[lakin11]

Does anyone know information about adopting from Puerto Rico? My husband is from there and we just got back from a trip there. My mother-in-law said she knows some places where nuns will take girls in and help them with adoption, but so far we haven't found out anything!! If anyone has any information, please let me know! Thanks
Shannon

[mamacrina]

This is what I've found...

Puerto Rico Adoption Statute Summary



Puerto Rico Laws Annotated Title 31, secs. 531-539, as amended 1995 Puerto Rico Laws Act 8 (H.B. 1607) and Puerto Rico Laws Annotated Title 32, secs. 2691-2699, as amended 1995 Puerto Rico Laws Act 9 (S.B. 899) (1998)

Who Can Adopt?
Any person adopting when filing must:
1.have continuously resided in Puerto Rico for at least six (6) months prior;2.be of legal age, never less that eighteen (18) years of age; 3.have legal capacity to act; 4.be at least fourteen (14) years older than the minor adoptee 5.married persons must adopt jointly, unless adopting the child of the other spouse or if separated from their spouse for at least two months. Who Can Be Adopted?
Non-emancipated minors and minors emancipated by a judge=s decree or with the consent of the father, mother or parents with patria potestas.

Consent to Adoption
Consent must be given in court by:
1.the adoptee, if over ten (10) years of age and not an incapacitated person, unless the court dispenses with this consent;2.only the parent who acknowledges the child if one parent does not acknowledge the child; 3.The adoptive parent(s); 4.the parents of the adoptee; or 5.a guardian specially designated by the court to give consent under certain circumstances. Consent is not required of a parent(s) when: 1.the parent has been deprived of patria potestas 2.the minor has been judicially emancipated or emancipation granted by the parent 3.the parent has been disqualified to give consent by a judge or of unknown whereabouts or declared absent from the jurisdiction of the Puerto Ricos. Confidentiality
All adoption files are confidential, except to the interested parties before the court. They may only be open to third parties upon a judicial order and for good cause.

Permissible Fees
An adoption of a child can not occur in exchange for money.

Place of Adoption Hearing
The adoption shall take place in the Superior Court of the residence of the adoptee.

Authority To Place Child
The Department of Social Services has authority to place a child for adoption.

[shycar]

Im from Puerto Rico. I would try to call solcial services in Puerto Rico. Also there is Puertoricans in NY and FL. Some in CO. I dont know how just adoption work, since Im adopting through foster care system, but In the foster care system you can specify what race you want. Im at Co and I have a 3 yr old foster son, that we are adopting by the end of this year. We thought he was pure cc, but I found out in Jan that he is 1/2 Puertorican The family was also happy that he was going to be adopted by a Puertorican. We took him to Puerto Rico on Jan. His Puertorican side sure came out.

[lil_hobo]

this info might help for contact:

Puerto Rico Administration of Children and Families
Wanda Torres
Carmen Nazario
P.O. Box 15091
Number 156A, Old San Juan, Building Administration for Family & Children
San Juan, PR 00951
Phone: (787)724-5030
Fax: (787) 721-2245
E-mail: cnazario@adfan.gobierno.pr

[riverview]

i actually went to PR and met w/ the officials. Extremely difficult to adopt there and my mother in law is from PR. Sorry, unless you want to live there, don't bother. Very sad situations there and there seems to be no change in the future.

[riverview]

PR Admin of Children and Families and Carmen/Wanda are difficult to get ahold of, meet w/and tend to give you the run around. We were given meetings from one end of the island to the other, spent two days chasing down interviews. AND when we finally met w/someone, they had no idea of who we were, lost all of our paperwork and would only speak spanish to us, although they knew english. Had my mother in law, from PR translating, no help at all. They phone numbers will constantly change, no one will answer for many rings, or you will be put on hold forever!

[lakin11]

Hadn't checked this out in a long time....
We've moved on from looking at PR...while we weren't totally given the run around, we found out it wasn't going to be something we could easily do. If we wanted a placement, it would be children 5 and up, with special health needs or a sibling group. We decided if that was an option for us, to look closer to home! So now we are doing foster care, with hopes to one day adopt. Our ability to speak Spanish has helped us fly through the foster training and placement. We are one of 4 or 5 families in all of Indianapolis, IN to speak Spanish. Most of the Hispanic kids are placed in English only speaking homes. We know we'll never have an empty bed!
I have since talked to other Puerto Ricans and they said even living there the adoption process is just like here....a long wait and tons of red tape.
We are happy with the choices we've made.

[riverview]

I spent one week down there trying to adopt. Do not even try it. They do not want you to adopt. They like to keep the kids in foster care. They do not allow any any any agencies down there, so that tells you something. Just a dead end, spent lots of time and money researching . I have familiy in PR and that did not even help! Sorry, move on , this is a waste of time, they will never ever allow such adoptions to occur-Sad, very sad.