Readoption questions

[mom@shiloh]

If you know something about readoption, could you send me a pm?  I have some quesitons.  Thanks.

[Pronghorn]

Perhaps you could say what state you live in. In New Jersey, you don't have to readopt if both parents were present at the original adoption.

[zimom]

And do you mean for international?

[sassenach]

Reported

[Corraleno]

We did a readoption and name change, of an internationally adopted child, in the state of Florida. We didn't technically have to do the readoption, since both parents had traveled to the birth country before the adoption was final, but I wanted her to have a Florida statement of birth in her adopted name. 

 

If that's relevant to your case, feel free to PM me.

 

[mom@shiloh]

Thanks.  Our situation is somewhat complicated, so I was just puitting out some feelers.  I thought it was worth a try.  

 

We lived in one state when we adopted internationally, and have since moved to a different state.  I traveled alone, but we were never told that we would need to do a readoption, so we're several years done the road now and aren't sure how to proceed.

 

[zimom]

It really does depend on the state. Additionally, it might depend on when you adopted, what you are trying to achieve.

 

For my older daughter, she was brought home before they automatically issued the COC, so I'm ashamed to say that I still have not done the paperwork yet and at this point she does not have her COC. Many years ago I did manage to get a US passport for her, although it is expired.

 

For my younger daughter, COCs were automatically issued as long as you satisfied the requirements so she has hers.

 

For both girls, in our state, an actual 'readoption' is not done. It is considered a 'recognition of foreign paperwork'. One can do it without an attorney, as a new home study is not necessary, no matter how much time has passed. However, many will hire an attorney, hopefully for a reasonable fee, so that things go smoothly. The primary reason to do the 'readopt, is so that your child now has a birth certificate issued by the state, and can get another one issued at any time from vital records without hassle. You also handle the name change at this time. It makes life so much easier having a US birth certificate, not to mention access to get more when needed.

 

I hope that helps.

[Corraleno]

Thanks.  Our situation is somewhat complicated, so I was just puitting out some feelers.  I thought it was worth a try.  

 

We lived in one state when we adopted internationally, and have since moved to a different state.  I traveled alone, but we were never told that we would need to do a readoption, so we're several years done the road now and aren't sure how to proceed.

 

 I would google "readoption international adoption <state>" and see what comes up. You could also look for adoption groups in your area, or join an international adoption board and ask for advice from people in your current state who have done a readoption. We did use an attorney, but it was not very expensive. It was a fairly uncomplicated process.

 

ETA: You want to find the laws of your current state, where you would do the readoption, not the state where you were living when you adopted.

 

The primary reason to do the 'readopt, is so that your child now has a birth certificate issued by the state, and can get another one issued at any time from vital records without hassle. You also handle the name change at this time. It makes life so much easier having a US birth certificate, not to mention access to get more when needed.

 

:iagree:

 

I did not want DD to have to order copies of her birth certificate from her birth country every time she needs one. 

 

[Berta]

We adopted internationally while living in NJ. Readoption was not necessary at the time but we did it anyway. We wanted her to have an American birth certificate. If I ever lost the ones from China it would be costly and nearly impossible to replace. My DH's workplace also started giving an adoption refund of $10,000 of eligible fees. It cost us less than $200 to file and then took about 2 months to get a court date. Once we readopted her, we had a NJ birth certificate and his job reimbursed us the 10K.