Proof that we saw the child prior to adoption abroad

I believe the 'proof' will need to be provided when you go to get the Visa for the child. You'll show them a copy of your passport and if you have it, a photo of you and the child together.What kind of agency are you using for an international adoption that isn't familiar with the process of adopting a child internationally?That's a very common, very standard requirement...

when we adopted from guatemala, my dh took pictures of us with the child from a previous visit, as well as copies of our passport pages with stamps from the previous visit. those copies were notarized. when my husband went to guatemala to pick up the child, he had that information along with our other documents needed for the adoption. i believe he presented those items to the embassy on adoption day so they knew what type of visa to apply for. i agree a good agency would communicate this to you, but i actually learned about it here at adoption.com, along with some other very helpful items, that my agency was completely in the dark or non-communicative about. i still don't get the function of agencies all the time...bc sometimes i think their only function is to cash my check. ;) lol.

I may have mis-spoke when I said that they were not familiar with the requirement. Theyre familiar with the requirement, but they have no idea if, when or how I would need to furnish proof. In their opinion it doesnҒt matter one way or another if we don֒t get an IR-3, we get an IR-4. But I say, if I dont have to spend $420 to apply for a COC, then I want to be proactive and get that proof ready! Anyhow thanks so much for your suggestions and prompt responses. We donҒt have photos of me with our nephew, only with my husband. But it helps to know that this proofӔ is required when we get the visa. It gives us a little time to figure out what to do. Yes, I would agree with MommytoEli - sometimes I think the agencys only function is to cash my check, too. Although I would have to say that they were pretty helpful in the beginning, they are not so much now.

well definitely take the photos you do have. do you have the passport you travelled on when you went to visit him several years back? notarized copies of the stamp page may be all you need, and it is definitely worth it to TRY for an ir3...i agree! this may sound weird, but if you want to know more about WHEN you turn in this proof and what else may count as "proof"...try posting this question on the guatemalan forum [URL="http://forums.adoption.com/guatemala-adoption/"]http://forums.adoption.com/guatemala-adoption/[/URL] . i know it will not be exactly the same as the country you are adopting from...but this is a group of people i know to be very helpful, and i know we have more than once discussed what to take to the embassy appointment and what was needed for the ir3 visa in guatemala.....and i can't imagine the visa process being a whole lot different. i bet you will get a few more ideas about what you can do!

We used notarized copies of our passports for proof for IR3 visa's at both of our kids' Embassy appointments. What country are you adopting from? The State Dept. website used to list step by step the adoption process including the I600 and visa process, as well as all the documents needed for the Embassy appointment, for Guatemala. I have never looked but I would think they probably have similar information for other countries as well. I would assume, like MommytoEli said, that you will need the proof at your Embassy visa appointment, but knowing what country it is we can do a little more detailed research for you. :) With an IR4 visa you are also going to have to complete a readoption in your state. Which can sometimes be expensive. In addition to the cost of the COC. Just another consideration.

Hi Folks- Just wanted to update you on what happened. The National Visa Center gave our nephew an IR4 which was dissappointing but hey-we'll take it. However when we went to the Embassy for the interview, the officer changed the classification to an IR3. He did not ask for any evidence such as our passports to verify that we saw him before the adoption took place.