Gay men and lesbians can have children on their own in several ways. With lesbian couples, one of them gives birth while the other, considered the second parent, can become a legal parent via stepparent or second parent adoption if allowed in their state.
Gay men undergo the same process but with a surrogate mother to carry and give birth to a child born from a donor egg and the sperm form one partner. In addition, same-sex couples can likewise choose to adopt jointly in order that both of them become legal parents from the start, if their state permit it.
Types of Adoption
Gay and lesbian couples are free to jointly adopt via agencies, private adoptions, and even international adoptions.
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Agency Adoptions
State-regulated public agencies basically place children considered “wards of the state” due to abuse, abandonment, or orphanage. These are sometimes operated by social service organizations or charities.
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Private Adoptions
In private or independent adoptions, there’s no agency involved. Private adoptions usually include a direct agreement between the adoptive parents and the birth parents, while some involve intermediaries such as lawyers, clergypersons, or doctors. For majority of adoptions though, regardless of intermediary involvement, the adoptive parents will normally get legal help to complete the necessary paperwork. Majority of states permit private adoptions, but have strict regulations, and some states like Massachusetts, Delaware, and Connecticut prohibit them, explains the Law Office of Doreene A. Kuffer.
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International Adoptions
An international adoption involves adopting a foreign citizen child. Aside from complying with all the requirements of both the adoptive parents’ U.S. home state and the child’s country, parents should likewise secure a United States immigrant visa for the adoptive child, with the child automatically being granted citizenship upon entrance to the U.S.
However, it is critical to note that some same-sex couples won’t have the option of adoption since there are some states including Utah and Mississippi that prohibit same-sex couple adoption. Since it’s crucial that you understand your local same-sex couple adoption laws before applying for adoption, it’s recommended that you seek help from family law firms lawyers to know your legal options.