Adopted Children

By Editorial Team , 29 October 2006

How can Madonna legally bring a foreign child to the U.S.?

As anyone who follows the news knows, Madonna and her husband, Guy Ritchie, have adopted a Malawian baby, with considerable public controversy. The matter raised various issues regarding whether Madonna had received preferential treatment. The Telegraph of the U.K. reported on October 16, 2006 that

Madonna and her husband, Guy Ritchie, have been granted an interim adoption of a Malawian baby, giving them temporary custody of the child for 18 months, the singer's spokeswoman said tonight….

Adopted Children and Citizenship

If you have adopted, or plan to adopt, a child from another country, one of your first questions is probably whether that child is already a U.S. citizen or has to become one. The answer depends on the law in effect when the child turned 18, on the child's immigration status, and on where the child actually lives. This page explains how the two paths to citizenship for adopted children work, which one is likely to apply to your family, and how to get a document proving your child's citizenship.