| Adopting a child is often one of the biggest and most | | | | adopted internationally often have very little, if any, |
| important decisions a couple will ever make. While | | | | medical information available. On the contrary, couples |
| exploring all of the available options, one of the first | | | | adopting domestically are typically provided with a |
| things families deciding to adopt will encounter is | | | | comprehensive medical history and any social history |
| whether to adopt domestically or internationally. | | | | of the biological parents that may pertain to the child |
| Domestic adoption is done within the United States, | | | | and be a factor in a couple's decision to adopt that |
| whereas international adoption is adopting a foreign | | | | particular child. |
| child from another country. | | | | Both also have separate circumstances and issues |
| Both domestic and international adoptions have | | | | when it comes to legal concerns. Couples considering |
| special and separate conditions that can influence | | | | adopting internationally should be fully aware of the |
| their costs. Each has different expenses; those | | | | adoption process that is required in the country they |
| adopting internationally are required to pay for visas, | | | | are considering adopting from. Each country has its |
| flights, and other traveling expenses, costs those | | | | own set of legal directives that must be met in order |
| adopting domestically do not have to pay. However, | | | | to finalize an adoption. A common myth facing |
| there are other charges those individuals may have | | | | domestic adoption is that the birth parents of a child |
| to consider such as living and medical expenses for | | | | may one day revoke their consent and take the child |
| the biological mother (an expense not generally found | | | | back. Because of this fear, many choose to adopt |
| in international adoption). Though each has separate | | | | internationally, where there is virtually zero contact |
| expenses, typically they turn out to be roughly the | | | | with a birth mother and the adoptive family. |
| same amount. | | | | However, despite this widespread thinking, once an |
| The wait time for a child adopted domestically versus | | | | adoption is finalized in the United States, the adoptive |
| international varies depending on the actual location | | | | family is legally the child's family. Post-adoption |
| and origin of the child. One does not always take | | | | revocations are very uncommon, rarely hold up in |
| longer than the other; a domestic adoption can take | | | | court, and are usually the result of illegal and unsound |
| as long as an international one and vice versa. | | | | adoption practices. |
| One of the biggest differences one will find between | | | | Before making any decisions, a couple considering |
| the two types of adoption is the amount of medical | | | | adoption should fully research any and all viable |
| and social history available of the child. Those | | | | options and choose the one that suits them best. |