Readoption Law for State of Texas International Adoption

[CF1111]

What is the name of your state? Texas.

Hello.

We have successfully completed all steps of an international adoption, with exception to readoption in the State of Texas due to the IR-4 status. We both saw the child and went through the processes but entered the US without final adoption - went back to country and completed adoption process completely. Does anyone know the laws for readoption for the State of Texas??? We have gone through the entire process ourselves as there was no adoption agency or any other agency who could help us. We also need to know if we can represent ourselves in court (pro se).

Hopefully some of you have gone through this and can offer some much needed detailed experience or advice.

Regards.

[LdiJ]

Originally Posted by CF1111

What is the name of your state? Texas.

Hello.

We have successfully completed all steps of an international adoption, with exception to readoption in the State of Texas due to the IR-4 status. We both saw the child and went through the processes but entered the US without final adoption - went back to country and completed adoption process completely. Does anyone know the laws for readoption for the State of Texas??? We have gone through the entire process ourselves as there was no adoption agency or any other agency who could help us. We also need to know if we can represent ourselves in court (pro se).

Hopefully some of you have gone through this and can offer some much needed detailed experience or advice.

Regards.

I would really recommend that you use an attorney for this stage of the adoption....you are not just dealing with the adoption here but also immigration issues. It would be much safer to use an attorney.

[nextwife]

In many states the READOPTION is a very simple matter, as the adoption has already been finalized abroad, no bioparents have any further rights and the readoption is primarilly for the purpose of creating a in-state birth certificate/adoption record. Likely the permanent visa has already been isssued. Usually, as a readoption is only for the convenience of having a US vital record, it does NOT impact immigration status.

We did our REadoption without an attorney, as our daughter already had a permanent resident status through her I600a and she has become a Citizen under The Adopted Child Citizen Act of 2000.

Texas, however has no provision for Readoption in their Statutes. Holt's website breaks down all the various state's readoption laws.
[url]http://www.holtintl.org/pdfs/NAIC.pdf[/url]
Because they have no provision, You WILL likely need to use an attorney.

FYI- OUR local courthouse had a simple packet for Do-It Yourself readoption. AS a readoption usually means one already HAS a final adoption, it is one legal matter that I normally feel that a parent who has completed their international adoption and US Immigration process can complete themselves. I think the total cost for us, with court fees, was about $20 plus the cost of the postplacement home study.