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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>62868</law_id><section_number>63.2-1210</section_number><catch_line>Probationary period, interlocutory order and order of reference not required under certain circumstances</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>17.1-275</reference><reference>63.2-1201</reference><reference>63.2-1213</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="63.2">Welfare (Social Services)</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="III">Social Services Programs</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="12">Adoption</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="1">General Provisions</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>The <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> may omit the probationary period and the <span class="dictionary">interlocutory order</span> and enter a <span class="dictionary">final order</span> of adoption under the following circumstances:</p></section>
						<section id="1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> If the <span class="dictionary">child</span> is legally the <span class="dictionary">child</span> by birth or adoption of one of the petitioners and the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> is of the <span class="dictionary">opinion</span> that the entry of an <span class="dictionary">interlocutory order</span> would otherwise be proper. In such cases, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> may also omit the order of reference if the petitioners meet the requirements set forth in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Adoption of child by spouse of birth or adoptive parent or other person with legitimate interest" href="/63.2-1241/">63.2-1241</a>. <a id="paragraph-229159" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/63.2-1210/#1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="2"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> If one of the petitioners is a stepparent of the <span class="dictionary">child</span> and the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> is of the <span class="dictionary">opinion</span> that the entry of an <span class="dictionary">interlocutory order</span> would otherwise be proper. The <span class="dictionary">court</span> may omit the order of reference if the petitioners meet the requirements of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Adoption of child by spouse of birth or adoptive parent or other person with legitimate interest" href="/63.2-1241/">63.2-1241</a>. <a id="paragraph-229160" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/63.2-1210/#2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="3"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> After receipt of the report of investigation, if the <span class="dictionary">child</span> has been in physical <span class="dictionary">custody</span> of the petitioner continuously for at least three years immediately prior to the filing of the <span class="dictionary">petition</span> for adoption, and the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> is of the <span class="dictionary">opinion</span> that the entry of an <span class="dictionary">interlocutory order</span> would otherwise be proper. <a id="paragraph-229161" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/63.2-1210/#3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="4"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> After receipt of the report of investigation, if the <span class="dictionary">child</span> has been legally adopted according to the <span class="dictionary">laws</span> of a foreign country with which the United States has diplomatic relations and if the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> is of the <span class="dictionary">opinion</span> that the entry of an <span class="dictionary">interlocutory order</span> would otherwise be proper, and the <span class="dictionary">child</span> (i) has been in the physical <span class="dictionary">custody</span> of the petitioners for at least one year immediately prior to the filing of the <span class="dictionary">petition</span> and a representative of a <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">child</span>-placing agency</span> has visited the petitioner and <span class="dictionary">child</span> at least once in the six months immediately preceding the filing of the <span class="dictionary">petition</span> or during its investigation pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Investigations; report to circuit court" href="/63.2-1208/">63.2-1208</a> or (ii) has been in the physical <span class="dictionary">custody</span> of the petitioners for at least six months immediately prior to the filing of the <span class="dictionary">petition</span>, has been visited by a representative of a <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">child</span>-placing agency</span> or of the <span class="dictionary">local department</span> three times within such six-month period with no fewer than ninety days between the first and last visits, and the last visit has occurred within six months immediately prior to the filing of the <span class="dictionary">petition</span>. <a id="paragraph-229162" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/63.2-1210/#4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="5"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> After receipt of the report of investigation, if the <span class="dictionary">child</span> was placed into Virginia from a foreign country in accordance with &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Children from other states and countries" href="/63.2-1104/">63.2-1104</a>, the adoption was not finalized pursuant to the <span class="dictionary">laws</span> of that foreign country, and the <span class="dictionary">child</span> has been in the physical <span class="dictionary">custody</span> of the petitioner for at least six months immediately prior to the filing of the <span class="dictionary">petition</span> and has been visited by a representative of a licensed <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">child</span>-placing agency</span> or of the <span class="dictionary">local department</span> three times within the six-month period with no fewer than 90 days between the first and last visits. The <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> may, for good cause shown, in cases of an international placement, omit the requirement that the three visits be made within a six-month period. <a id="paragraph-229163" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/63.2-1210/#5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 63-355; 1952, c. 71; 1954, c. 489; 1962, c. 603; 1964, c. 429; 1968, c. 578, &#xA7; 63.1-229; 1975, c. 364; 1978, c. 750; 1980, c. 268; 1983, c. 334; 1986, c. 470; 1992, c. 607; 1993, c. 553; 1995, cc. 772, 826; 2000, c. 830, &#xA7; 63.1-219.17; 2002, c. 747; 2006, cc. 825, 848; 2011, c. 486; 2022, c. 377.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
