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Oklahoma · Snapshot open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14

Okla. Stat. tit. 10, § 10-7502-1.4: Foreign adoptions

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Where this section sits in the code
  1. OK Code
  2. Title 10

A. The courts of this state shall recognize a decree, judgment,

or final order creating the relationship of parent and child by

adoption, issued by a court or other governmental authority with

appropriate jurisdiction in a foreign country or in another state or

territory of the United States. The rights and obligations of the

parties as to matters within the jurisdiction of this state shall be

determined as though the decree, judgment, or final order were

issued by a court of this state. Except that, this state, any of

its agencies, or any court of this state shall not recognize an

adoption by more than one individual of the same sex from any other

state or foreign jurisdiction.

B. An adoptive parent of a minor adopted outside of the United

States with a decree, judgment or final order issued by a court or

other governmental authority with appropriate jurisdiction in a

foreign country may present the decree, judgment, or final order or

present proof that the minor has United States citizenship to the

court in combination with a petition for a name change. Upon

presentation of a decree, judgment, or final order or if the minor

presents proof of United States citizenship, the court shall order

the State Registrar to prepare a supplementary certificate of birth

for the child as provided for in Section 7505-6.6 of this title,

unless good cause is shown why the certificate should not be issued.

C. A minor born outside of the United States without a decree,

judgment, or final adoption order issued by a court or other

governmental authority with appropriate jurisdiction in a foreign

country may be adopted in Oklahoma if one or both of the petitioners

for adoption are citizens of Oklahoma and the minor is residing in

Oklahoma at the time the petition for adoption is filed.

D. An adoptive parent of a minor adopted outside of the United

States may petition to readopt the minor under Oklahoma law, if one

or both of the petitioners are citizens of Oklahoma and the minor is

residing in Oklahoma at the time the petition for adoption is filed.

E. A proceeding to adopt a minor born outside of the United

States as provided for in subsection C of this section shall proceed

pursuant to the Oklahoma Adoption Code, with the following

provisions:

1. The court may grant a decree of adoption without requiring

notice to the biological parent and without requiring the consent of

the biological parent, if the petitioner files with the petition for

adoption a copy of the termination of parental rights granted by a

judicial, administrative, or executive body of the country of

origin, or a document or documents from such a governmental body

stating that the biological parent has consented to the adoption, or

stating that the parental rights of the biological parent of the

minor have been terminated, or stating that the minor to be adopted

has been relinquished by the biological parent or stating that the

minor has been abandoned. Any document in a foreign language shall

be translated into English by the Department of State or by a

translator who shall certify the accuracy of the translation, and a

copy of the translation and certification shall be filed with the

court along with a copy of the original documents;

2. If a minor born outside of the United States is in the legal

custody of a child-placing agency at the time that the petition for

adoption is filed, notice of the proceedings shall be given to the

child-placing agency prior to the hearing on the petition, and the

consent of the child-placing agency to the adoption shall be

obtained pursuant to Section 7503-2.1 of this title prior to the

granting of the decree of adoption; and

3. The court may waive the issuance of an interlocutory decree

of adoption and the waiting period of six (6) months provided in

Sections 7505-6.1 and 7505-6.3 of this title, and grant a final

the hearing on the petition, and the

consent of the child-placing agency to the adoption shall be

obtained pursuant to Section 7503-2.1 of this title prior to the

granting of the decree of adoption; and

3. The court may waive the issuance of an interlocutory decree

of adoption and the waiting period of six (6) months provided in

Sections 7505-6.1 and 7505-6.3 of this title, and grant a final

decree of adoption, if:

a. the minor has been in the home of petitioner for at

least six (6) months prior to the filing of the

petition for adoption, and

b. a postplacement report has been submitted to the

court.

Collected 2026-09-14T18:32:36Z. Source file · JSON

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