ADOPTION IN
Oregon
Domestic Infant Adoptions can be completed through an adoption agency or adoption attorney. Click here to connect with an adoption professional.
International Adoptions must be completed through an adoption agency or adoption attorney. You can learn more about international adoption here.
Foster Care Adoptions in Oregon can be completed through the Department of Human Services (800-331-0503). Gallery of children waiting to be adopted.
Join the Oregon adoption group in our community!
The information contained on this website is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional legal advice. Always seek the advice of a licensed and qualified professional. While the content of this website is frequently updated, information changes rapidly and therefore, some information may be out of date, and/or contain inaccuracies, omissions or typographical errors
I'm considering placing my baby or child for adoption.
Pregnant and have questions? We can help answer your questions by telling us what works best for you.
Are you pregnant and considering adoption? Do you need help getting started?
Click here and help us understand what your needs are and the preferences you have. We can help you get started.
Can I Adopt in Oregon?
Parents must be 21 years old or older. You can be single, married, or divorced. You can own or rent, but there must be enough room in your home to house a child. You must be in good physical and mental health in order to raise a child. You must pass a criminal background check, and parents must complete an adoption home study.
What Adoption Regulations Exist in Oregon?
Advertising: Only licensed adoption agencies/attorney may advertise for the purposes of adoption in Oregon. Parents who have successfully completed an adoption home study may advertise their desire to accept a child for adoption. Only licensed agencies may charge fees for finding a child or an adoptive family for placement. § 109.311(4)
Relinquishment: Consent given may only be revoked upon the finding that the consent came under fraud or duress. § 109.321
Birth parent expenses: Only legal, medical,living, and travel expenses included in a written disclosure statement are allowed in Oregon. § 109.311(1)
Post adoption contact agreements: Written contact agreements between birth and adoptive families approved by the court are legally enforceable in Oregon. § 109.305
Birth father rights: While no paternity registry exists in Oregon, unmarried fathers may take the following steps to establish paternity and receive notice of adoption proceedings: marriage to the mother after birth, and the parents signing a voluntary acknowledgement of paternity; by filing with the State Registrar of the Center for Health Statistics a voluntary acknowledgement of paternity; by having established paternity in another state by voluntary acknowledgement; by paternity being established by another provision of the law. § 109.070
Finalization: The average time between TPR and adoption finalization in 2014 was 16.2 months.
Is Adoption Assistance Available in Oregon?
Many of the children waiting to be adopted in Oregon have special needs. Federal (Title IV-E) and state (non-IV-E) programs exist to help adoptive parents meet their child’s needs. In Oregon, the maximum monthly amount ranges between $575-741. For more information on adoption assistance please visit NACAC.org.
Can I adopt a Child from another country?
It is always possible to adopt a child from another country, even if you live in the United States. Children under 18 adopted from a Hague Convention country entering the U.S. with an IH-3 visa may automatically receive U.S. citizenship.
Children adopted from a non convention country must qualify as orphans before receiving U.S. citizenship. When U.S. citizens finalize an adoption abroad, they must apply to the USCIS for an IR-3 visa for the child. An IR-3 visa classifies the child as an immigrant and may provide the child with citizenship upon arrival in the States.
Readoption after a foreign adoption decree is an option in Oregon but not a requirement. Parents wishing to receive a State birth certificate for their child must submit to the court a readoption or validation of a foreign adoption.
State Contacts
Gallery of children waiting to be adopted: https://adoption.com/photolisting?page=1&search_type=region&range=UnitedStates
State subsidy contact:
Carla Crane
Adoption Assistance E71
Dept. of Human Services
Children, Adults and Families
Office of Permanency for Children
500 Summer Street NE
Salem, OR 97311-1066
503-945-5998 • fax: 503-945-6633
Summary
Oregon adoptions can be completed through the Department of Human Services.
Parents must be at least 21 years old to adopt. You can be single, married, or divorced. You can own or rent a home. Good physical and mental health is required. You must pass a criminal background check. Parents must also complete a home study.
Only licensed adoption agencies/attorneys may advertise their services for compensation. Hopeful adoptive parents with a completed home study may advertise their desire to adopt a child
Consent can only be revoked upon a finding in court that consent came under fraud or duress. Only legal, medical,living, and travel expenses included in a written disclosure statement are allowed in Oregon. Unmarried fathers may take certain steps to establish paternity and receive notice of adoption proceedings.
The average time between TPR and adoption finalization in 2014 was 16.2 months.
