State Recognition of Intercountry Adoptions Finalized Abroad - Florida

Effect and Recognition of a Foreign Adoption Decree

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 63.192

A court judgment establishing the relationship of parent and child by adoption issued pursuant to due process of law by a court of any other jurisdiction within or without the United States shall be recognized in this State, and the rights and obligations of the parties on matters within the jurisdiction of this State shall be determined as though the judgment were issued by a court of this State.

Readoption After an Intercountry Adoption

This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed.

Application for a U.S. Birth Certificate

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 382.017

The Department of Health will prepare a certificate of foreign birth for a foreign-born adopted person who is not a U.S. citizen and whose judgment of adoption was entered by a Florida court. The certificate will be established upon receipt of:

• The report or certified copy of the adoption decree
• Proof of the date and place of the adopted person's birth
• A request that the certificate be prepared from the court, the adopting parents, or the adopted person if he or she is of legal age

The certificate shall be labeled 'Certificate of Foreign Birth' and will show the true country and date of birth of the adopted person and will state that it is not evidence of U.S. citizenship for the child.

After registering the certificate of foreign birth in the new name of the adopted person, the department will seal the adoption report or decree. The seal will not be broken except pursuant to a court order.

If the adopted person was born in a foreign country but was a U.S. citizen at the time of birth, the department shall notify the adoptive parents, or the adopted person if of legal age, of the procedure for obtaining a revised birth certificate through the U.S. Department of State.