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The struggle appears nearly over for the Romanian boy and the New Zealand woman he calls Mum -- the courts of the country of his birth have finally agreed to his adoption.
Iani Linguar, 8, has been in the care of New Plymouth nurse Alana Cleland for about five years, but in March last year she was forced to return him to Romania.
Miss Cleland has since been in Romania fighting for her custody arrangement to be upgraded to adoption, allowing her to bring Iani back to New Zealand.
Miss Cleland said a Romanian court had now agreed.
"It is a big relief just knowing all the legal stuff is over. It's hard to believe it's finished," she told the Taranaki Daily News.
She said the Friday court appearance had lasted about 10 minutes and the process now needed to be formalised in writing with a new birth certificate before she could bring Iani back to New Zealand.
"Iani is excited and happy and telling all his friends."
Miss Cleland hoped to have her son back in New Plymouth for the new school year.
"While I would love to be home for Christmas, the figures just don't add up."
- NZPA
