Archive for the 'Adoption' Category

I have noted in this blog that when it comes to international adoption in my practice as an immigration lawyer that I have seen the number of children available for adoption from China drop precipitously over the past few years. In 2005, there were 8,000 Chinese children adopted by U.S. parents last year there were 3,000.

The reasons for the decline are related to more adoptions by Chinese parents and fewer children being given up for adoption. Things are better for Chinese families and children, and although that is good news for China that translate into a dearth of children available for intercountry adoption. Continue reading “China Popular for Adoptions” »

This is the second and last part of a post focusing on how adoptive parents can help a child from another country adjust to their new surroundings. In working as an immigration lawyer, I’m often called upon to guide families through the process of intercountry adoption. Families who come from institutional settings may face special challenges in adjusting to family life in the U.S.

The first five strategies that I discussed focused on home and family life. These next five are concerned with adjustments to the outside world.

Finding a Friend

Connecting with a child who is going through or has gone through a similar experience can be very helpful. Your new family member will have someone in their life with whom they can readily identify and who will understand what they are going through.  Try to help them connect with that person. Continue reading “Part Two: Intercountry Adoption—Helping a Child from an Institutional Setting Adjust” »

I work as an immigration attorney representing clients throughout the fifty states.  We help adoptive parents in the immigration process intercountry adoptions. I offer a wealth of advice to my clients as I help them successfully navigate a process than can take from one to four years.

Here are some links that adoptive parents can utilize to help them with various issues health issues they may encounter after the adoption process is complete. It’s essential that adoptive parents understand that once they have their new family member safe and secure and the adoption complete that their work has just begun.

The American Academy of Pediatrics:

This organization has a roster of pediatricians who have a special concentration in medicine connected with adoption and foster care. You can find them at: www.aap.org/sections/adoption/SOAFCAdoptionDirectory2.pdf Continue reading “Immigration Lawyer’s Notebook: Medical Links for Intercountry Adoption” »

If you’re involved in intercountry adoption once the process is complete, you’ll be involved in a new process—that of adjusting to your new family. Working as an immigration lawyer with a wealth of experience in the family immigration area, I’m quick to caution parents that the adjustment period can certainly take time. Here are some primary areas of which you will need to be mindful.

Children Who Have Spent Time in Institutions

If you’re adopting a child who has spent any length of time in an orphanage or similar institution, then you’re bound to find that there will be a time of adjustment depending upon their experience. Continue reading “An Immigration Lawyer’s Perspective on Adjusting to Intercountry Adoption” »

As an immigration lawyer, I work with people who are considering adopting a child from another country. Before the process ever begins, there are some concerns and questions that any adoptive parent must address.

Adoption within your home country can be a long road and going outside of the country can be even trickier, although well worth it. When discussing and considering intercountry adoption, there are various areas of concern. Here are five key categories that you should investigate. Continue reading “Intercountry Adoption Concerns: Thoughts from an Immigration Attorney” »