| For a country as big and diversified as the US, | | | | Adoption in the United States |
| adoption records are very important to keep. | | | | 1992 was the end year National Adoption totals were |
| What is adoption? | | | | collected in the USA, however adoption records from |
| Adoption is the lawful act of permanently admitting a | | | | foster care homes and other non-government bodies |
| child with a parent or parents other than the birth | | | | allows us to get a rough estimate on the numbers. |
| mother or father. In accordance to an adoption order | | | | Back then 127,000 annual adoptions in the U.S was |
| a parent or parents are liable to transfer parental | | | | recorded. As of 2002, United States consisted of 1.5 |
| responsibilities and rights over the child onto the | | | | million adopted, which was over 2% of all US Children. |
| adoptive parent or parents. Once an adoption is | | | | Adoptive parents have to pay virtually nothing to |
| finalized, there is no authorized distinction between | | | | US$40,000 to adopt a child. |
| adopted children and those born to the parents. | | | | In recent years International Adoption through |
| According to adoption records adoption has gained | | | | agencies has also become very popular in the United |
| persistent standing in American society. | | | | States. Amid 1971 and 2001, U.S. citizens adopted |
| Who adopts | | | | 265,677 children from other countries. The figure of |
| At present, studies say that in the United States 1 in | | | | children pending adoption decreased from 132,000 to |
| 5 couples of childbearing age encounter grave | | | | 118,000 during 2000 to 2004. |
| problems in trying to conceive a baby. For these | | | | In 2005 the U.S. Department of State declared that |
| people, being able to boast the joy of being a parent | | | | 22,728 visas were given to orphans coming into the |
| becomes a goal which is hard to pin down. They | | | | United States, 7,906 being from China(Mainland), |
| seek an adoption as a substantial alternate to their | | | | followed by Russia with 4,639 and Guatemala 3,783. |
| inability to ever become birth parents. Having a child | | | | Adoption law vary from state to state, and federal |
| to love and care for is what brings joy to millions of | | | | laws also influence many procedures prior and after, |
| infertile couples around the world. Adoption is also | | | | connected with the adoption record process. It is |
| undertaken by individuals and couples who wish to | | | | important that placing and adopting parents, as well |
| give an orphan child the love and importance of a | | | | as those looking for family members are aware of |
| parent in their poignant lives. | | | | legislations beforehand. |