“Birthright Tourism” has been in the headlines lately, but what about “adoption tourism”? That’s the term coming into use for a familiar scenario that doesn’t always work out well for expectant moms considering adoption.
Here’s how it works. A woman with an unplanned pregnancy goes online to look for help. The first thing she sees is an ad — and probably multiple ads — for an organization that offers her a safe place to stay and an adoptive home for her baby, at no cost to her. Since she’s in a difficult situation, that sounds appealing. She makes the call and agrees to travel to another state and live there until her baby arrives.
Meanwhile, a couple hoping to adopt has heard that it can be an expensive and lengthy process. They see an ad, too, offering quick and easy adoption if they’ll cross state lines.
The expectant mom and the prospective adoptive family head to the state where the ads began. They don’t know the laws in that state, they don’t know their rights, and they don’t have legal representation. Instead, they have unlicensed adoption facilitators. They’re tourists in the state, not long-term residents, and they don’t have the community support they’d have at home.
Sometimes things work out well. Sometimes the adoptive parents pay much more than they would have if they’d taken a traditional route. Sometimes the mom’s experience is not as comfortable or respectful as it would have been had she stayed in her home state. Sometimes local laws are broken and people’s rights are overlooked.
Red flags
Each state has its own adoption laws. You may not be very familiar with the laws in your own state (if you’re in Arkansas, this website will help you learn about them). Chances are good that you’re not familiar at all with laws from other states.
For example, in Utah, a woman has just 24 hours to change her mind about placing a baby for adoption, and the amount adoptive parents can pay for her financial support is unlimited. This has made Utah an appealing state for bad faith operators who want to collect as much money as they can from would-be adoptive parents who believe their funds are going toward support for the mother and baby and legitimate fees. (n fact, sometimes those high dollar amounts are going into the pockets of the unlicensed facilitators.
An ad from an organization that insists you relocate to a state known for relaxed adoption laws should be a red flag.
Still, Arkansas has family-friendly adoption laws. Just looking at the location is not enough to make sure you’re not making a mistake. You should also look for licensing. A licensed adoption agency will say so on their website, and usually in their ads as well. An adoption lawyer like Justin Heimer is admitted to the bar in the state where they practice. Their website should detail their education and qualifications (in Justin’s case, a J.D. from a top law school and a Master of Arts in Counseling, with training as a Marriage and Family Therapist and Professional Counselor, plus hundreds of successful adoption cases). No mention of certification or licensure? That’s a red flag.
Alternatives to adoption tourism
Often, people who are deceived into signing up with unlicensed facilitators have legitimate resources nearby. Look for a qualified adoption lawyer in your neighborhood. Placing a baby for adoption never requires a payment from an expectant mom or a birth mom. Adopting a child is an investment, but your adoption professional should be able to tell you up front what kinds of costs will be involved.
Adoption tourism is really not a money-saving choice. Look at your local community first.
Questions about adoption? Heimer Law offers a free initial consultation.
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