Posted 2012-02-07 12:51:09
 snorkster, on 2012-01-17 11:25:16, said:
My wife called DSDW. She explained our situation, the person on the phone said we could apply (19 forms) and specify our preferences for age, gender, and special needs or not, and that they estimate it would take about 1 year to match us with a child. My wife indicated that she was thai and I was american. She didnt specifically discuss the implications of nationality, but they asked what our nationalities were, so I guess it is faster if one person is Thai, since a wait time of 3 years has been estimated in this thread for pure expat couples. Interesting question was raised above about the legal implications of a purely Thai adoption, Mario2008 mentioned that a purely thai adoption might not be recognized in the US. I will consult an attorney about that. As long as there dont appear to be issues getting the adoption recognized in the US, then I think we will go in to DSDW and fill out the application. Thanks for any advice and I'll post any info I get after investigating.
Also if anyone has actually done this and has any experience or advice to share, I'd be interested in hearing it.
Snorkster, the form is available online http://www.adoptingi...application.pdf and the requirements (and list of supporting documents) is here http://www.adoption....on-03-01-e.html We found the social workers weren't very keen on dealing with us and answering questions until we had all the documents ready to submit. The social worker that is manning the desk on the day you apply is the social worker that will deal with you throughout the entire process, so make sure you get her name and number.
Posted 2012-02-07 13:12:55
Goinghomesoon, on 2012-02-07 12:44:36, said:
Mario2008, on 2012-01-30 08:55:30, said:
snorkster, on 2012-01-28 23:30:13, said:
Does anyone have an idea of how most children come to need adoption in Thailand? Are the parents usually deceased, or the baby abandoned, or are they often taken away due to a bad home environment? Some thai friends have remarked that if we adopt a child, there may be parents out there who decide they want the child back. In China, many girls have historically been abandoned as the parents wanted a boy.
With an adoption in Thailand, the parents of the child must give permission. If they don't give permission, a judge can give permission instead.
Adoption means that you now become the legal parent of the child, instead of the natural parents. They can not demand the child back or anything.
While that's the case with international adoptions Mario, do you know if that is the case with domestic 'Thai-style' adoptions? My understanding was that the local adoptions do not remove all parental responsibilities and that this is the reason some countries won't recognise them.
The meaning of adoption is that someone else than the current legal parent(s) become(s) the legal parent(s) of the person who is adopted. Otherwise it is not an adoption, but someone being placed in your care till that person becomes an adult.
It can be that under Thai law a person doesn't completely severe his Thai with his former legal parents.
I believe that some countries won't recognize a local adoption because of an international treaty that states that an international adoption must be according to the laws of both countries involved.
An adoption of a Thai national by two Thai nationals would be recognised by other countries.
Posted 2012-02-11 10:07:42
Mario2008, on 2012-02-07 13:12:55, said:
It can be that under Thai law a person doesn't completely severe his Thai with his former legal parents.
Yes Mario I think you are right there. I believe a Thai domestic adoption order gives the child new parents but does not fully sever the parental relationship with the birthmother (and father if named on the birth certificate). So in effect a child just gains extra parents.
We have a Thai/Swedish friend that adopted domestically as a Thai and then had difficulties taking the child on holidays to Sweden : the Swedes pointed out that the adoption order does not severe the birthmother's relationship. They required the consent of the birthmother before a visa would be issued. Luckily she did give permission.
Posted 2012-02-14 10:40:21
Goinghomesoon, on 2012-02-07 12:44:36, said:
Mario2008, on 2012-01-30 08:55:30, said:
snorkster, on 2012-01-28 23:30:13, said:
Does anyone have an idea of how most children come to need adoption in Thailand? Are the parents usually deceased, or the baby abandoned, or are they often taken away due to a bad home environment? Some thai friends have remarked that if we adopt a child, there may be parents out there who decide they want the child back. In China, many girls have historically been abandoned as the parents wanted a boy.
With an adoption in Thailand, the parents of the child must give permission. If they don't give permission, a judge can give permission instead.
Adoption means that you now become the legal parent of the child, instead of the natural parents. They can not demand the child back or anything.
While that's the case with international adoptions Mario, do you know if that is the case with domestic 'Thai-style' adoptions? My understanding was that the local adoptions do not remove all parental responsibilities and that this is the reason some countries won't recognise them.
The registration of a Thai domestic adoption simply states the court docket # that was used to approve the adoption, and that both the birth parents and the adoptive parents have signed their consent to that decree. If the proceedings of that court case decree that the birth mother has no further claim over the child, then that is the law. However, the details of these court proceedings are not made available to the Registrar at the district office. Therefore, it is possible that the judge could simply have ordered a new name be added, or that the birth mother be completely stripped of her parental rights. There is no way to tell from the Registration of Adoption all by itself, and the complete judgement of the court is not usually provided. I don't know if the court case is actually sealed or is accessible to the public. What is certain is that after a Thai domestic adoption only the adoptive parent is allowed to make decisions for the child or choose where the child can reside, so with all parental powers transferred to the adoptive parent it is not clear what role the birth mother could still play, if any.
In the case of the US Embassy, as it was explained to me, it is simply that the US has no treaty with Thailand to recognize adoptions. Therefore, any adoption must satisfy the laws of both countries individually, and be approved by the relevant agencies individually in each respective country, including home visits and suitability by a recognized US agent. In order for US citizenship to be transferred to an adoptive child, the adoption must be carried out as specified by the relevant US agencies.
Posted 2012-02-14 12:16:34
The only role the birth parents could continue to play that I can think of is regarding inheritence and such.
I think it is more that only an international adoption is recognised, unles it is an adoption by Thai nationals only of a Thai national.
Posted 2012-05-05 21:54:14
snorkster, on 2012-01-17 11:25:16, said:
My wife called DSDW. She explained our situation, the person on the phone said we could apply (19 forms) and specify our preferences for age, gender, and special needs or not, and that they estimate it would take about 1 year to match us with a child. My wife indicated that she was thai and I was american. She didnt specifically discuss the implications of nationality, but they asked what our nationalities were, so I guess it is faster if one person is Thai, since a wait time of 3 years has been estimated in this thread for pure expat couples. Interesting question was raised above about the legal implications of a purely Thai adoption, Mario2008 mentioned that a purely thai adoption might not be recognized in the US. I will consult an attorney about that. As long as there dont appear to be issues getting the adoption recognized in the US, then I think we will go in to DSDW and fill out the application. Thanks for any advice and I'll post any info I get after investigating.
Also if anyone has actually done this and has any experience or advice to share, I'd be interested in hearing it.
snorkster, on 2012-01-17 11:25:16, said:
My wife called DSDW. She explained our situation, the person on the phone said we could apply (19 forms) and specify our preferences for age, gender, and special needs or not, and that they estimate it would take about 1 year to match us with a child. My wife indicated that she was thai and I was american. She didnt specifically discuss the implications of nationality, but they asked what our nationalities were, so I guess it is faster if one person is Thai, since a wait time of 3 years has been estimated in this thread for pure expat couples. Interesting question was raised above about the legal implications of a purely Thai adoption, Mario2008 mentioned that a purely thai adoption might not be recognized in the US. I will consult an attorney about that. As long as there dont appear to be issues getting the adoption recognized in the US, then I think we will go in to DSDW and fill out the application. Thanks for any advice and I'll post any info I get after investigating.
Also if anyone has actually done this and has any experience or advice to share, I'd be interested in hearing it.
I am an American with Thai wife and her Thai daughter. I have just completed the entire process of adoption of my step daughter. It took a little over 2 years. The process for our situation could have been less than a year but Thai new events slowed the process:
1. The election of a new PM meant that we could not meet with the final board member approval until those political positions were designated by the new government. That must have been a 4 month delay.
2. A new adoption requirement needing a back ground check by the International Police (Interpol). This was in addition to the Bangkok police finger printing and background check and the letter required from my home country FBI background check. This letter from the FBI stated that I had no arrest record.
3. The floods cause a few months delay.
4. Our assigned social worker took a new upward mobile job with the government and we lost priority in our case because she had to juggle the 2 jobs. The DSDW does not assign a new case worker if the original social worker has already done the home visit and has been closely attached to the case. We didn't know this until I tried to reach her office and ask for her.
I found that the secret to getting attention is to get their Fax number and send it to the case worker's attention. This way other people in the office can read your concerned message as they pass the fax along to to the case worker. The case worker is still required to report in to clear their cases on a part time basis.
The day we went to the DSDW for the Board Approval there were other 2 other couples from Canada. One couple said that it had took over 6 years for the adoption but they were not living in Thailand and did not already have an adoption candidate. They went through an agent in Canada.
I have been at the DSDW and talked to walk in foreigners inquiring about adoptions and they were told that the quotas had been filled for the year and they were turned away.
Now having said all this I have a question of what to do next with the US Embassy, I've read that an adoption needs to be registered with the embassy. there is no immediate requirement for an immigration visa and then there are these treaties that Thailand is not a member of and different forms for that (I-600, I-600A, and I-130). I feel that it is necessary to inform the Embassy for the child's welfare but where to go?
Posted 2012-05-06 06:46:43
Contact the embassy, by phone or email, i'm sure they will guide you in the right direction.
Posted 2012-05-12 10:13:35
I would suggest to consider a thai adoption by your wife only as a single mother, and after having the child work on the adoption on your side.
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