If you are interested in making an addition to your family in North Carolina, the state offers you a number of options, depending on your circumstances.
In fact, there are seven different types of adoption in the state, according to the North Carolina Judicial Branch:
1. Independent adoption: You adopt a child placed with you directly by his or her parent or guardian (who consents to the adoption).
2. Relative adoption: The child placed with you for the purpose of adoption is a relative. You must be a full sibling, half sibling, grandparent, great-grandparent, aunt, great-aunt, uncle, great-uncle or first cousin of the child. If you are some other relation, then the adoption is independent rather than relative.
3. Stepparent adoption: You are married to the child’s parent and your spouse and the other parent consent to the adoption.
4. Agency adoption: The child is placed with you for the purpose of adoption by a consenting licensed child-placing agency or a county department of social services.
5. Foreign adoption: You adopted the child in a foreign country, and you are re-adopting the child in the U.S.
6. Foreign adoption: You are adopting the child in the U.S. without finalizing the adoption in the foreign country.
7. Adult adoption: The person you are adopting is 18 years of age or older, under the age of 18 and married, or under the age of 18 and legally emancipated.
Anyone 12 years old or older must consent to adoption unless you file a motion with the court clerk to waive the requirement and he or she grants the waiver. This general information is provided to give you an overview of North Carolina adoption, but other factors may be relevant in your case, so it should not be interpreted as legal advice.
