State Recognition of Intercountry Adoptions Finalized Abroad - Puerto Rico

Effect and Recognition of a Foreign Adoption Decree

This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed.

Readoption After an Intercountry Adoption

Citation: Ann. Laws Tit. 32, § 2699t

The interstate or intercountry adoption of a child by a resident of Puerto Rico shall be recognized and validated by adoption decree in Puerto Rico. Once the child is in Puerto Rico, the adopting party shall file a petition for recognition and validation of adoption with the court that corresponds to the place of residence of the adopting party, in which the following shall be recorded:

• The name, age, occupation, place of residence, address, and telephone number of the adopting party
• The original name and place of birth of the child
• The place of adoption and a description of the circumstances that led to the adoption
• The new name of the child and his or her age

The petition shall include the following documents, which shall constitute sufficient proof of the legitimacy of the transaction in the State, territory, or foreign country:

• The decree of adoption issued by the State, territory, or foreign country, and if necessary, a certified translation thereof
• An original or a certified copy of the child's birth registration issued by the State, territory, or foreign country, and if necessary, a certified translation thereof
• In the case of foreign adoption, a certification of the authorization by the Federal government to admit the child into American ground, evidence of which may be the certificate of citizenship, a permanent residence visa, or the U.S. passport of the child
• A report on the expert social study conducted for interstate or foreign adoption by a licensed social worker

The court, after confirming the authenticity of the documents and evaluating them, shall rule for the petition for adoption, in which case, the court shall issue an adoption decree. Registration of the adopted child in the special register of the Vital Statistics Registry shall be executed as prescribed by law on the matter of persons born outside of Puerto Rico and by the Puerto Rico Vital Statistics Registry Act.

Application for a U.S. Birth Certificate

Citation: Ann. Laws Tit. 24, § 1139; Tit. 32, § 2699m

If the adopted child was born outside of Puerto Rico, but was adopted in Puerto Rico, it shall be the duty of the Chief of the Division of Demographic Registry and Vital Statistics of the Department of Health to transmit a certified copy of the decision issued by the court in the adoption case to the proper officer of the adopted child's birthplace.

The Vital Statistics Registry shall keep a special registry for the registration of adoptions of persons born outside of Puerto Rico and adopted in Puerto Rico.

When the adopted person was born outside of Puerto Rico, the clerk of the court must notify the Registry of Vital Statistics of Puerto Rico through two certified copies of the judicial adoption decree. The judicial decree must contain instructions for a copy to be forwarded immediately to the Registry of Vital Statistics of the place of registry of the adopted person.