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I understand that an adoption is much more than a name change. As a licensed Adoption Attorney in Nebraska and Iowa, I have finalized over 100 adoptions. What makes my law office different is that I help families grow through adoption and pride myself in quick responsiveness to my clients.
An adoption solidifies what’s always been true:
On an average, it takes a couple of months for a stepparent adoption to be finalized.
In both Nebraska and Iowa, you will need:
Criminal background checks
An FBI criminal background check and a child abuse registry check of the stepparent is required.
Marriage
The stepparent must be married to his/her stepchild’s biological parent.
Consents
If you want to adopt your stepchild, both your spouse and the other biological parent have to agree to it. There are some exceptions to having to get the other parent’s consent.