Adopting my nieces

[Caykay1 71]

So I am researching since I want to adopt my 2 nieces and bring them here. I'm a Usa citizen and make decent income 40,000+. The first step they told me is to get a lawyer to do home study and all that. Is anyone familiar with form 600A and 600. I am a little confused and the fee is expensive and don't want to waste any time or money.!

[Transborderwife 4,666]

Are their parents alive?

[Caykay1 71]

Are their parents alive?

Just my brother is alive. We don't know the whereabouts of the mother. And my brother is just hanging in there. Has so many medical conditions going on now.

[Transborderwife 4,666]

You cannot adopt for immigration benefits unless they are considered orphans. At this point they are not

Edited April 11, 2016 by Transborderwife

[Boiler 46,131]

Have you been looking after your nices?

How long does your brother have?

[Caykay1 71]

Have you been looking after your nices?

How long does your brother have?

Yes I've been looking after them. They haven't given my brother a timeframe but he's really sick and the kids keep hopping from one family member to another. They need stability. I want to legally adopt them in Ghana first if that's what I have to do.

[Transborderwife 4,666]

https://adopt.com/ghana

This may help

[Boiler 46,131]

I have no idea what the laws are in Ghana so that would be the first thing to find out.

And then:

The parent had legal and physical custody of the child for at least two years while the child was a minor
The legal custody must have been the result of a formal grant of custody from a court or other governmental entity
The custody and residence requirement may be met by custody and residence that preceded the adoption

So how long have they been in your custody? You mention other involvement?

[aurpol 17]

You have to go home and take care (should be 16 yrs and below) of them for at least 2 years to show proof of your sincerity and commitment to be their parents. You dont have to stay 2 years. You can go back and forth like maybe every 6 mos. as long as you complete the 2 years requirement. Hire a lawyer to facilitate processing of the adoption in your country, and here as well for the petition process. We're planning to do the same thing in the future. Our couple friend did already and have been parents to a teenage boy now. The uncle went back to our country and took care of their adopted son for two years.

Just check your country's process on adoption and the USCIS for the details for the petition process. Goodluck.

Edited April 11, 2016 by aurpol

[Caykay1 71]

https://adopt.com/ghana

This may help

Thanks a lot

[Transborderwife 4,666]

I don't believe Ghana is of The Hague convention

[Caykay1 71]

You have to go home and take care (should be 16 yrs and below) of them for at least 2 years to show proof of your sincerity and commitment to be their parents. You dont have to stay 2 years. You can go back and forth like maybe every 6 mos. as long as you complete the 2 years requirement. Hire a lawyer to facilitate processing of the adoption in the Philippines, and here as well for the petition process. We're planning to do the same thing in the future. Our couple friend did already and have been parents to a teenage boy now. The uncle went back to Leyte and took care of their adopted son for two years.

Thanks a lot

I don't believe Ghana is of The Hague convention

Ghana is non Hague. I forgot to add to it

Ghana is non Hague. I forgot to add to it.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

How old are the children ? Have you considered putting them in a boarding school for now ( supporting you being in custody of them )

[kris&me 572]

you may not know where the mother is but most govenrments and immigration say the children have to have permission of mother to come / there was a big US court case about this when a family had a child from Cuba and the father wanted him back / father won and it set the stage for all cases

i wish you luck but try to locate the mother and get her to sign off

[Boiler 46,131]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/apr/12/suspects-in-alleged-beirut-kidnapping-face-jail-and-hard-labour

Not knowing and not wanting to know are different issues.