Before you file a Petition for Virginia stepparent adoption , you must be able to establish that you have been a resident of the state for six months prior to the date that you file. This information must be included in your filing, and proof of residency, such as a driver's license, must be presented and proved at the final hearing. If you and your spouse are both current residents of the state, then there is no required time period.

If you have minor children who have lived with your spouse in another state for more than six months, it may be to your advantage to file in that state, since its courts will have the power to decide what happens to the children. Note: Your spouse has the option to waive that jurisdiction, which must be done properly, in writing.

You should file for your stepparent adoption documents Virginia in the county in which your spouse resides, or in the county that you and your spouse resided in when you separated, or in the online adoption papers virginia in your county if your spouse does not live in Virginia. You or your spouse's address must be within the county in which you file. Civilian residents of Virginia who live outside the United States can file in the state if they have maintained their residency in the state.

The grounds for termination of parental rights in a stepparent adoption typically involve: abandonment; failure to support the child; imprisonment; certain kinds of abuse; and some other grounds. Each state's set of grounds is different, but they all accept (1) abandonment, and (2) lack of support. Some states allow other grounds as justification for stepparent adoption.

In this state, an absent parent gives implied consent to adoption or relinquishment as described here:

1. The absent parent has abandoned the prospective adoptee, including failure to provide financial and /or emotional support for six months or longer from the date that the adoption petition was filed.

2. The absent parent has left other parent with the responsibility for the adoptee, without providing support and without communicating, or otherwise sustaining a significant relationship as a parent of the adoptee, for 6 months or longer from the date that the adoption petition was filed.

3. The natural father is in non-compliance with laws that deal with the putative father.

Most states do not provide visitation rights to the parent losing parental rights, or the to grandparents associated with that parent. In some states, however, visitation agreements will be recognized for the parenting losing his or her parental rights. Usually this at the discretion of the adopting parents.

You must file your adoption documents in the District  Court of the county where your adoption action is brought. Here are the addresses for courts in some of the larger counties.
If your county isn't listed, we'll include the court information when we send your Virginia stepparent adoption

Henrico County Juvenile & Domestic Relations District Court: 4201 East Parham Road, P. O. Box 27032, Richmond, VA 23273-7032 Phone: (804) 501-4688 Fax: (804) 501-4756 

Goochland County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court: P.O. Box 47, 2938 River Rd. West, Goochland, VA 23063 Phone: 804-556-5309 Fax: 804-556-4494

Hanover County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court: P.O. Box 86, 7515 Library Dr., 2nd Flr., Hanover, VA 23069 Phone: 804-365-6200 

Chesterfield County Juvenile & Domestic Relations District Court: P.O. Box 520, 7000 Lucy Corr Boulevard, Chesterfield, VA 23832 Phone: (804) 748-1379 Fax: (804) 717-6043 

Powhatan County District and Juvenile & Domestic Relations Combined Courts: 3880-D Old Buckingham Road, Courthouse, Powhatan, VA 23139-0113 
Phone: 804-598-5665 Fax: 804-598-5648 

City of Norfolk County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court: 800 East City Hall Avenue, Norfolk, VA 23510-2727 Phone: 757-664-7340 Fax: 757-683-2219 

City of Newport News Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court: 2501 Huntington Avenue, Newport News, VA 23607 Phone: 757-926-3603 Fax: 757-926-3598 

City of Chesapeake Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court: 307 Albemarle Drive, 2nd Floor, Chesapeake, VA 23322-5579 Phone: 757-382-8100 Fax: 757-382-8152 

City of Virginia Beach Juvenile & Domestic Relations District Court: 2425 Nimmo Pkwy., Judicial Center, Bldg 10A, Virginia Beach, VA 23456 Phone: 757-385-4391 Fax: 757-385-5683

City of Hampton Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court: 220 North King Street, P. O. Box 69104, Hampton, VA 23669-9404 Phone: 757-727-6147 Fax: 757-727-6082 

Fairfax County Juvenile & Family Relations District Court: 4000 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax, VA 22030 Phone: (703) 246-3367 

City of Alexandria Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court: P.O. Box 21461, 520 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22320 Phone: 703-838-4141 Fax: 703-838-4092 

City of Lynchburg Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court: 901 Church St., 1st Floor, Lynchburg, VA 24504 Phone: 434-455-2670 Fax: 434-847-1442 

Rockbridge County District and Juvenile & Domestic Relations Combined Courts: 150 South Main Street, Lexington, VA 24450 Phone: 540-463-3631 Fax: 540-463-3855 

Roanoke County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court: Roanoke County Courthouse, 305 E. Main St., Salem, VA 24153 Phone: 540-387-6160 Fax: 540-387-6231 

City of Waynesboro Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court: P.O. Box 1028, 237 Market Avenue, Waynesboro, VA 22980-1028 Phone: 540-942-6633 Fax: 540-942-6793 

Prince William County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court: 9311 Lee Avenue, Manassas, VA 20110-5555 Phone: 703-792-6160

The court filing fees for an adoption in Virginia is approximately $87. The required publication fee is approximately $65.

You may also have to pay "home study" fee, but that comes later in the adoption process. Your local court clerk can advise about the fee for home study and any other fees.

Many absent parents are willing to sign a consent form, in which he or she consents to terminating their parental rights, and further consents to the Virginia child adoption. In these cases the process becomes easier because the court knows from the outset that everyone agrees to the stepparent adoption. But it may be that you don't know the other parent's location , or whether the other is so disinterested that he or she won't sign any documents. In a case such as this, you proceed by filing your adoption documents, then serving the absent parent via one of these methods:

1. If you don't know the absent parent's whereabouts: If you can't find the absent parent after searching diligently, then you can serve via the publication method. This procedure for this to publish a notice in a local newspaper, usually once per week for four weeks. The publication fee is typically about $85 but will vary by location. You file an Affidavit with the county clerk, who then directs that service of notice be made by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the adoption document are filed. We give you all the paperwork you need for service by publication.

2. The absent parent's whereabouts are known, but he or she won't sign: If you know other parent's location, but he or she won't sign due to disinterest, the local Sheriff's department or a private process server can assist you. This method is available even if your spouse is incarcerated.