Thai Green Card Holding Wife -- Adopting Step Children

[drkwtsn]

My wife has 2 children born out of wedlock, and has a statement from the family court in thailand stating that since she was not married when the children were born, the children are in her sole custody....

My wife also has her US Greencard, and we are planning on going for her US Citizenship very soon and I want the children to also get their citizenship.... I know I have to legally adopt them in the eyes of Thailand in order to do this, correct?

Is this going to be an easy venture?

[gregb]

If you are going to adopt the Thai children of your Thai wife, it needs to be done as an international adoption. This means the adoption is not just in the eyes of Thailand, but in the eyes of the US government as well. This is a tedious process, but far from impossible.

If you are in Thailand, you can start the procedure by visiting the US Embassy in Bangkok, and they will start you down the path to adoption. If you are currently in the states, then your easiest choice is probably to find an accredited agency to work with you. You have to start by proving yourself worthy to be an adoptive parent. There are home visits involved, checks of your moral character, interviews with your neighbors, etc. The fact that these are your wife's children means the process more likely to succeed and in a shorter timeframe, but it does not nullify the process altogether.

There is some information to start you off here:

http://adoption.state.gov/adoption_process/who_can_adopt/eligibility.php

Congratulations on your decision to adopt. I'm sure you will receive much more from the children than you give.

[drkwtsn]

If you are going to adopt the Thai children of your Thai wife, it needs to be done as an international adoption. This means the adoption is not just in the eyes of Thailand, but in the eyes of the US government as well. This is a tedious process, but far from impossible.

If you are in Thailand, you can start the procedure by visiting the US Embassy in Bangkok, and they will start you down the path to adoption. If you are currently in the states, then your easiest choice is probably to find an accredited agency to work with you. You have to start by proving yourself worthy to be an adoptive parent. There are home visits involved, checks of your moral character, interviews with your neighbors, etc. The fact that these are your wife's children means the process more likely to succeed and in a shorter timeframe, but it does not nullify the process altogether.

There is some information to start you off here:

http://adoption.stat...eligibility.php

Congratulations on your decision to adopt. I'm sure you will receive much more from the children than you give.

Thanks a bunch

The only problem I see is that I currently do not live in either, we all live in Italy as I work for the US Government, so I want to get my wife her citizenship as we can waive the whole time frame thing because of this

I am wondering, is it better to adopt, then do her citizenship, or her citizenship then adopt.... or does it matter?

[gregb]

If you are going to adopt the Thai children of your Thai wife, it needs to be done as an international adoption. This means the adoption is not just in the eyes of Thailand, but in the eyes of the US government as well. This is a tedious process, but far from impossible.

If you are in Thailand, you can start the procedure by visiting the US Embassy in Bangkok, and they will start you down the path to adoption. If you are currently in the states, then your easiest choice is probably to find an accredited agency to work with you. You have to start by proving yourself worthy to be an adoptive parent. There are home visits involved, checks of your moral character, interviews with your neighbors, etc. The fact that these are your wife's children means the process more likely to succeed and in a shorter timeframe, but it does not nullify the process altogether.

There is some information to start you off here:

http://adoption.stat...eligibility.php

Congratulations on your decision to adopt. I'm sure you will receive much more from the children than you give.

Thanks a bunch

The only problem I see is that I currently do not live in either, we all live in Italy as I work for the US Government, so I want to get my wife her citizenship as we can waive the whole time frame thing because of this

I am wondering, is it better to adopt, then do her citizenship, or her citizenship then adopt.... or does it matter?

In that case, you should start by visiting the US embassy in Italy and discussing your case with the staff there. However you do it, it will still be an international adoption, and the timeframe for the adoption will not change. I don't think it matters which way you decide to do it. The delays with the international adoption process are due to the coordination between multiple entities, not the citizenship of the mother. Even if the mother holds dual citizenship, the children are still Thai, and thus the standard process will need to be followed.