Prior to filing an adoption petition you should make sure you have all the requisite documents to submit to the court simultaneously. This will permit the court to schedule your petition sooner rather than later. Exactly which documents you will need to include depend on what type of adoption you are seeking. All petitions will require signed verifications by the petitioners. You must also submit proof that all parties received information regarding Act 101 and the opportunity for post-adoption contact by mutual agreement. You will need the original birth certificate for the adoptee. Additionally, prospective parents and any other adult household members will need to have the requisite clearances completed and the results of those clearances should be attached to the petition.

In a situation where the adoptee is over twelve years old, you should also have the consent of the adoptee attached to your petition. If the natural parents consent to the adoption and are voluntarily terminating their parental rights, their consent(s) should be attached as well. In some circumstances parental rights do not need to be terminated. For example, if the natural parent has passed away you do not need to request their rights be terminated however you should include a certified copy of the death certificate with the petition. Another scenario may be if you have used an anonymous donor to conceive, that documentation should be included with your petition. You should consult with an experienced adoption attorney to be clear on exactly which documents you will need to include with your adoption petition to make the process as efficient as possible.