Domestic vs. International Adoption
The first choice adoptive parents face is whether to adopt internationally or domestically. Each type of adoption has benefits and drawbacks, and all options should be considered carefully.
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Cost
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The cost of an international adoption is relatively similar to that of a domestic adoption, with each averaging between $15,000 and $25,000 in fees and expenses.
Expenses
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Parents who adopt domestically often pay some of the birth mother's medical and living expenses, as well as the regular expenses incurred at adoption. Parents adopting internationally are responsible for their visas and travel expenses, or the expenses of having their child escorted home.
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Medical History
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Unlike a domestic adoption, where the child's medical history is often well-documented, the health information of an internationally adopted child can often be unreliable, incomplete, or non-existent.
Child Age
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In international adoptions, children are already days, weeks or months old before they are allowed to be referred for an adoption, and the process itself can take well over a year to complete. Parents who adopt domestically have the option of receiving a newborn.
Custodial Issues
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In the U.S., birth parents must terminate their parental rights before a child can legally be adopted, though custody issues can arise. Yet in international adoptions, children are legally free and clear before they are allowed to be adopted, and there is almost no chance for conflicts with birth parents.
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