In this article, our Champaign County adoption attorneys explain Illinois adoption law. Adoption in Illinois is governed by the Illinois Adoption Act. The following are the 5 different types of adoption:

• Related Adoption occurs when the person being adopted is related to the adopting parents. This happens when a step-parent wishes to adopt his or her step-child. The biological parent would be listed on the adoption petition as well as the step-parent.
• Agency Adoption occurs when an agency gives the authority to place a child with the adopting parents. This can happen when the biological parents voluntarily give their child to an adoption agency or when a court has terminated the biological parents' parental rights.
• Private adoption occurs outside an agency and neither adopting parents are related to the child being adopted.
• Adoption of an adult occurs when the child is 18 years or older when being adopted.
• Standby adoption occurs when a legal parent is terminally ill and agrees to a specific person adopting the child if the parent becomes too ill to take care of the child.

In order to be eligible to adopt in Illinois, you must not have a legal disability, have lived in Illinois for at least 6 months, and have a good reputation. In normal circumstances, the adopting parents must be over the age of 18, but the court has the discretion if good cause is presented.

In this article, our Champaign County adoption attorneys will answer some frequently asked questions about adoption in Illinois. Adoption is when an adult becomes the legal parent of a child or another adult who is not their biological child. Adopting parents are then legally responsible to care for and support the adopted child, assuming the child is a minor. We answer questions such as, who can adopt a child in Illinois?, What are different types of adoption in Illinois?, how long does adoption take in Illinois, how much does adoption cost, what information available for adopting parents?, do all adoptions require a home study in Illinois, what kind of training is required for Illinois adoption?, and lastly, will the adopted child's birth parents have legal rights?

Our Champaign County adoption attorneys discuss in this article, valuable information regarding current Illinois adoption laws.  Eligibility requirements for adoptees and parents, types of adoption cases including agency adoption, standby adoption, private adoption, adult adoption and related adoptions are explained.

‍Biological parents' rights need to be terminated before the entry of an adoption order in most cases.  The process of terminating parental rights both with and without consent of the biological parents and which cases require the removal of parental rights before adoption can occur are examined.

We explore the entire adoption process from the entering of the adoption petition, the interim hearing, the investigation to the final hearing.  Upon the finalization of adoption we also explain the amendment of the birth certificate.