…Laws and regulations regarding international adoption vary from country to country. To adopt a child from China, one parent is required to travel for a two week trip. Couples must be married, and post-placement reports and supervision are required for one year.

In Russia couples do not have to be married, but two trips are required. One with a duration of approximately one week, and the other after two to three weeks. Post-placement follow-up reports are required for three years, at 6, 12, 24, and 36 months. Children spend their first six months on the adoption registry available only to Russian families. If after six months they are not adopted by a Russian family, families outside Russia will be considered.

If a couple wishes to adopt a child from Korea, some agencies require that the parents cannot weigh more than 30% over the normal weight in proportion to their heigh.

For couples adopting in Indonesia, a two year in-country residency and a belief in God is required, before an application will be considered.

International adoption has achieved more notice in the media as a result of some celebrities using this means to build their families. Actress Angelina Jolie adopted a seven month old baby from Cambodia, and a six month old baby girl from Ethiopia. Madonna adopted a one year old baby boy from Malawi.