Domestic Adoption vs. International Adoption in AZ

As you start your adoption experience, you’ll be making a critical decision that will determine how you wish to grow your family. Even though there are three types of adoption, many hopeful parents focus on domestic vs. international adoption in Arizona.

Your family’s adoption journey is unique, and you get to decide if international vs. domestic adoption in Arizona is the best way to build a family. Still, getting the best advice from experienced adoption professionals certainly doesn’t hurt.

When weighing domestic adoption vs. international adoption in AZ, we want you to know we’re here to help. Our professionals at American Adoptions are committed to providing the answers you need regarding your adoption options. Call 1-800-ADOPTION 24/7 or complete our free online form to connect when you want to get started.

In the meantime, we’ll be discussing the popularity of these two kinds of adoption as well as five key points of comparison regarding domestic vs foreign adoption in Arizona: cost, requirements, wait times, medical background information, and legal concerns.

Domestic vs. International Adoption in Arizona: How Common Is Each Type?

Before we examine international vs. domestic adoption in AZ, let's consider the current dynamics of both adoption types and how they appear to be changing.

Recent research by the National Council for Adoption illustrates that private domestic agency adoptions are continuing to increase, going from 14,549 children in the early 1980s to a peak of 25,737 domestic infant adoptions completed in 2019. Conversely, international adoptions are declining recently, with just 1,622 adoptions in 2020 and 2,971 adoptions in 2019, down from 4,099 in 2018, 4,714 in 2017 and 5,370 in 2016.

A long list of factors is responsible for this decrease. Chief among them is the logistical and political aspects of international adoption. However, millions of children around the world still need loving families. The bad news is that international adoption is just more complicated now than it was at its peak in the mid-2000s.

Maybe the Arizona domestic vs. international adoption stats won’t influence your decision between the two adoption types. But it does show trends that indicate an increasing preference for domestic private adoption.

How Do I Compare International Adoption vs. Domestic Adoption in AZ? [5 Distinctions]

If you’re weighing the difference between domestic adoption vs. international adoption in Arizona, you should consider five points that shine a light on the ways the two types differ. Read on below to find out more about the distinctions between the two adoption types.

1. Adoption Cost

For many prospective adoptive families comparing international adoption vs. domestic adoption in AZ, one of the first areas of concern is the cost of each process.

Both types of adoption are expensive. If you’re researching international vs. domestic adoption in AZ, you may already know both feature overall costs that range from $30,000 to $60,000 dollars.

There are unique costs you should consider when evaluating the costs of international adoption vs. domestic adoption in Arizona. These costs include:

• Visa costs: A travel visa to the adoptee’s home nation can influence international adoption costs.
• Travel expenses: There is sometimes domestic travel in private adoptions in the U.S., but travel for international adoption is more costly and usually lasts longer.
• Birth mother financial assistance: Financial assistance for the birth mother covers things like housing assistance or living expenses. Such expenses are unique to domestic adoption.
• Financial protection: American Adoptions provides families with financial protection from adoption disruption. That’s unique to domestic adoption.

You may want to explore other costs when comparing adopting in the U.S. vs. international adoption in AZ. At American Adoptions, we’re committed to cost transparency, and we’d be happy to explain the cost of adopting with American Adoptions.

2. Requirements for U.S. Adoption vs. International Adoption in AZ

When researching Arizona adoption in the U.S. vs. international adoption, you should also consider the requirements for adoption. The specific requirements can differ based on your location, adoption type, and your adoption professional.

If you’re pursuing domestic adoption, you’ll need to meet the requirements of your home state, the home state of the adoptee, and your adoption agency. The requirements for international adoption are often far more strict and can include:

• Marriage requirements
• Higher age limits for prospective parents
• Prohibitions on LGBTQ adoption

Are the requirements more rigorous when adopting in the U.S. vs. international adoption in AZ? There’s no simple answer because each situation is unique. But there’s little question that the requirements for international adoption are usually stricter.

3. Adoption Wait Times

Adoption wait time for an adoption opportunity is another key consideration when comparing an Arizona adoption in the U.S. vs. international adoption.

In domestic adoption vs. international adoption in AZ, your wait time is impacted by your willingness to open up your adoption preferences and the method used by your agency when promoting your adoptive family profile. If you’re flexible regarding a wide variety of possible adoption situations, you’re likely to find a match more quickly.

Your agency will also play an important role in determining wait time. At American Adoptions, we advertise to birth mothers across the U.S. in multiple venues to shorten your wait time significantly. In fact, American Adoptions provides 12x more exposure for hopeful adoptive families than other leading agencies. Most families working with American Adoptions adopt in an average of 12 months.

Predicting the wait times for AZ international infant adoption vs. domestic adoption is a little more complicated. International adoption wait times are shaped by things like:

• The adoption plan
• Sudden changes in adoption policies for other nations
• Country-specific issues and travel bans
• Volatile political climates that can impact families and children

When comparing adopting domestically vs. internationally in AZ, you should know these volatile, uncontrollable factors can result in much longer wait times for an adoption opportunity. Carefully research wait times and current U.S. relationships with nations you’re considering adopting from to ensure the adoption process will be stable.

4. Medical Background Information

Many parents considering the differences between domestic adoption and international adoption in AZ ask about the availability of the medical and social history of the child and their birth parents.

Getting medical information can be a challenge when adopting internationally. Medical documentation for adoptees is often minimal, with little or no social history for the child's birth parents. The result is that adoptive parents will lack important info about the child’s family medical history or exposure to drugs or alcohol.

Another thing to consider is that some older kids in international adoption may have been through neglect, abuse and trauma early in life. That can result in challenging behaviors that require healing. There are available resources for parents on this journey, but it’s still difficult to deal with in most cases.

In domestic adoptions, adoptive parents usually have access to thorough medical records for the child and the social history of the birth parents. Most domestic infant adoptions are open or semi-open, which means adoptive families and birth parents have continuing contact and share information regularly.

5. Legal Concerns

You would also be wise to consider the unique legal concerns of each type of adoption when comparing domestic adoption vs. international adoption in AZ.

You may have heard that international adoptions are "safer" since there’s little chance the birth parents in international adoptions will seek to get the child back. However, after adoption finalization in the U.S., the adoptive family is the child's permanent family in the eyes of the law. Post-adoption revocations are extremely uncommon and are often the result of flawed legal practices.

Hopeful parents comparing international adoption vs. domestic adoption in AZ should investigate the adoption process in each country they’re considering. International adoptions are more complicated because they must be finalized according to U.S. law and the laws of the country of origin. Factors like visas and immigration policies increase the complexity.

Why You Should Work with American Adoptions for Private Domestic Adoption

Maybe you’re still unsure whether international adoption vs. domestic adoption in AZ is right for you. You should know that working with American Adoptions can translate into a smooth adoption experience when you’re pursuing private infant adoption. As the best national private adoption agency, American Adoptions leads the industry with benefits like:

• 9-12 month wait times 
• Full range of in-house needed adoption services from licensed adoption social workers
• 100% financial protection for our active families and transparent, accurate fees
• Bigger staff that are accessible around the clock
• Bigger marketing and advertising budgets so that you don’t have to wait to become a mom or dad

These advantages (and many more) are why hundreds of families complete adoptions with our agency each year. In fact, we’ve helped more than 13,000 families build their families over the last three decades. If you’re still contemplating domestic vs. international adoption in AZ, you should know working with American Adoptions will provide its industry-leading support throughout your adoption experience.

Closing Impressions on Domestic vs. International Adoption in AZ

Choosing between international adoption vs. domestic adoption in AZ is a key step in your adoption journey. We hope the information presented in this guide gives you a better understanding of these two adoption types and how they can shape your adoption experience.

If you’re still unsure about your decision, we’d love to help you process them. To find out more about private domestic adoption with American Adoptions, you can read about what separates us from other agencies. Our adoption specialists are also available to talk any time, day or night. Simply call 1-800-ADOPTION or complete our online form to get started. 

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