How Long Does the Adoption Process Take?

Choosing to adopt is a huge decision. Once you make it, though, it can seem like it takes an eternity to adopt a child. While there is, unfortunately, no standard timeline for adopting a child, the Heber UT adoption lawyers at the Gordon Law Group note that there are at least a few common issues that will determine how long it takes you to adopt.

The first, and often most important, issue involves the method of adoption. If you choose to adopt through a private adoption agency you’ll generally have to wait through the search process. This can take anywhere from a few months to a few years, with average adoption of a healthy infant requiring a wait time of between two and seven years.

If you choose to adopt through the foster system, that wait time can be much lower. The average wait time to adopt a child through foster care is somewhere between six and eighteen months, largely depending on the age of the children and the status of the birth parents’ parental rights.

Beyond the adoption method, a number of other factors come into play. The amount of time spent waiting on a home visit to get your home cleared can vary, as can the amount of time you wait to be accepted by an adoption agency. You may also have to deal with significant issues involving the birth family, which can add anywhere from months to years to the adoption process.

If you’re going to adopt, you need to work with an attorney. He or she can help you with the legal issues surrounding adoption and allow you a chance to rely on professional advice as you go through a particularly trying process. If you are considering adoption or you don’t know where to go next in your adoption journey, make sure to contact the Heber UT adoption lawyers at Gordon Law Group.