Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 40, October 5, 2024
Rule 15.14 - Registration of Foreign Adoption Decree(a) Adopting parents may petition the court in the county of their residence to register a foreign adoption decree so that it will be given full and final effect in this Commonwealth. The petition and final decrees shall be in substantially the form approved by the Supreme Court. See Appendix of Forms to these Rules. As part of the Petition to Register Foreign Adoption Decree, an adopted child's name may be changed from that appearing on the foreign adoption decree if the adopted child has not yet attained 12 years of age.(b) A foreign adoption decree previously registered or otherwise finalized by a court of this Commonwealth or of any other state may not be registered subsequently in another court of this Commonwealth.(c) If the court determines that the foreign adoption decree can be registered, the court shall sign the final decree and shall direct the clerk to enter the date of the foreign adoption decree and identify the foreign court on the docket. The clerk shall send Form No. HD01273F, Certificate of Adoption of a Foreign-Born Child, and Form No. HD01275F, Statement of Citizenship and Residency, to the Department of Health, Division of Vital Records, along with a copy of U.S. Government Form N-560, Certificate of Citizenship, or a copy of the child's United States passport, or both, if the documents have been provided by the adopting parents. The clerk shall issue to the adopting parents a certificate of adoption in accordance with 23 Pa.C.S. § 2907.(d) If the court determines that the foreign adoption decree cannot be registered, the adopting parents shall proceed as applicable under the provisions set forth in the Adoption Act, 23 Pa.C.S. §§ 2101et seq., Rule 15.15 (specific to the adoption of a foreign born child), and local rules.(e) Adopting parents who are eligible to register the foreign adoption decree under this Rule may, for any reason, proceed under Rule 15.15.