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Adoption

Alert: On Sept. 29, 2020, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in Immigration Legal Resource Center et al. v. Wolf et al., 20-cv-05883-JWS, preliminarily enjoined DHS from implementing or enforcing any part of the USCIS Fee Schedule and Changes to Certain Other Immigration Benefit Request Requirements Rule.

On Sept. 29, 2020, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in Immigration Legal Resource Center et al. v. Wolf et al., 20-cv-05883-JWS, preliminarily enjoined DHS from implementing or enforcing any part of the USCIS Fee Schedule and Changes to Certain Other Immigration Benefit Request Requirements Rule.

While the rule is preliminarily enjoined, we will continue to:

  • Accept USCIS forms with the current editions and current fees; and
  • Use the regulations and guidance currently in place to adjudicate applications and petitions. This includes accepting and adjudicating fee waiver requests as provided under Adjudicator's Field Manual (AFM) Chapters 10.9 (PDF, 2.55 MB) and 10.10 (PDF, 2.55 MB).

For more information, please refer to the Federal Register notice, dated Jan. 29, 2021. 

COVID-19 Impacts on Intercountry Adoptions

Because of the current (COVID-19) pandemic, USCIS has received inquiries from concerned parents who are at various stages of adopting children from abroad and bringing children to the United States. We are committed to working with prospective adoptive parents to assist them as much as we can.

For more information visit the Adoptions and COVID-19 section on our USCIS Response to COVID-19 webpage.

Each year, U.S. citizens adopt thousands of children from overseas. This is known as an intercountry adoption. 

Adopting a child from another country can be a complicated journey, and the information on this site is designed to help you as you move forward. 

For USCIS’ policy guidance on adoptions, see Volume 5 of the USCIS Policy Manual. 

USCIS is Responsible For:

  • Determining the suitability and eligibility of prospective adoptive parents.
  • Determining the eligibility of the child to immigrate to the United States.
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Before You Start

We play a key role in the intercountry adoption process. If you’re considering adopting a child born abroad, learn more about the adoption process before you get started.
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Suitability-Related Changes

Depending on which adoption process you chose, you may have additional requirements to complete your case.
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Immigration Through Adoption

Immigration through adoption (commonly called intercountry adoption), is when you adopt a child born in a different country. Read more about U.S. immigration law and the role we play in the intercountry adoption process.
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Bringing Your Internationally Adopted Child to the United States

The type of visa your child may receive will determine what steps you need to take for them to acquire U.S. citizenship.
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Country Information

Adoption rules and procedures can vary greatly by country. Learn more about USCIS country-specific processing
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After Your Child Enters the United States

Learn more about documenting or obtaining U.S. citizenship for your child
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Suitability and Home Study Information

Home studies helps us determine whether you are suitable and eligible to adopt a child born outside the U.S., based on the criteria that have been established by law.
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Adoption Contact Information

Processing and adjudicating intercountry adoption applications and petitions is one of our top priorities. Find out more information on who to contact if you have questions.
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