When you think of adoption, chances are that you envision a situation in which a child in need is welcomed into a home and family that will love and care for them. It is true that most adoptions involve a child under the age of 18, but in Illinois, it is also legal to adopt an adult under certain circumstances. This process may not only cement a family relationship that the adopter and adoptee already feel on an emotional level, it can also provide the adoptee with important benefits under Illinois law.
When Can an Adult Be Adopted?
According to Illinois law, a person over the age of 18 can be adopted by someone who is related to him or her, such as a step-parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle, cousin, or sibling, or by someone with whom the person has lived for at least two consecutive years. If you wish to adopt an adult and you meet one or both of these criteria, you can file a petition with the local county court to do so at any time. Unlike with the adoption of a child, you will usually not be required to undergo a home investigation, nor will you need to obtain the consent of the adoptee’s current legal parents. Rather, you will only need to be sure that the adoptee himself or herself consents to being adopted.
...