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Intercountry Adoption From Hague and Non-Hague Convention Countries: Requirements Regarding Prospective Parents
This information was taken directly from Child Welfare Information Gateway
Contents
Requirements Regarding Prospective Parents
Both Types of Adoption
Parents must be approved by the USCIS on the basis of information they provide about their background, health, financial stability, and other characteristics in a home study document. If married, prospective parents must go through the adoption and immigration process together, and at least one spouse must be a U.S. citizen. If single, the prospective parent must be a U.S. citizen. The USCIS will conduct background and criminal checks on all household members aged 18 and older. Individual countries may have specific eligibility requirements for parents regarding age, marital status, health, income, and more
Convention
Parents must be habitually resident in the United States. For a definition of habitually resident, visit http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&rgn=div5&view=text&node=8:1.0.1.2.8&idno=8#8:1.0.1.2.8.3.1.4.
Unmarried parents must be at least 24 years of age when they file Form I-800A and at least 25 years old when they file Form I-800.
Non-Convention
Other requirements may apply according to the agency or service provider the parents use. Parents do not have to be habitually resident.
Unmarried parents must be at least 25 years old when they file Form I-600.
Return to International Adoption (Glossary)
Resource
Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2014). Intercountry adoption from hague convention and non-hague convention countries. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
References
Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2012). Finding and using postadoption services. Retrieved from https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/f_postadoption.cfm
Pinderhuges, E., Matthews, J., Deoudes, G., & Pertman, A. (2013). A changing world: Shaping best practices through understanding of the new realities of intercountry adoption. Retrieved from http://adoptioninstitute.org/publications/a-changing-world-shaping-best-practices-through-understanding-of-the-new-realities-of-intercountry-adoption/
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. (2014). Re-homing of adopted children: responsibilities for states and opportunities in the provision of postadoption services. (ACYF-CB-IM-14-02). Retrieved from http://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/cb/im1402.pdf
U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs. (2013). Convention countries. Retrieved from https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/Intercountry-Adoption/Adoption-Process/understanding-the-hague-convention.html
Citations
1 For information on adoption disruption, refer to Information Gateway’s Adoption Disruption and Dissolution at https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/s_disrup.cfm
2 A third way to legally bring an adopted child to reside permanently in the United States is the immediate relative process. For more information, visit http://www.uscis.gov/adoption/immigration-through-adoption/other-adoption-related-immigration.