Before hopeful adoptive parents can adopt a child, they’ll need to meet the specific requirements to adopt in Mississippi. The adoption requirements you’ll need to meet as a prospective adoptive family can vary based on the adoption professional you work with and the type of adoption you pursue.

The following are some of the most common questions that potential adoptive parents ask about the requirements for adopting a child in Mississippi. The answers can help you find out if you meet the qualifications to adopt in MS:

Do I have to be married to adopt in Mississippi?

No — unmarried adults can adopt in Mississippi. If you’re married, you’ll need to petition to adopt jointly with your spouse. Regardless of your marital status, you must have resided in Mississippi for at least six consecutive months immediately prior to the adoption.

It’s worth noting that individual adoption professionals will often have their own adoption qualifications about the marital status of potential adoptive parents. For example, American Adoptions requires adoptive couples to have been married for at least two years prior to adopting, although exceptions have been made.

Call 1-800-ADOPTION to learn more about our agency's adoption requirements in Mississippi.

Can same-sex couples adopt in Mississippi?

Mississippi was the last state to grant equal adoption rights to same-sex couples. The law that specifically prohibited same-sex couples from adopting children was repealed in 2016.

Now, both same-sex couples and LGBT individuals can adopt in Mississippi.

Again, individual adoption professionals may have their own requirements or preferences. American Adoptions, for example, welcomes LGBT families who wish to adopt a child in Mississippi. Call 1-800-ADOPTION to learn more.

How old do you have to be to adopt in Mississippi? Is there an adoption age limit?

While there is no specified minimum age or adoption age limit in Mississippi adoption laws, adoption professionals will usually have their own requirements.

In order to adopt from foster care in Mississippi, you must be at least 21 years old. To adopt through American Adoptions, you must be between 22 and 50 years old, although exceptions have been made for some families.

Call us to learn more about our agency age requirements to adopt in Mississippi.

Can a felon adopt a child in Mississippi?

All potential adoptive parents must first be approved to adopt through the home study process. This process includes FBI fingerprinting, criminal background checks and more.

If you’ve been convicted of a felony, you won’t automatically be prevented from adopting in Mississippi. Your social worker will review your individual case with the court. But to reach this point, you’ll need to apply through an adoption agency, so call to receive more information.

What do I need to adopt a child in Mississippi? And how hard is it to adopt a baby?

In addition to the standard legal adoption requirements in Mississippi, there are a few additional requirements to adopt to consider. Those adoption requirements include:

Health Requirements to Adopt in MS

You’ll submit up-to-date health records as part of your home study. The physical and mental health of prospective adoptive parents is taken into consideration, as your home study provider wants to be sure that you’re healthy enough to take care of a child’s needs.

Financial Adoption Requirements in MS

You’ll also submit financial statements with your home study. You don’t need to be particularly wealthy to adopt, but financial stability is important, as your home study provider will want to know that you’d be able to financially provide for a child’s needs.

Emotional Requirements for Adopting a Child in MS

Emotional readiness for adoption can be more difficult to assess, but it’s still one of the most important requirements for adopting a child in Mississippi. If you meet the emotional requirements to adopt a child in Mississippi, your adoption is more likely to be a successful one. Some of the emotional requirements to adopt include:

• Getting “on the same page” as your spouse about your goals and expectations for adoption.

• Addressing any residual grief from infertility that you may have experienced.

• Letting go of the expectations and ‘knowns’ of having a biological child so that you can focus on the ‘unknowns’ and your new dream of adoption.

• Educating yourself about maintaining a post-adoption relationship with your child’s birth family.

• Emotionally preparing yourself for the Mississippi adoption process and for raising adopted children.

• Staying committed to the MS adoption process — challenges and benefits alike.

If you think you may meet the qualifications for adoption in Mississippi and are ready to begin, request free adoption information online or call us at 1-800-ADOPTION now.

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