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Adopting from Italy

Revision as of 05:36, 23 March 2014 by Admin (Talk | contribs)

The official flag of Italy.
Source: cia.gov.

Map of Italy.
Source: cia.gov.

Map of Italy.
Source: cia.gov.

The Colosseum in Rome, Italy.
Source: Wikipedia.org.

Southern Italy.
Source: Wikipedia.org.

Venice, Italy.
Source: Wikipedia.org.

Florence, Italy.
Source: Wikipedia.org.

Vineyards in the Chianti region of Italy.
Source: Wikipedia.org.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Source: Wikipedia.org.

Collage of Venice, Italy.
Source: Wikipedia.org.


Hague Convention Information

Italy is party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention). Therefore all adoptions between Italy and the United States must meet the requirements of the Convention and U.S. law implementing the Convention.


Adoptions from Italy are rare. Only two Italian orphans have received U.S. immigrant visas in the past five fiscal years. The information provided is intended primarily to assist in these rare cases, including adoptions of Italian children by relatives in the United States, as well as adoptions from third countries by Americans living in Italy.

Who Can Adopt

Adoption between the United States and Italy is governed by the Hague Adoption Convention. Therefore to adopt from Italy, you must first be found eligible to adopt by the U.S. Government. The U.S. Government agency responsible for making this determination is the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Learn more.

In addition to these U.S. requirements for prospective adoptive parents, Italy also has the following requirements for prospective adoptive parents:

Residency

Prospective adoptive parents must legally reside in Italy.

Age of Adopting Parents

Adoptive parents must be at least eighteen years old and no more than forty-five years over the age of the adoptee.

Marriage

Only married couples may adopt. The couple must have been married for at least three years (without separation during the three-year period prior to the adoption) and must reside in Italy. Single persons can only adopt in very limited circumstances.

Income

N/A

Other

Same-sex couples cannot adopt in Italy.

Who Can Be Adopted

Because Italy is party to the Hague Adoption Convention, children from Italy must meet the requirements of the Convention in order to be eligible for adoption. For example, the Convention requires that Italy attempt to place a child with a family in-country before determining that a child is eligible for intercountry adoption. In addition to Italy's requirements, a child must meet the definition of a Convention adoptee for you to bring him or her back to the United States.


ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:


Relinquishment Requirements: The judge can terminate the parental custody when the parent violates or neglects his/her parental duties or abuses of his/her powers, with serious prejudice to the child. Therefore, due to serious reasons, the judge can order the removal of either the child or the parent, who mistreats or abuses the minor, from the family's residence.

Abandonment Requirements: In order to be declared "adoptable," the child must be in a state of abandonment, meaning that the child cannot live in his or her own family. The minor who is deprived of moral and material assistance by the parents or relatives, who are considered responsible for his/her support, is considered abandoned.

AGE REQUIREMENTS: Children age 14 and older can only be adopted if they personally consent to the adoption.

Sibling Requirements: Prospective adoptive parents are allowed to apply for more adoptions. If prospective adoptive parents have already adopted a sibling or if they apply for the adoption of siblings at the same time, this is considered preferential criteria for the adoption.

Waiting Period: Up to three years.

How to Adopt

Adoption Authority

The Process

Traveling Abroad

After Adoption

SOURCE

Intercountry Adoption, Bureau of Consular Affairs. U.S. Department of State Country Information