Adopt our niece from the Philippines?

[Joz]

We want to adopt our, soon to be 16-year-old niece, from the Philippines. She is from a broken family with 4 sisters and a single un-employed mom. The mother has made some poor life decisions over the last 18 years, going to different countries, getting pregnant by different fathers and the kids get dumped on the grandma. It's too much for grandma to take care of all these kids so we wish to adopt the 15-year-old. My sister-in-law is adopting the 5-year-old. We're thinking, because of her age, that a student visa may be the best way, (F2 visa?). Then adopt while in the US, or what is the best way to get her to the US? She is a good student, and we have no kids of our own. She lived with my wife, before we got married, along with 2 of her sisters so she is like part of the family.

 

[LdiJ]

We want to adopt our, soon to be 16-year-old niece, from the Philippines. She is from a broken family with 4 sisters and a single un-employed mom. The mother has made some poor life decisions over the last 18 years, going to different countries, getting pregnant by different fathers and the kids get dumped on the grandma. It's too much for grandma to take care of all these kids so we wish to adopt the 15-year-old. My sister-in-law is adopting the 5-year-old. We're thinking, because of her age, that a student visa may be the best way, (F2 visa?). Then adopt while in the US, or what is the best way to get her to the US? She is a good student, and we have no kids of our own. She lived with my wife, before we got married, along with 2 of her sisters so she is like part of the family.

You are definitely going to want to get an immigration attorney involved, particularly with the current climate in the country regarding immigration. This is not something to get advice about on an internet forum these days.

 

[stealth2]

I agree with LDi - immigration attorney. It will be money well spent.

 

[not2cleverRed]

Or find an attorney that specializes in international adoption.

 

[LdiJ]

Or find an attorney that specializes in international adoption.

The immigration attorney will probably want an international adoption attorney consulting on the issue as well. However an immigration attorney really is critical at this point in time. This is also not a typical international adoption as it is a family adoption and the child is almost 16.

 

[Joz]

Yes, that does sound like good advice. We will start researching for an international adoption attorney. We are currently in the Philippines and will return to CA on Monday. We are gathering papers like her birth certificate and any others we can think of so we will have them with us back in the US.
Thanks so much for pointing us in the correct direction.