On Demand
Audio
Citizenship Proceedings for Adopted Children: Pitfalls and Practice Tips
Produced on March 19, 2018
Course Information
Course Description
Adopting children from abroad can be a multi-year process that involves navigating both international legal procedures and the U.S. immigration process. High profile deportations of adoptees whose parents failed to secure them U.S. citizenship highlight the fact that immigration filings are a critical piece of this process as well. Even attorneys who only handle domestic adoptions may run afoul of Immigration laws unknowingly. Due to a change in the law, even if a child has been domiciled in the U.S. since birth, the immigration procedure must be resolved before the adoption is completed. Family law practitioners who handle any type of adoption will want to learn a simple test to determine if their domestic adoption requires an immigration consultation.
This program, taught by Karen Stoutamyer Law, a specialist in international adoptions, will review the fundamentals of citizenship for children involved in adoption proceedings in the U.S., including common problems that can arise, errors that attorneys often make, and practical advice on obtaining the best result for the parents and child.
Learning Objectives:
- Assist adoptive parents in domestic adoptions of foreign born children with the problems that may arise in obtaining lawful status
- Explain the implications of the Hague Adoption Convention on domestic and foreign adoptions
- Determine the appropriate pathways for immigration of adopted children who live abroad
- Explore alternatives to adoption for lawful status for adopted children, such as SIJS, VAWA, etc.
- Detail the requirements for citizenship under the Child Citizenship Act
Credit Information
Faculty
Karen Stoutamyer Law
LawAdoption.com
Karen Stoutamyer Law is an adoption attorney practicing in Ashburn, Leesburg, Fairfax, Manassas, and Winchester Virginia. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Law in 1985 and became licensed in Virginia in that same year. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. She is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, the Virginia State Bar, and the Loudoun Chapter, Virginia Women Attorneys' Association. She was elected as an Angel in Adoption by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption in 2013. She served on the International Operations Committee for the American Immigration Lawyers Association for two years and has co-chaired the annual celebration of adoption, Loudoun Adoption Day, for eleven years.
Mrs. Law represents adoptive parents and birth parents in private, agency, international, step-parent, and relative adoptions. She has been certified by the Virginia Supreme Court as a Guardian Ad Litem to represent the interests of children in adoptions throughout the Commonwealth. She often speaks at national conferences on intercountry adoption and has visited orphanages all over the world.
Reviews
Particularly well done and clearly explained
Excellent class and very resourceful
One of the best course I experienced so far.
The best course today that I have seen warning of the pitfalls and complications regarding this ever important area of the law
very detailed, comprehensive. Well done!
Very resourceful
Very well explained
Very useful overview, clearly presented.
Great
Fascinating topic
Faculty was clear and concise with the presentation, very interesting topic and good hypotheticals and stories
Hypos were very helpful
i CONSIDER THIS COURSE AS LEARNING THE UNKNOWN LANDMINES OF FOREIGN ADOPTION
This is of tremendous help to me personally. Working on a case where an adopted child needs Form N-600K instead of 1-130. This is a wonderful course overall - very detailed. Thanks to the faculty.
thank you
Nice presentation!
Excellent Presentation. Faculty Member was very knowledgeable and presented a number of relative fact patterns that helped us focus on very complicated procedures.
Very good speaker
I really enjoyed this presenter
Excellent presentation. One of the best I've seen.
The presenter was to the point and very knowledgeable and effective.
excellent
A great overview
I really appreciated the detailed structure of walking things through step by step followed by case studies to apply what was just taught.
Excellent presenter. Learned a great deal.
good
Quite informative!
Attorney Karen Stoutameyer's presentation on this complex area of Immigration Law was excellent. She is superbly qualified to provide instruction in this topic area and I was definitely impressed. Nice job.
Very well done!!!
Comprehensive.
Very informative and easy to follow format. Presenter was knowledgeable and provided helpful tips and examples.
Best lecturer and seemingly a very decent person.
What a complicated area of law! Well presented, easy to understand. Very interesting.
Timely information is always appreciated. Thank you.
Presenter was exceptionally good and informative.
excellent
Wonderful knowledgeable instructor.
Very well presented
I felt very personally connected to this course
Good course. Timely subject matter.
great presenter
GOOD SESSION
Thank you Karen for providing adoption related CLE.
Very informative!
Good
thank you
Great audio! Very helpful for the topic I was interested in.
Good speaker