Beacon House Adoption Services

Types of Adoption

INTERNATIONAL	DOMESTIC
Adopt a child in another country and bring them to the US	Relative adoption
Hague countries	Unrelated adoption: Private, Agency, Attorney
Non-Hague countries	Open [identities known] Closed [identities unknown] Semi-open [hybrid]
Relative adoption from another country	Foster to Adopt

The chart above reflects the different types of adoption available. About half of all the domestic adoptions in the US are relative adoptions (including step-parents). The other half are made of up international and other types of domestic adoption.

In general, unrelated adoption through an agency, attorney or private methods refers to working with a birth mother who is pregnant and making an adoption plan for her child. These can be open, where all parties know each other; closed, where none of the parties know each other; or a combination of the two where the birth mother and adoptive parents may meet each other but not exchange identification (addresses, phones, last names).

Finally, international adoption generally involves orphans, or children who have no one providing parental care.