How Long Does a Father Have to Be Absent to Lose His Rights in Texas?

Adoption is always an option for you. But when it comes to adoption birth father rights in Texas, you should always talk to an attorney. Birth father rights are complicated. No two adoptions are the same, and each one is handled on a case-by-case basis.

As a full-service, national adoption agency, we can complete your entire adoption under one roof. We work with adoption attorneys across the country who can help place your baby for adoption when the father is absent in Texas. We’ll be there for every step of your adoption journey.

Fill out our online contact form to get more free information now about how long a father has to be absent to lose his rights in Texas.

How Long Does a Father Have to Be Absent to Lose His Rights in Texas?

An absent birth father in Texas can have his parental rights involuntarily terminated for a number of reasons. When it comes to how long a father has to be absent to lose his parental rights in Texas, that length of time is 1 year.

State laws mandate that you or your attorney make every reasonable effort to contact the birth father. This is to let him know about the pregnancy and your plans for adoption when he is absent in Texas.

Birth father rights have to be considered in the adoption process, even if:

You don’t know who the birth father is.
You don’t know where the birth father is.
He doesn’t consent to the adoption.

You must demonstrate to a judge that all efforts to notify the birth father have been unsuccessful.

Texas is one of 24 states with a putative father registry. This is a paternity registry that allows a birth father to make a paternity claim for a child.

After you choose adoption, the birth father will be notified of any proceedings if he registers for the putative father registry.

Can a Birth Father Stop an Adoption in Texas?

The birth father has a say in the adoption of his child. But adoption without the birth father’s consent is absolutely possible, especially if the birth father is absent in Texas.

Birth father rights in Texas stipulate that you need to get paternal consent from him if:

You are married and the child is born during the marriage.
You are married and the child is born before the 301st day after the date the marriage ended.
You married before the child’s birth, even if the attempted marriage is or could be declared invalid and the child is born during the invalid marriage, or before the 301st day after the date the marriage is terminated.
You were married after the birth of the child and the birth father voluntarily asserted his paternity of your child.
The birth father’s paternity claim is in a record filed with the Vital Statistics Unit.
The birth father is named as the child’s father on the child’s birth certificate.
The birth father promised in writing to support the child.
During the first two years of the child’s life, the birth father lived in the same household as the child, and he told others that the child was his own.

As you can see, adoption when the birth father is absent in Texas is absolutely possible, but there are certain steps to follow first.

Fill out our online contact form to get more free information now about how long a father has to be absent to lose his rights in Texas.

When Does a Father Lose Parental Rights in Texas?

A father can lose his parental rights in Texas for any number of reasons. But when a father can lose his parental rights in Texas is dependent on your specific situation.

A court can terminate a birth father’s rights if they find clear and convincing evidence that the birth father:

Abandoned your child
Knowingly endangered the physical or emotional well-being of your child
Had his parental rights terminated with another child
Failed to comply with a case plan
And more

Adoption can seem daunting at first. But it doesn’t have to be when you work with our agency.

We’ll be there for every step of your adoption journey and anything that comes up, like adoption when the father is absent in Texas.

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