When an internationally adopted child comes into the US, they either come in on: 1) the green card track (i.e. Uganda); or 2) the certificate of citizenship track (i.e. China, Hungary). For track 2, the child has proof of citizenship but still needs a birth certificate. For track 1, the child needs both.
The process of international adoption was streamlined in Alabama with Karina’s Law, which took effect in 2013. (Read more about Karina’s Law here) However, the issue of what adoptive parents can do if their child’s name needs to be changed on their certificate of citizenship is one outstanding possibility that is not streamlined through this law. In this video, adoption attorney Sam McLure discusses how to go about resolving the issue of legal name changes in international adoptions.
For more answers to frequently asked questions about adoption, be sure to attend our event next week! Find out more here.
