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  • Adoption
    • Before You Start
    • Immigration Through Adoption
      • Hague Process
      • Orphan Process
      • Family-Based Petition Process
      • The Universal Accreditation Act
      • Primary Provider No Longer Accredited
    • Country Information
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      • Child Abuse Registries in Foreign Countries and Geographic Entities
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    • Suitability-Related Changes
      • Change of Country
      • Extension and Validity Periods
      • Updated Home Studies and Significant Changes
    • Bringing Your Internationally Adopted Child to the United States
      • Before Your Child Immigrates to the United States
      • Your New Child's Immigrant Visa
      • With Your Child at the United States Port of Entry
    • U.S. Citizenship for an Adopted Child
      • After Your Child Enters the United States
      • Certificate of Citizenship for Your Internationally Adopted Child
    • Adult Adoptees and U.S. Citizenship
    • Adoption Contact Information
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Immigration through Adoption

Immigration through adoption, or Intercountry adoption, refers to the adoption of a child born in one country by an adoptive parent living in another country. USCIS plays a key role in the intercountry adoption process. 

United States immigration law provides three different processes through which someone may immigrate on the basis of an intercountry adoption. An individual may immigrate under one of these provisions only if the individual’s adoption meets all the requirements of that specific process. 

Two separate processes apply only to children adopted by U.S. citizens. The child may immigrate immediately after the adoption or may immigrate to the U.S. to be adopted here.

  • The Hague Process: if the child habitually resides in a country that is a party to the Hague Intercountry Adoption Convention.
  • The Orphan Process: (non-Hague): if the Hague Intercountry Adoption Convention does not apply.

Many aspects of the Hague and Orphan requirements are similar. To learn details about each adoption process, see the links to the specific process under the “Immigration through Adoption” to the left.

Another process applies to a U.S. citizen or permanent resident who may petition for his or her adoptive child through an Immediate Relative Petition. For more information go to our Other Adoption Related Immigration page.

Related Links

More Information

  • USCIS Adoptions Contact Information
  • Glossary

Forms

  • I-130, Petition for Alien Relative
  • N-600, Application for Certificate of Citizenship
  • N-600K, Application for Citizenship and Issuance of Certificate under Section 322
  • I-600, Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative
  • I-600A, Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition
  • I-800A, Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country
  • I-800, Petition to Classify Convention Adoptee as an Immediate Relative

Tools

  • Processing Times

Non-USCIS Links

  • Department of State: Adoption Service Providers
  • Department of State: Adoptions Page
Last Reviewed/Updated:
01/27/2020
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