When adopter parents accept a child emotionally and legally although not born to them, adoption takes place. After the court approves an adoption, the adopter parents will get an official decree and a birth certificate in respect of the adopted child. The child will be entitled to the same legal rights as a child by birth and will get the parent’s name. The adopter parents must be adult but need not necessarily be married.
Most states have their own adoption laws, which materially vary across states. Only eight states have adopted the Uniform Adoption Act with their own modifications.
Any married individual must apply for adoption jointly with his or her spouse. In many states or jurisdictions the consent of the adopted child is also required depending on his age.
For proper and natural adoption the adopter parent must be at least 10 years older than the adoptee. In many jurisdictions the adoptee must be a minor. Same sex couples are legally competent to adopt in many states. However, in the state of Florida homosexuals are debarred from adopting. Moreover a non Native American couple cannot adopt a Native American.
