What does my husband have to do in order to adopt my children?

Question

I have children that my new husband would like to adopt. The kids have no contact and receive no support from their birth father. My question is, how do we get started? Who do we talk to? How much does it cost? How long does it take?

Answer 1

I am an adoptive parent and a step-parent. Here is all I know about step-parent adoption.
State laws on stepparent adoptions vary. Most States have a streamlined process for adoptions by stepparents whereby the judge hearing the adoption petition has the ability to dispense with the requirement in State laws for an adoption home study. Some States, however, will not approve a stepparent adoption unless the custodial parent has been married to the stepparent for 1 year or longer.

When a stepparent wishes to adopt a stepchild, the child's parents (the stepparent's spouse and the noncustodial or absent parent) are usually both required to consent to that adoption. In consenting to an adoption, the noncustodial parent relinquishes all parental rights and responsibilities, including child support. If the noncustodial parent objects to the proposed adoption and refuses to consent to it, State laws may prevent the adoption from proceeding.

Some State adoption laws specify special circumstances under which the noncustodial parent's consent is not required. Other States have made special provisions in their adoption laws to allow stepparent adoptions to occur, even over the objections of the noncustodial parent, in cases where the noncustodial parent has failed to maintain communication with the child for a specified period of time.


Here's a link to more info about stepparent adoption
http://naic.acf.hhs.gov/pubs/f_step.cfm

Here is a link to search statutes by state for issues related to child adoption. Results will provide summaries of State statutes (and full text of laws, in some cases).
http://naic.acf.hhs.gov/general/legal/statutes/search/index.cfm

Answer 2

You need an attorney. In some states, you need to prove the natural father has not visited or supported the children for three years before you can terminate his parental rights. Then your husband can file for adoption.

Answer 3

If children have no contact with their father and no support and u live with them your new husband don't have to adopt them only He have to do is to be patient and humble with the kids....

Answer 4

Best bet is to contact a family lawyer and have them handle all the matters. They would be the experts

Look in the phone book under Attorneys-Family Services

I plan on adopting my stepson soon (and he wants me to as well) and that is the course I am taking

Answer 5

In alot of states this is impossible without consent from the biological father.

I know this may not sit well with you but that is a right that most states feel can not be taken under any circumstance, without consent or him passing away.

Besides you can change their name all you want but the blood will still be the same. They also may rebel if they ever find out !!

Answer 6

It is not impossible to do with out the biological father....it is possible to do so without his consent, you DO need to get a family attorney to help you, you may have to run an add in the paper etc, but its possible...it happened in my family. In some instances the state will pay for it, but its is like 4-$600.00 worth the money to do it though!

Answer 7

this was imposed upon me by my mother and her new husband.
yes my biological father was a loser,but it still should have been my choice.
you can not choose who your father is,but i think you should wait.
what if your marriage does not work?
i remember actually wanting his name,but i was a little kid and didn't know any better.
my mom was doing what she thought best at the time.
now i'm am married,my biological father signed his rights up,and i wouldn't want my stepdad's name again should i ever divorce.
so i told my husband if we should ever divorce,i would keep his name,becuse it' s the only one i had any say over. you don't know how your kids are going to feel later when they are adults,don't impose this on them,even if they want it.
my mom was married to him for 18 years,and if i was going to be imposed a name at least i woulda prefered the biological creep.

Answer 8

Before you do anything you need to get their fathers permission.I know this because my hubby wanted to adopt my son but my ex won't allow it.Some fathers only see their kids as a possession as my ex does.