of profiles.  She will look at them all and make her "short list" of about 3 or 4 that she is seriously considering.  Sometimes she will just choose one from the stack because it just stands out above the rest, but not always.  She can ask the attorney to get answers to questions about the people on the short list, she can just sleep on it for a day or two, or she can just review the short list and then choose one.  As I said before , there is no typical way that everything happens.

The bottom line is that many (not all) women choose adoption for one of two reasons.  They either have religious reasons to not terminate the pregnancy or they decide to keep the baby, and then change their minds late in the pregnancy.  If it is for religious reasons, they often (again not always) would like to see married couples adopt the child.  If it is for the second reason, they may be more open to single parent adoptions.  However, attorneys and agencies often prefer the stability that a marriage brings.

I am not trying to rain on your parade.  I want you to be informed, because adopting a child is not a simple process, and it can be emotionally draining.

Answer 7

I wish I could give you a definitive answer, but the truth is that I believe it is dependent on the type of adoption that you explore.  Some countries have their own regulations regarding age and marital status.  Also some adoption agencies may have their own rules for their particular agency.  I would suggest contacting a local adoption agency in your area who can answer all of your questions.  

Good luck to you.