WE ARE NOT PREPARING BRITISH COLUMBIA ADOPTIONS AT THIS TIME.

BRITISH COLUMBIA ADOPTION: We understand that filing for an adoption is an extremely important time in your life. With our experience in completing stepparent adoption documents for the residents of British Columbia, you can have the confidence to know that your adoption will be completed correctly and without problems.
 
Completing a stepparent adoption in British Columbia doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. We guarantee that your British Columbia adoption documents will be accurate and that the court clerks will accept it for filing as meeting or exceeding their standards or you get your money back – 100%.

Important information about filing an adoption in British Columbia.

We know how important is it for you to do the research on adoption. Our highly experienced staff will help you through the process. All of the adoption documents and procedures for British Columbia adoptions are pursuant to the British Columbia Adoption Act, which addresses the legal requirements to complete a relative or stepparent adoption. Please review the information below about filing an adoption in British Columbia.

With the experience of Reliable Adoption, we can simplify the process of filing a step parent adoption in British Columbia by preparing all the legal documents that you will need to complete your stepparent adoption and guiding you through the entire process. This includes preparing all the legal adoption documents that you will need, including any required documents for the child, instructions to complete the Birth Father Registry search, and everything else required to complete the stepparent adoption.
 
We guarantee that your British Columbia stepparent adoption documents will be accurate and that the court clerks will accept them for filing as meeting or exceeding their standards, or you get your money back – 100%. We can make this guarantee because we make it our mission to make sure our documents are complete and up-to-date with the newest court regulations. If we don’t make it right, we’ll refund your money – 100%.

British Columbia Stepparent Adoption – Information you should know.

A stepparent adoption in British Columbia, Canada is the most common type of adoption. It is also the most simple type of adoption because only one parent is being substituted in the proceeding. The adoption process for any type of relative adoption is based on what is in the best interest of the child. The Court will take into consideration the relationship that the child has with their stepparent and the relationship that the child has with the absent parent.
 
A stepparent adoption, as indicated in the name, involves the adoption of a child by the spouse of the child’s parent. The definition of “spouse” which is employed by the legislation is based on the Human Rights Code and includes married partners and partners living in conjugal relationships, whether it be a same-sex relationship or an opposite sex relationship.
 
The main concern of the court in a stepparent adoption proceeding filed in the Family Court of the Superior Court of Justice is the best interest of the child. The court will take into consideration the child’s wishes, the child’s physical, mental and emotional condition as well as the child’s cultural and religious background. In most circumstances, the Court will look to the fact that the request for adoption has been filed with the Court by the child’s parent as proof that the parent believes the stepparent adoption is in the child’s best interest.
 

 

Consent of the absent parent.

One critical element to the stepparent adoption process is the consent of the parties who are required to consent. In a stepparent adoption proceeding filed in British Columbia, the court will require the written consent of any child being adopted who is over the age of seven (7), and both of the child’s biological parents, unless the court waives the requirement of the consent for an absent parent.
 
In many circumstances, one parent will have abandoned the child and his or her whereabouts are unknown. The court will dispense with the consent of the absent parent when it is in the child’s best interest to do so and the absent parent, whose consent has been sought, has received notice of the adoption and the application to dispense with that parents consent. It is fairly common that the other parent’s consent is not required when that parent has abandoned the child.
 

Grounds for the termination of parental rights.

The grounds which typically justify the termination of parental rights in a stepparent adoption involve abandonment, failure to support the child, and the best interests of the child. If the absent parent has abandoned the child, that parents parental rights will be terminated and the consent from that parent will not be required. Some of the issues the court will review to determine whether the absent parent has abandoned the child are as follows:

• The absent parent has abandoned the adoptee, failing to offer financial and/or emotional support for a substantial period of time.
• The absent parent has knowingly left the adoptee with the other parent without provisions for support and without communication, or otherwise maintaining a significant parental relationship with the child.

It is not required to terminate parental rights of a parent who is deceased.
 
Most of the stepparent adoptions we do for customers have one of the following circumstances:

• The absent natural parent is deceased.
• The absent parent has abandoned the child or children, by failing to maintain a meaningful relationship with the child(ren), and failing to provide financial support for the child(ren). In many situations, the absent parent’s whereabouts are unknown.
• The absent parent believes that the adoption is in the child’s best interest, and agrees to sign a consent to the adoption.

Please note that if the other parent has regular contact with the child and pays child support, you will not be able to complete a stepparent adoption in British Columbia unless the other parent is willing to sign a consent to the adoption.
 

What it means to adopt your stepchild.

When the adoption order has been issued by the court, the child will be considered to be a child in the respect as if the child had been born to the adoptive parent. This means that no person who was a family member of the absent parent can ever request the court for an order of access with the child.

Where will you file your stepparent adoption documents?

The stepparent adoption application is filed in the Family Court of the Superior Court of Justice. When the stepparent adoption is finalized by the Court, your adopted child will receive a new birth certificate, showing the new parent listed on the birth certificate, and also showing the child’s new name.

Prior to filing your Application for Adoption with the Court, the petitioner and the child must have been a bona fide resident of British Columbia prior to the Application for Adoption, which residency must be stated in the petition and proved at the final hearing.

Visitation by grandparents or the absent parent.

Once the adoption is finalized, the absent parent and the relatives of the absent will have no legal ability to gain visitation to the child.

BRITISH COLUMBIA COURT LOCATIONS:

 
Here is the information for some of the courts in British Columbia. If your Court is not listed, we will include the court information with your documents.
 
Abbotsford Adoption Court: 32203 South Fraser Way, Abbotsford, BC, V2T 1W6
(604) 855-3200
 
Atlin Adoption Court: 3rd Street, Atlin, BC V0W 1A0
(250) 651-7595
 
Burns Lake Adoption Court: 508 Yellowhead Highway, Burns Lake, BC V0J 1E0
(250) 692-7711
 
Campbell River Adoption Court: 500-13th Avenue, Campbell River, BC, V9W 6P1
(250) 286-7510
 
Chilliwack Adoption Court: 46085 Yale Road, Chilliwack, BC, V2P 2L8
(604) 795-8350
 
Clearwater Adoption Court: 363 Myrtle Crescent, Clearwater, BC, V0E 1N0
(250) 674-2113
 
Courtenay Adoption Court: 420 Cumberland Road, Courtenay, BC, V9N 2C4
(250) 334-1115
 
Cranbrook Adoption Court: 102 – 11th Avenue South, Cranbrook, BC, V1C 2P3
(403) 381-5196
 
Dawson Creek Adoption Court: 1201 – 103 Avenue, Dawson Creek, BC, V1G 4J2
(250)784-2278
 
Duncan Adoption Court: 238 Government Street, Duncan, BC, V9L 1A5
(250) 746-1227
 
Fort Nelson Adoption Court: 4604 Sunset Drive, Fort Nelson, BC, V0C 1R0
(250) 774-5999
 
Fort St. John Adoption Court: 10600 – 100 Street, Fort St John, BC, V1J 4L6
(250) 787-3231
 
Golden Adoption Court: 837 Park Drive, Golden, BC, V0A 1H0
(250) 344-7581
 
Hazelton Adoption Court: (250) 287-7482
 
Kamloops Adoption Court: 455 Columbia Street, Kamloops, BC, V2C 6K4
(250) 828-4344
 
Kelowna Adoption Court: 1355 Water Street, Kelowna, BC, V1Y 9R3
(250) 470-6900
 
Mackenzie Adoption Court: 64 Centennial Drive, Mackenzie, BC, V0J 2C0
(250) 997-3377
 
Massett Adoption Court: 1666 Orr Street, Masset, BC, V0T 1M0
(250) 626-5512
 
Nakusp Adoption Court: 415 Broadway Street, Nakusp, BC, V0G 1R0
(250) 265-4253
 
Naniamo Adoption Court: 35 Front Street, Nanaimo, BC, V9R 5J1
(250) 741-3805
 
Nelson Adoption Court: 320 Ward Street, Nelson, BC, V1L 1S6
(250) 354-6167
 
New Westminster Adoption Court: Law Courts – Begbie Square, New Westminster, BC, V3M 1C9
(604) 660-8522
 
North Vancouver Adoption Court: 200 East 23rd Street, North Vancouver, BC, V7L 4R4
(604) 981-0200
 
Penticton Adoption Court: 100 Main Street, Penticton, BC, V2A 5A5
(250) 492-1231
 
Port Coquitlam Adoption Court: Unit J, 2620 Mary Hill Road, Port Coquitlam, BC, V3C 3B2
(604) 927-2100
 
Richmond Adoption Court: 7577 Elmbridge Way, Richmond, BC, V6X 2Z8
(604) 604-6900
 
Surrey Adoption Court: 14340 – 57th Avenue, Surrey, BC, V3X 1B2
(604) 572-2200
 
Vancouver Adoption Court: 800 Hornby Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 2C5
(604) 660-8989
 
Victoria Adoption Court: 850 Burdett Avenue, Victoria, BC, V8W 1B4
(250) 356-1478
 
Western Communities Adoption Court: 1756 Island Highway, Victoria, BC, V9B 1H8
(250) 391-2867
 
Williams Lake Adoption Court: 540 Borland Street, Williams Lake, BC, V2G 1R8
(250) 398-4301
 

Court filing fees.

The court filing fees for an adoption in British Columbia is approximately $250. There is also a fee for the background check of about $30. There is an attorney witness fee of about $75 for each consent to be signed.

 
Step Parent Adoption in British Columbia We help families throughout British Columbia complete their stepparent adoptions without the high cost of an adoption attorney. We serve families in Vancouver, Surrey, Burnaby, Richmond, Abbotsford, Coquitlam, Kelowna, Kamloops, Nanaimo, Victoria, Chilliwack, Prince George, New Westminster, Port Coquitlam, North Vancouver, Vernon, Port Moody, Penticton, Campbell River, Langford, Langley, Courtenay, White Rock, Cranbrook, Fort St. John, Port Alberni and all the other cities in British Columbia.
 

Start your British Columbia Stepparent Adoption Today!