Can I adopt my stepchild if we recently moved to Georgia?

Yes, you can start a stepparent adoption in Georgia right after moving, because Georgia has no minimum residency period (O.C.G.A. § 19-8-3). You don't have to wait months to become eligible. Some details still depend on your situation, so a few points are worth knowing.

What the move changes:

• Georgia sets no waiting period for how long you have lived in the state, so a recent move doesn't hold up your start date.
• Your case is filed in the Superior Court. Georgia has 159 counties, so your documents need to match the county where you file. The Superior Court clerk in your county can confirm where your case belongs and any local filing details.
• If you or your spouse have an existing court order from your previous state, the clerk or an attorney can tell you how it fits with a Georgia filing.

Documents to gather now:

• A certified copy of the child's original birth certificate. If it came from another state, you request it from that state's vital records office. If the child was born in Georgia, the Georgia Department of Public Health Vital Records handles it.
• Your marriage certificate and your own identification.
• Georgia requires a criminal background check. Minor infractions typically don't disqualify applicants, and courts focus on the child's best interests.

Consent and the other parent:

• Georgia's child consent age is 14 (O.C.G.A. § 19-8-4). If your stepchild is 14 or older, their consent is part of the process.
• If the other parent is absent, Georgia's abandonment period is 12 months (O.C.G.A. § 19-8-10). Courts look at the whole relationship, not only whether support was paid. Occasional child support doesn't automatically prevent an abandonment finding.
• If the other parent objects, the court's focus stays on what is best for your child. Contested situations depend on the specific facts, so talk to an attorney about your case.
• If you don't know where the other parent is, ask the Superior Court clerk or an attorney what steps apply to you.

Home study: Georgia waives the home study for stepparent adoptions (O.C.G.A. § 19-8-16), which saves you a step.

Timeline and cost: Stepparent adoptions in Georgia typically take 3-6 months once filed. Court filing fees generally run $200-$500, and the total typical cost is under $600. Attorneys commonly charge $3,000-$5,000 or more. Adult adoptions are usually faster, at 4-8 weeks.

How we help: StepParent Adoption 360 is a document preparation service, not a law firm. You answer questions online, and we prepare the complete court document package for your county. Then you file it yourself without an attorney. The price is $349 for the first child (or one adult adoptee) and $99 for each additional child. You receive court-ready documents within 24-48 hours after you finish the questions, and the package comes with a 100% court acceptance guarantee. We have helped 1422 Georgia families, and more than 34,000 families nationally since 2001.