Q: How do I adopt my girlfriends teenage son whose father lives in the Philippines. The father is not a US citizen.
The father has no legal or physical custody rights.
Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
- (916) 704-3009
- View Profile
- Answered
A:
To adopt your girlfriend's teenage son, you will need to follow Virginia's adoption process, which involves several legal steps. Since the father is not a U.S. citizen and resides in the Philippines without custody rights, you must obtain his consent or establish that his consent is not necessary. This might involve demonstrating abandonment, lack of contact, or lack of support from the father.
Next, you will need to file a petition for adoption with the local family court in Virginia. The court will likely require a home study to assess your suitability as an adoptive parent and verify that the adoption is in the child’s best interests. You may also need to provide documentation showing the father's status and the absence of legal custody rights.
The process can take time, and the specific requirements can vary. Make sure to gather all necessary documentation and consider consulting with someone familiar with Virginia family law to help navigate any challenges and ensure that the process complies with state and international adoption laws.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
