Any adult resident of Arizona, whether married, unmarried, legally separated, or divorced, is eligible to qualify to adopt children. A married couple may jointly adopt. Arizona law restricts unmarried couples from jointly adopting a child.

FAQs Archive - Page 5 of 5 - Myers Strickland Arizona Adoption & Assisted Reproduction Attorney

Q: 08. When can consents to adoption be signed?

Birth parents cannot sign a consent to adoption until 72 hours after the birth of the child. Consents, once given, are irrevocable unless obtained by fraud, duress, or undue influence.

Q: 06. What is a Private or Direct Placement Adoption?

A private or direct placement adoption is one in which the birth parents give their consent to adopt directly to the family that they have chosen as adoptive parents. In these adoptions, the child is usually discharged from the hospital directly into the custody of the adoptive parents.

Q: 05. What is an Agency Adoption?

An agency adoption is one in which the birth parents of the child relinquish their parental rights to an Arizona licensed adoption agency. The agency becomes the legal custodian of the child and has the right to place the child for adoption and consent to the adoption. Many agencies allow birth parents to choose an adoptive family from the prospective adoptive clients of the agency.

Q: 03. What is the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption?

On April 1, 2008 the United States ratified the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption. Effective on that date, all adoptions of children not citizens of the United States are governed by the Hague Convention. A child is typically considered “habitually resident” in his or her country of citizenship. If the Hague Convention is in force between the United States and the child’s country of citizenship, the requirements of the Hague must be followed if the child is to be legally adopted and eligible for U.S. citizenship. This can be an expensive and time-consuming process. Anyone considering the adoption of a child born in another country should consult with an experienced adoption attorney.

Q: 02. Who may be adopted?

A child under the age of 18 who is legally free for adoption and present in the state at the time the petition to adopt is filed may be adopted. “Legally free” means that the parents of the child have signed consents to the adoption, or pursuant to Arizona law, their consent is unnecessary, or their parental rights have been terminated by court order, or they are deceased.