What is the quickest way to bring a foreign-born
orphan that I adopt to the U.S.?The fastest
way is to file
USCIS Form I-600A (Application for Advance Processing of
Orphan Petition) before you
identify a foreign-born child to adopt. This allows the
USCIS to first process the application that relates to
your ability to provide a proper home environment and
your suitability as a parent. Then, once a child who
meets the INA's definition of orphan is identified, you
must file
USCIS Form I-600 (Petition to Classify Orphan as an
Immediate Relative) on behalf of the child.
Should I do "advance processing" if I've already
identified the child? Yes, it is generally
advisable for all prospective adoptive parents
to do advance processing. You should do advance
processing even if you are traveling to the country
where the child is located and will file an orphan
petition at an overseas Immigration office (or at an
American consulate or embassy if there is no Immigration
office in the country). By completing advance
processing, you will ensure that USCIS has already
processed the application that relates to your ability
to provide a proper home environment and your
suitability as a parent before you adopt a
child in a foreign country. This is important, because
you will not be allowed to bring a child that you have
adopted to the United States if you are found to be
unable to provide that child with a proper home
environment or you are found unsuitable as a parent.
What kind of information about myself and my spouse will
I, as the petitioner, need to provide to the USCIS?
You must provide proof of U.S. citizenship. If you are
married and living in the United States, you must
provide evidence of your spouse's U.S. citizenship or
lawful immigration status as well as proof that you are
married and that any previous marriages ended legally.
You must submit a complete and current home study within
prescribed time limits. You may also have to prove that
you have complied with the preadoption requirements of
the state in which you will live with your adopted
child. You must submit the required filing fee for your
application, and be aware that each adult member of the
household must be fingerprinted by the USCIS. Please
refer to USCIS'
The Immigration of Adopted and Prospective Adoptive
Children (document M-249N, revised September,
2000) for more information.
Questions and answers about
Fingerprinting Procedures in the Adoption Application
Process
Q: I have adopted my child and brought him/her into the
country. Is there any reason for me to be fingerprinted
again?
A: No, there is no need
for you to be fingerprinted again. Your application for
a specific child was approved. If you file another
I-600A application to adopt another child, you will need
to be fingerprinted at that time.
Q: I filed an I-600A and
an I-600 application in your office. The I-600A was
approved 12 months ago, and the I-600 was approved 10
months ago. My child will be brought into the U.S. in 4
months. My fingerprints, taken when I filed my I-600A,
expire in 3 months. Should I be reprinted?
A. No, you do not need
to be printed again. You filed both your I-600A and your
I-600, and got approvals on both within the 15 months
that your prints were valid.
Q. My I-600A was
approved 12 months ago, and I had my fingerprints taken
when I filed my application. That would mean that my
prints will expire in 3 months. I plan to bring my child
home in 2 months and want to file an I-600 then. Should
I be printed again, just in case?
A: Yes, if you will be
filing an I-600 application within 30 days of your
fingerprint expiration, it is recommended that you be
printed again.
Q: I brought in my
I-600A application 6 months ago, and it was approved 3
months ago. If I don’t know when I will be filing my
I-600, should I be re-fingerprinted so that I can be
assured that my prints will remain valid for the
duration of my approval?
A: No, it is best if you
wait until you are certain that your prints will expire
before having them taken again. Have your prints taken
again a month before expiration.
Q: If I do need to be
re-fingerprinted, will I need to pay the fee?
A: Yes, if you need to
be re-fingerprinted you will need to pay the $70
fingerprinting fee for each adult member of your
household being re-fingerprinted. Please note, the
fingerprint fee cannot be paid at the Application
Support Center (ASC) where your fingerprints are taken.
The fingerprint fee must be paid at your local U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office.
When you go to the USCIS office to be scheduled for
fingerprints, bring your I-171H approval notice with
you. You will then be provided with a referral
letter/appointment notice giving you the date, time and
location to appear for fingerprinting.
Q: How will I know that
my fingerprint files are about to expire?
A: Your fingerprint
clearances files expire 15 months after the date that
the USCIS received a response from the FBI. This is
approximately 15 months from the date that you were
fingerprinted
Q: I am planning to
travel overseas to file my I-600. Can I wait and be
fingerprinted at the Embassy or Consulate?
A: Yes, you can. You
should be aware that the fingerprint clearance process
for persons fingerprinted overseas takes much more time
than it does for those who are fingerprinted in the
United States. If your fingerprints have expired, or
will expire before your date of travel, you should
contact your local USCIS office to be fingerprinted
again so that your fingerprints can be processed sooner.
