Who May Adopt, Be Adopted, or Place a Child for Adoption - Arizona

Who May Adopt

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 8-103

Any adult resident of the State, whether married, unmarried, or legally separated, is eligible to adopt. A husband and wife may jointly adopt.

An adult nonresident of this State, whether married, unmarried, or legally separated, is eligible to qualify to adopt a child if all the following apply:

• The child is a dependent child and currently under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court in this State.
• The child currently resides in the home of the applicant.
• The Department of Child Safety placed the child in the home of the applicant.
• The department recommends the adoption of the child by the applicant.
• The foster care review board has reviewed the child's case, except that the court may not delay the child's adoption if the foster care review board has not reviewed the child's case.

If all relevant factors are equal and the choice is between a married man and woman certified to adopt and a single adult certified to adopt, placement preference shall be with a married man and woman.

Who May Be Adopted

Citation: Rev. Stat. §§ 8-102; 14-8101

Except as provided in § 14-8101, only a child, or a foreign-born person who is age 21 or younger and who is not an illegal alien, who is present within this State at the time the petition for adoption is filed may be adopted. A dependent child is not required to be present in this State at the time the petition for adoption is filed if the criteria prescribed in § 8-103(B) are met.

Any adult person may adopt either another adult person who is at least age 18 and no older than age 21 and who consents to the adoption or another adult person who is a stepchild, niece, nephew, cousin, or grandchild of the adopting person, by an agreement of adoption approved by a decree of adoption by the court in the county in which either the person adopting or the adoptee resides. A foster parent may adopt an adult who was placed in the foster parent's care when the adult was a juvenile, if the foster parent has maintained a continuous familial relationship with that person for 5 or more years.

Who May Place a Child for Adoption

Citation: Rev. Stat. §§ 8-106; 8-130; 8-101

A child may be placed as follows:

• The child's birth or adoptive parent may consent to a direct placement or an agency placement.
• A licensed child-placing agency or the Department of Child Safety may handle a direct placement or an agency placement.
• A State-licensed attorney may handle direct placements.