Your home study is complete. Now what?
For families adopting internationally, the next major stage involves working with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to establish eligibility within the U.S. immigration process.
You won’t have to figure it out alone. KidsFirst International Adoption guides families through the requirements, documents, and next steps involved in this stage.
Hague vs. Non-Hague Adoptions
The immigration process depends partly on whether you are adopting from a country participating in the Hague Adoption Convention.
Generally, prospective adoptive parents pursuing a Hague Convention adoption use Form I-800A to seek a determination of suitability and eligibility to adopt a child from a Convention country.
For certain non-Hague orphan adoption cases, families may use Form I-600A.
We will help you understand which process applies to your adoption.
What Happens After You Apply?
After filing the appropriate application and required materials, families can expect additional communication from USCIS as the case progresses.
This may include an acknowledgment or receipt notice and instructions related to biometrics, including fingerprinting.
It is important to understand that USCIS biometrics are separate from fingerprints or clearances you may have completed during your home study.
If your scheduled appointment cannot be attended, follow USCIS instructions for requesting or obtaining a new appointment.
Household members that are 18+ years of age also will be subject to biometric and background-check requirements and the applicable immigration process. Your adoption professionals can help you determine which members of your household need to complete them.
Don’t forget! Your children who will be turning 18 while you are going through adoption process will need to be fingerprinted. You will need to contact USCIS for instructions and home study preparer will need to include it in small addendum, to be sent to USCIS as well.
Lastly, any minors who live at home and had legal issues have to be reported in the home study, which will be submitted to USCIS.
Why Consistency Matters
Remember when we emphasized transparency during the home study? This is one of the reasons why.
Information provided throughout your adoption and immigration documents needs to be complete and consistent.
If a medical condition, legal history, household member, or other important circumstance is disclosed in one part of the process but omitted from another, it can create questions or delays.
USCIS may also request clarification or additional information regarding your home study or household circumstances before making its determination.
Being thorough from the beginning can make the process much smoother.
Citizenship and Immigration Status of Adoptive Parents
International adoption also carries requirements regarding the citizenship or immigration status of the prospective adoptive parents. The specific requirements depend on the immigration process being used.
This is an important topic to discuss with KidsFirst early in your adoption journey so we can help determine whether the international adoption programs we provide may be appropriate for your circumstances.
After USCIS Approval: Building Your Dossier
Receiving the applicable USCIS approval is a major milestone—but there is still more to do.
Now you’ll turn your attention toward a word you’ll become very familiar with during international adoption:
Dossier.
