Can my step dad "adopt" me?

Jalapee

Stupid question by can only find answers for the states!

I'm 24- parents broke up when I was 5 my mum re married when I was 7 and I see my step dad more as my dad. Haven't really seen my biological father since (got remarried had kids etc) We were talking about it over dinner today, is it possible for a step parent to adopt a adult?

fluffnutter

I don't believe it's possible to adopt an adult. But it would be sweet if you could. What particularly are you trying to achieve? You might find there are ways to legally and practically cement your relationship with your step-dad anyway, e.g. through wills etc.

Jalapee

Well I don't know really, just some thing we never really thought about as we saw each other father and daughter anyways.



I guess it was worth a shot though!

fluffnutter

Jalapee wrote: »

Well I don't know really, just some thing we never really thought about as we saw each other father and daughter anyways.

And that's what's important at the end of the day

meritaten

hun - if he is your dad in your heart - what does the legal process matter? If you arent married then you could legally change your surname to his though.

fluffnutter

meritaten wrote: »

hun - if he is your dad in your heart - what does the legal process matter? If you arent married then you could legally change your surname to his though.

She could legally change her surname to his even if she were married. Her husband might think it a bit odd though!

Jalapee

I'm getting married in August, and he'll be the one giving me away for sure!

I use both his name and my name double barrelled but it's not been done legally (all passports etc go by my original name) but Facebook and known as both!

make_me_wise

Somewhere like the CAB could probably offer advice on this. I have never heard of an adult being adopted. As an adult you can change your name to whatever you wish and now obviously you would not need your biological fathers permission to do so.

Sounds as if you are very lucky, not everyone has such a great bond and relationship with a step parent. No legal process will make you two any closer than you already are

kingfisherblue

My stepdad adopted me when I was almost 16 - my natural father wouldn't agree before then. I believe that you cannot be adopted as an adult.

When I married, I didn't want to give up my adoptive dad's surname, so it became a very unusual middle name (it is an unusual surname with very few around, and even fewer with our spelling). Maybe you could adopt his name, even though you cannot be legally adopted.

fluffnutter

Jalapee wrote: »

I'm getting married in August, and he'll be the one giving me away for sure!

I use both his name and my name double barrelled but it's not been done legally (all passports etc go by my original name) but Facebook and known as both!

No need to change anything really. You can call yourself what you like. Obviously if you want things listed on official documents like your passport then you'd need a deed poll but if you want to just be known as Jalapee Myname-Stepdadname then there's nothing to stop you.

meritaten

fluffnutter wrote: »

She could legally change her surname to his even if she were married. Her husband might think it a bit odd though!

I spat wine at the screen at that!:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: