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Originally Posted By chris
Hi, I hope you can help:
I recently got married and wish to adopt my wife's
daughter. The girl's biological father was never married
to my wife, and in fact broke up with her prior to
the child's birth. His name is on her birth certificate,
but he has played no part in her life to date.
What is the procedure for me to adopt this child. Do
I need to see a lawyer? Do I need the biological father's
consent? Will it take a long time to adopt? Where must I go
(e.g. which government agency)?
There is some urgency to this. Me and my wife are Canadians
living in the US, and just recently got married in the US.
Upon re-entering the US, the child was unable to get
a TD-type visa at the Canadian-US border (I have a TN visa),
The border official stated that i had no proof that she was
my dependant (though I explained to the border official that
I was married to the childs mother, and had the marriage
certificate, etc.)...also the mother (my wife) cannot work
in the US, so clearly she is my dependant, and I would have
thought that her dependant would also be mine.
Supposedly, the child cannot attend
school in the US without a TD visa (I have had conflicting
answers from the INS on this - over the phone they
told me that a TD visa would be granted with a letter
from the biological father stating he had no difficulties
with her accompanying me to the US...the border official
however stated I first would have to adopt the child).
It was my intention to adopt my new daughter all along,
but now I am in a rush so that I can get her into
kindergarten. Please let me know what procedures i should
follow to adopt my wife's daughter.
Thanks,
Chris.
cromano@nni.com