Virginia State Law on Adult Adoption

Virginia

Summary: Adults may be adopted under certain circumtances, with consent.

Most Relevant Virginia Statute:
§ 63.2-1243

63.2-1243. Adoption of certain persons eighteen years of age or over.

A petition may be filed in circuit court by any natural person who is a resident
of this Commonwealth

(i) for the adoption of a stepchild eighteen years of age or over to whom he has
stood in loco parentis for a period of at least three months;


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(ii) for the adoption of a niece or nephew over eighteen years of age who has no
living parents and who has lived in the home of the petitioner for at least
three months;



(iii) for the adoption of any person eighteen years of age or over who is the
birth child of the petitioner or who had resided in the home of the
petitioner for a period of at least three months prior to becoming eighteen
years of age; or



(iv) for the adoption of any person eighteen years of age or older, for good
cause shown, provided that the person to be adopted is at least fifteen
years younger than the petitioner and the petitioner and the person to be
adopted have known each other for at least five years prior to the filing
of the petition for adoption, and provided further that both the
petitioner and the person to be adopted have been residents of the
Commonwealth for at least two years immediately prior to the filing of the
petition.

Proceedings in any such case shall conform as near as may be to proceedings for the adoption of a minor child under this chapter except that:

(a) No consent of either parent shall be required; and



(b) The consent of the person to be adopted shall be required in all cases.