(a) Form for petition; verification by parents.

IN THE CHANCERY COURT OF ____ COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI IN RE: FOREIGN ADOPTION OF ____ FILE NO. ____

1. Petitioner(s), the Adopting Parent(s) of the above-named adopted child, is/are ____.

2. Petitioner(s) reside(s) in ____ County, Mississippi, at

3. Has any other court in this or any other state reviewed, registered, finalized or otherwise assumed jurisdiction over the foreign adoption decree being registered here:

(circle one) Yes No

If yes, please provide the name of the court, the state and county, what was previously presented to the court and the resulting decision from the court: (Attach all court decrees)

____

____

____

____

____

____

4. The full name of the adopted child at birth as listed on the foreign birth certificate, if available, was

____

5. The full name of the adopted child as written on the foreign adoption decree is ____.

6. The full name of the adopted child as he or she is to be known from this time forward is

____

7. The date of birth of the adopted child is ____.

8. The date of the foreign adoption decree is ____.

9. The type of United States visa issued to the adopted child is:

(circle one) IR-2, IR-3, IH-3, IR-4, IH-4

10. The following documents are attached to this Petition:

a. Copy of child’s birth certificate or other birth identification issued by country of birth; or if none, an affidavit of parent(s) stating why none is available.

b. The original documents related to the foreign adoption certified by the United States Embassy abroad and English translation certified by the translator to be correct.

c. Copy of adopted child’s United States visa.

d. Copy of home study.

e. A copy of U.S. Government Form N-560, Certificate of Citizenship, or a copy of the child’s United States passport, or both, if either or both documents are available.

f. A valid government-issued picture identification of parent or parents, such as a passport or driver’s license.

g. Proof of residency of the parent or parents in the State of Mississippi.

h. The social security card of the child.

WHEREFORE, Petitioner(s) request(s) that this Court enter its Order authorizing the registration and docketing of the attached Foreign Adoption Decree with the clerk of the court and decreeing

(Name of child as written on Foreign Adoption Decree)

shall henceforth be known as ____

____

and shall have all the rights of a child and heir of the Petitioner(s).

____

[FN1] When there are two (2) adopting parents, both must sign.

VERIFICATION TO PETITION TO REGISTER FOREIGN ADOPTION

I/We, ____, verify that I/we am/are the Petitioner(s) named in the foregoing Petition, that I/we have read and understand the information set forth in the Instructions to the Petition to Register Foreign Adoption Decree, and that the facts set forth in the foregoing Petition are true and correct to the best of my/our knowledge, information and belief. I/We further verify that all documents attached to this Petition are true and correct copies of the originals. I/We understand that false statements made herein are subject to the penalties for perjury.

(b) Form of Order.

(i) Order of adoption.

IN THE CHANCERY COURT OF ____ COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI

IN RE: FOREIGN ADOPTION OF ____ ADOPTION NO. ____

It is hereby ORDERED and DECREED that the Petition to Register Foreign Adoption of:

____

is GRANTED and that this Court authorizes the registration and docketing of the Foreign Adoption Decree entered on

____ (Date of Foreign Adoption Decree)

by ____ (Name of Foreign Court)

in ____ (Foreign Country).

It is FURTHER ORDERED and DECREED that the above Foreign Adoption Decree shall be enforceable as if this Court had entered the Decree and that henceforth this child

and shall have all the rights of a child and heir of

Ordered this the ____ day of ____, 20____.

(ii) Order denying adoption.

IN THE CHANCERY COURT OF ____ COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI

IN RE: FOREIGN ADOPTION OF ____ ADOPTION NO. ____

It is hereby ORDERED and DECREED that the Petition to Register Foreign Adoption of:

____

____ to Register Foreign Adoption Decree is DENIED but that Petitioners may proceed with an adoption pursuant to Mississippi law without paying any additional filing fee.

Ordered this the ____ day of ____, 20____.

(c) Instructions.

PETITION TO REGISTER FOREIGN ADOPTION DECREE

1. Complete, sign and date the Petition to Register Foreign Adoption including Verification. If a foreign adoption decree shows that there are two (2) adopting parents, both parents must execute the Petition to Register Foreign Adoption and verification thereof.

2. Attach the following documents to the Petition:

3. The Petition to Register with the attachments should be filed with the chancery court in the county in which the adopting parent(s) reside(s). A filing fee for the adoption will be charged in accordance with the fee schedule of the chancery court.