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The process to adopt your stepchild

There are certain steps you must take in order to adopt a stepchild. Be sure that you have taken the exact steps for your situation.

Stepparent adoption situations

The process to adopt your stepchild depends on the situation with the other parent. Select your situation for step-by-step instructions on how to adopt your stepchild:

If you want to adopt a stepchild who is 18 or over, you can do so through the adult adoption process. If you are looking to confirm parentage, see stepparent adoption to confirm parentage.

The other parent is deceased and you have obtained a certified copy of the death certificate
The other parent consents to the adoption
The other parent does not object to the adoption, but does not want to be involved in the process or receive any court papers
The other parent denies he is the father of the child
The alleged parent’s whereabouts are unknown despite a search to locate them
The alleged father’s identity is unknown despite your efforts to identify him
The alleged father does not consent to the adoption or fails to return the required paperwork needed to proceed with the adoption
The presumed father does not consent to the adoption or fails to return the required paperwork needed to proceed with the adoption

A presumed parent usually had a relationship with the mother during the pregnancy and may continue to have a relationship with the child. They might not be the biological parent of the child, but they are someone who helped raise the child for a period of time and who the child recognizes as their parent.

If a person is a presumed parent, one or more of the following are usually true:

They were once married to the child's other parent
Their name is on the child's birth certificate
They lived with the child at one time
They have held themselves out to the public as a parent to the child
They may have provided support to the mother during her pregnancy and afterward
They have done everything in their power to raise the child and provide for the child

A presumed parent can also be the person who gave birth to the child.

An alleged father is any person identified by the mother (or another person) as a possible father of the child, including a person who says that he is or could be the father of the child.

An alleged father has not done any of the things that would make someone a presumed parent, such as provide for the child or appear on the child's birth certificate.

The process to adopt your stepchild

Stepparent adoption situations

Have a question about Stepparent Adoption?