1. A. The courts of this state shall recognize a decree, judgment, or final order creating the relationship of parent and child by adoption, issued by a court or other governmental authority with appropriate jurisdiction in a foreign country or in another state or territory of the United States. The rights and obligations of the parties as to matters within the jurisdiction of this state shall be determined as though the decree, judgment, or final order were issued by a court of this state.
2. B. A minor born outside of the United States may be adopted in Oklahoma if one or both of the petitioners for adoption are citizens of Oklahoma and the minor is residing in Oklahoma at the time the petition for adoption is filed.
3. C. An adoptive parent of a minor adopted outside of the United States may petition to readopt the minor under Oklahoma law, if one or both of the petitioners are citizens of Oklahoma and the minor is residing in Oklahoma at the time the petition for adoption is filed.

4. D. A proceeding to adopt or readopt a minor born outside of the United States shall proceed pursuant to the Oklahoma Adoption Code, with the following provisions:

   1. 1. The court may grant a decree of adoption without requiring notice to the biological parent and without requiring the consent of the biological parent, if the petitioner files with the petition for adoption a copy of the decree of adoption or termination of parental rights granted by a judicial, administrative, or executive body of the country of origin, or a document or documents from such a governmental body stating that the biological parent of the minor have been terminated, or stating that the minor to be adopted has been relinquished by the biological parent or stating that the minor has been abandoned. Any document in a foreign language shall be translated into English by the Department of State or by a translator who shall certify the accuracy of the translation and a copy of the translation and certification shall be filed with the court along with a copy of the original documents.
   2. 2. If a minor born outside of the United States is in the legal custody of a child-placing agency at the time that the petition for adoption is filed, notice of the proceedings shall be given to the child-placing agency prior to the hearing on the petition, and the consent of the child-placing agency to the adoption shall be obtained pursuant to Section 9 of this act prior to the granting of the decree of adoption ; and

   3. 3. In a proceeding to readopt a minor previously adopted by a petitioner in a foreign country, the court may waive the issuance of an interlocutory decree of adoption and the waiting period of six (6) months provided in Section 33 and 35 of this act, and grant a final decree of adoption, if:

      1. a. the minor has been in the home of petitioner for at least six (6) months prior to the filing of the petition for adoption, and
      2. b. a postplacement report has been submitted to the court.

Laws 1957, SB 184, p. 26, § 20; Amended by Laws 1996, HB 2975, c. 297, § 11, emerg. eff. June 10, 1996; Amended by Laws 1997, HB 1241, c. 366, § 7, eff. November 1,1997 (superseded document available); Renumbered from 10 O.S. § 60.20 by Laws 1997, HB 1241, c. 366, § 58, eff. November 1, 1997.