Adopting Special Needs Adult from the Philippines

[David & Kezia 25]

Hi,

I already searched this online, but there hasn't been much information, so I'm checking here if someone has any idea or has had any experience with cases like this.

My Mom has a first cousin that has special needs. I think he is 40 years old now. His mother was pregnant with him when they went away and we have been looking for them, and we only found him when he was around 20 years old. By then, he has been severely neglected. He was emaciated and he had a dislocated shoulder that was never attended to so it healed in the wrong spot. We kinda rescued and informally adopted him since then. His last schooling was supposedly up to the 3rd grade, but it was so sporadic and he barely went to school (which is normal in the hinterlands and other fishing barrios), that he couldn't read nor write. We tutored him for almost a year until he learned enough to read, write and do basic math, and then sent him to another tutor so that he could get his GED (equivalent) and go to high school with us. He did pass, barely, and he also barely passed through high school in the province.

He is not too stupid, but still slow and his judgement or EQ is quite low. He is however disabled and looks like a hermaphrodite (and is often thought so), and although we haven't had him officially checked and diagnosed by a psychiatrist, we are pretty sure that he'd be in the "special" child category.

We haven't formally adopted him, as it is not common in the Philippines, but after my Mom died, he has been my responsibility. We keep him busy, and my younger brother and my old father has since kept an eye on him since I've been in the US. However, I want him to be with me here, especially now that my brother is now in the big city (Manila) trying to have his own career and my father is also now getting too old to manage him.

I want to know how to get him to join us. My husband and I are thinking of formally adopting him, but I'm not sure how adopting a special needs adult works intercountry. He's not even immediate family, so the immediate family petition which normally takes 10-20 years doesn't look like an option for him.

Would adopting him and citing that he came from the small town that was also ravaged by Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) help us get him, and maybe expedite the petition process?

I expect that it would be expensive, as adoptions usually are, but we are willing to save up and do this for him, as he is my responsibility anyway.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Kezia (and David)

[aleful 1,905]

hi

Unfortunately there Is no way to bring him, adoptions for immigration purposes have to have taken place before the 16th birthday. even though you could adopt him in your country as an adult, you can't file any petition for him, adult adoption doesn't exist for immigration

only for minor children

sorry

[aaron2020 11,651]

There is no path for him to the US through an adult adoption.

US laws only allow visas for children adopted before age 16.

If it was possible to adopt an adult and get an immigration visa, you would see a lot of people adopting their relatives.