[googoo]

What advice would you give to adoptive parents that wanted to avoid being fingerprinted altogether? Is it possible to not get fingerprinted for international adoption? What states don't require fingerprinting?

[qs mom]

You will have to be fingerprinted for any International adoption. Probably twice - it's mandatory for BCIS (former INS) and locally for police and abuse clearance.

I haven't adopted domestically, but I can't imagine that you wouldn't have to be fingerprinted. A criminal background has to be run for that also.

[FamilyBound]

There is no way to avoid it -- you will be fingerprinted at least twicve, once for your homestudy, and if you are doing international, once for the FBI.

Why would you want to avoid it?

[Suzy]

Trying to avoid fingerprinting will only raise more questions about your past since the reason for the process is to check for any criminal history. If you have a criminal record you are better off being up front with your agency. If it was for a minor offense it probably will not impact your ability to adopt as long as your agency can see that it was not an ongoing problem.

[googoo]

Well, I have heard some states don't fingerprint in home studies (which ones I have no idea). Also I was reading the thing where if the child has been in your physical custody for 2 years the child is up for immediate citizenship. At what point would you be fingerprinted then?

[DianeS]

All states fingerprint as a part of the homestudy, because fingerprinting is a mandatory part of the background check.

You can't get physical custody of the child without having a homestudy done--the homestudy is done before the agency/lawyer even determines if they'll match you with a child.

If you live in the USA there is no way to adopt a child without having the homestudy with background check and fingerprinting done, and it was set up that way on purpose.

[Cortonagirl]

What concerns me is why you don't want to get fingerprinted! To me that is a big "red flag". In adoption, you have to be open to whatever requirements there are pertaining to domestic or internaitonal adoption.

[googoo]

That big red flag is that I dislike Big Brother stuff. I have never done anything wrong and nothing in my police reports. But now that I am considering adoption, I am to be fingerprinted like a criminal? Hell, why not give them a DNA sample. Why not get a chip implanted in your body so they always know where you are? Don't you find it a little unnerving that they something out of you that they would only normally get if you were suspected of criminal activity?

[FamilyBound]

Originally posted by googoo
That big red flag is that I dislike Big Brother stuff. I have never done anything wrong and nothing in my police reports. But now that I am considering adoption, I am to be fingerprinted like a criminal?

It's for the protection of the children. The children's safety comes first and foremost in my mind. So if that means that I just have to take a quick fingerprint scan to prove that I am not a criminal, so be it.

Big Brother is around us in every way -- adoption is very intrusive -- you expose SO much of your life including criminal background, financial statements and more. If you plan to adopt, you are going to have to accept it and not find ways to get around the system. Because it's true, you are bringing up a red flag right now by trying to get around it.

[lucyjoy]

"Don't you find it a little unnerving that they something out of you that they would only normally get if you were suspected of criminal activity?"

NO. We're talking about where a child is going to spend the rest of their lives. Yes, I know when a parent gives birth noone checks them, but this isn't giving birth. If children can be protected by something as simple as a fingerprint or a DNA sample, its more then worth it.

My state does not fingerprint for adoptions, but it only matters what the state you live in does. We do have to submit criminal and child abuse background checks.

[Cortonagirl]

That's right, and though I agree it's very intrusive to go through all that we have to, if you wish to adopt we have to abide by the rules.

I would hope you would be more understanding as to why this is necessary and go with it.

I often thought why WE have to do this and bio parents don't when there is SO much abuse in homes. But, who said life is fair.

[Rainbow mom]

Fingerprinting is to rule out people who have abused children in the past from adopting children. How can you justify your "big brother" opinon to saving a child from being sexually or physically abused. It is not about you but about innocent children. The fact that they search for your prints to find out if you have hurt kids should make you feel more secure about the safety of all adopted children.

[crathke]

Googoo, the "evidence" you're trying to point to indicates only that some *states* do not require fingerprinting. BCIS requires fingerprinting no matter what; in some cases, individual states will *also* require fingerprinting. In our state, we had to "clear" criminal background checks on a city, county, state and federal level. If the school district had wanted their two cents' worth I would have worked with them, too!

Think of it from another perspective; let's assume you're working in the adoption field. Wouldn't you want to know, in any possible way, shape or form, that the people you will be placing a child with will not abuse or neglect that child? Running fingerprints is one of the absolutely best ways to determine that.

Additionally, the "approval" of fingerprints is good only for 15-18 months with the BCIS; if your adoption takes longer than that, you need to be re-fingerprinted. Why? Well, because the BCIS doesn't keep them on record any longer than that. So, really, "Big Brother" has other fish to fry besides adoptive families.

[crathke]

I guess I still don't "get" it; are you saying that you would be willing to move to a state that doesn't require fingerprinting in order to adopt?

[googoo]

Originally posted by crathke
In our state, we had to "clear" criminal background checks on a city, county, state and federal level. If the school district had wanted their two cents' worth I would have worked with them, too!

LOL!