USCIS-Athens Field Office
ADOPTIONS
Adopting children from all over the world has steadily increased in the past decade. Approximately 20,000 inter-country adoptions are taking place per year. In addition, there are more than 200,000 foreign-adopted children already living in the U.S.
Because there are two separate intercountry adoption processes, The Hague Adoption Convention and the Orphan Process, U.S. citizens who are interested in adopting a child from another country should first decide on a specific country from which to adopt. The Hague Adoption Convention entered into force in the United States on April 1, 2008, which created a new process for immigrating adoptive children who reside in other countries which are party to The Hague Adoption Convention. Similar to the existing Orphan process, which remains in effect for non-Hague countries, The Hague Adoption Convention process includes measures to determine the suitability of prospective adoptive parents, such as background and criminal checks, as well as a home study.
Once a prospective adoptive parent's eligibility and suitability to adopt has been established, both the Orphan process and The Hague Adoption Convention process have specific procedures to determine whether the child is eligible for immigration to the United States. Click here to view a list of countries that participate in The Hague Adoption Convention.
Adoption of Orphans (Non-Hague)
If a prospective adoptive parent decides to pursue an adoption of a child from a country not party to the Hague Adoption Convention, he/she must follow the Orphan process.
Hague Adoption Convention
If a prospective adoptive parent decides to pursue an adoption of a child from a Convention country, he/she must follow the Hague Adoption Convention process.
For additional information please visit the Department of State website on International Adoptions and the Hague Adoption Convention
ORPHAN PETITIONS (I-600A AND I-600)
USCIS Athens accepts I-600A Applications for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition by mail or by appointment from U.S. citizens who reside in our jurisdiction, which includes Greece, Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. I-600 Petitions to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative are normally filed at the consular post in the country of the child’s residence. In certain situations, the petition will be filed in another office. Please contact USCIS, the immigrant visa issuing post, or the adoption agency for more information.
ADOPTED CHILDREN UNDER THE HAGUE CONVENTION – TRANSITION CASES
Under section 505 of the Intercountry Adoption Act, U.S. law does not require adoptive parents to follow Hague Convention procedures to adopt a child from a Convention country, if the Form I-600A or Form I-600 was filed before the Convention entered into force on April 1, 2008. If USCIS extends the approval of a Form I-600A that was filed before the Convention entered into force, the prospective adoptive parent(s) may file a Form I-600 on behalf of a child from a Convention country after the Convention enters into force, so long as it is filed before the approval, or extension of approval, of Form I-600A expires.
Although U.S. law may permit you to continue to use the orphan process because you filed a Form I-600A or Form I-600 before the Convention entered into force, the other Convention country may have its own rules on how to handle these transition cases. If the other Convention country’s law requires you to follow the Convention process, then you must satisfy those requirements to adopt a child from that country.
FORMS
• Form I-600A
• Form I-600
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION TO SUBMIT WITH YOUR PETITION
Very Important - Do not send original documents with the petition. Photocopies are acceptable.
• Official Translations: Any supporting documentation in a language other than English must be accompanied by a complete English translation. The translation must be completed by an independent party. The party providing the translation must note that his/her work is accurate and that he/she is competent to translate. The full name of the translator, address and contact information is also required.
• Proof of U.S. Citizenship: Photocopies of your biographical page from your and your spouse's (if married) U.S. passports are sufficient. You may also provide your and your spouse's (if married) state-issued birth certificate or naturalization certificate. A hospital birth certificate or military ID card is not acceptable.
• Marriage Certificate: A marriage certificate issued by a public authority must show that a public record exists of the marriage between you and your spouse (if applicable).
• Evidence of Termination of All Prior Marriage(s): A death certificate, record of annulment, or divorce decree (absolute or final) issued by a public authority is required to show that a public record exists of the death or of the termination of all prior marriage(s) for both you and your spouse.
• Record of Name Change: If either you or your spouse use a name other than that shown on the relevant documents, you must provide legal documentation that effected the change; e.g., marriage certificate, adoption decree, or court order.
• Fingerprint Cards (FD-258): Two (2) fingerprint cards are required of all individuals age 18 and older residing in the household. If you are in the U.S. military, you may have your fingerprints taken by an authorized U.S. military authority. See also the Fingerprinting section of this website.
• Home Study: The home study should be submitted with the petition. If it is not submitted when the I-600A is filed, it must be submitted within one year of the filing of the I-600A or the petition will be denied.
Some specific requirements for the home study:
o Copies: Only one copy is required.
o Age of Home Study: The home study, or the most recent update to it, must not be more than six months old at the time the home study is submitted.
o Checking Available Child Abuse Registries: These checks must come from both the United States and the parents’ country of residence as appropriate, as most prospective adoptive parents have lived in both countries.
o Home Study Preparer's Certification and Statement of Authority to conduct home studies: The home study must include a statement in which the home study preparer certifies that he or she is licensed or otherwise authorized by the state of the orphan's proposed residence to research and prepare home studies. For orphans whose adoptions will be finalized overseas and whose prospective adoptive parents reside abroad, the home study preparer must certify that he or she is licensed or otherwise authorized to conduct home studies under the law of any state in the United States, or by the adoption authorities of the foreign country to conduct home studies under the laws of that country.
o Review of the Home Study: If prospective parents reside abroad, an appropriate public or private adoption agency licensed or otherwise authorized, by any state in the United States to place children for adoption must review and favorably recommend the home study before it is submitted. The U.S. adoption agency must also provide a copy of their license.
Additional detailed requirements for home studies are outlined at Title 8 Code of Federal Regulations section 204.3(e).
ORPHAN PETITIONS UNDER THE HAGUE ADOPTION CONVENTION (I-800A AND I-800)
As of April 1, 2008, inter-country adoptions between the United States and any other country that is a party to the Hague Convention (unless the Department of State determines that the Convention is not in force with a particular country) are processed on new Forms I-800A and I-800.
USCIS does not process Hague inter-country adoption applications at any overseas offices. A special unit at the National Benefits Center reviews all Hague inter-country adoption applications.
WHERE TO FILE
Applicants must submit Forms I-800, I-800A, and all related supplements and forms to the USCIS Chicago Lockbox facility for initial processing, using the following address:
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
P.O. Box 805695
Chicago, IL 60680-4118
Form I-600A and I-600 may not be filed for a child who habitually resides in a Hague country on or after April 1, 2008, unless the case was already in process before that date.
FORMS
• Form I-800A
• Form I-800