Registration of International Adoptions in Mississippi

By John S. Grant IV on November 20, 2023

Mississippi has a process to register international adoption in this state. The procedure only comes into play if you have not previously registered the adoption in another state in the United States. If you have done that, there is no need to re-register the adoption in Mississippi, as the other state’s registration will be recognized in Mississippi.

The relevant law is known as the Mississippi Registration of Foreign Adoptions Act. International adoptions are sometimes referred to as foreign adoptions. The terms are interchangeable.

To register an international adoption, no court hearing is required. All that needs to be done is file a petition in the local chancery court containing all the appropriate information. Your attorney can prepare the petition. You will need to supply the following documentation to file along with the petition:

1. A copy of the child’s birth certificate or other birth identification issued by the birth country.
2. Original documents related to the international adoption certified by the U.S. embassy abroad.
3. An English translation of the adoption documents certified by the translator to be correct.
4. A copy of the child’s U.S. Visa.
5. A copy of a home study.
6. If available, a copy of a U.S. Government Form N-560, Certificate of Citizenship, and the child’s U.S. passport.
7. A copy of the parents’ passport or driver’s license.
8. Proof of the parents’ residency in Mississippi. A utility bill or mortgage statement suffices.
9. A copy of the child’s social security card.

After the petition is filed in the correct form with these supporting documents attached, your attorney will prepare and present an order to the judge to sign. This order is the legal document that officially registers the adoption in Mississippi. Upon the judge signing the order, your attorney files it with the clerk, and obtains certified copies of the order from the clerk. This completes the process.

Our attorneys at Grant Legal Group are experienced in registering international adoptions. Please call us today at (601) 827-3031.