1.  I am interested in international adoption, but where do I start?

Consult our introductory page to International Adoption which provides basic steps on what to consider and the general intercountry adoption process.

2.  What countries do U.S. citizens frequently adopt from?

U.S. Citizens adopted 20,679 children through international adoption in 2006.  Below is a breakdown of the top 20 Countries of Origin. 

* Statistics provided by the U.S. Department of State, Office of Visa Processing.

 

3.  How can I inquire with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) about adoption applications?

USCIS has recently developed new designated emailed addresses solely for customers who have filed inter-country adoption petitions. The email addresses for CIS domestic office inquiries can be found here. The email addresses for CIS overseas offices can be found here.
 

4.  How do I choose an agency?

Consult our introductory page to International Adoption which includes basic steps on how to choose an agency and general intercountry adoption information.

5.  How do I choose an attorney?

Consult our introductory page to International Adoption which includes basic steps on how to choose an attorney and general intercountry adoption information.

6.  What are the steps to complete an international adoption?

While every case is different and there are many variables in an intercountry adoption, we have attempted to provide a brief overview of the main steps that occur.  Please consult with your agency or attorney for more information and specifics regarding the country you are adopting from and your U.S. state of residence.

7.  FBI Fingerprinting

For more information on fingerprints, please click here.

8.  More paperwork?  Help!

Here is a quick guide to the BCIS forms you may encounter:

BCIS Forms and Worksheets

• Form I-600A, Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition

• Form I-171H -- Notice of Favorable Determination Concerning Applications for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition (sent to petitioning parent when the I-600A is approved)

• Form I-600, Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative

• Form I-171 -- Notice of Approval of Relative Immigrant Visa Petition (sent to petitioning parent when the I-600 orphan petition is approved)

• Form I-824, Application on an Approved Application or Petition

• Form I-864, Affidavit of Support

• Form I-290B, Notice of Appeal to the Administrative Appeals Unit

• Form M-249, The Immigration of Adoptive and Prospective Adoptive Parents

• Form M-349, Advisory Notice to Prospective Adoptive Parents

• Form N-600, Application for Certificate of Citizenship

      9.  What goes into the cost of adoption?

Excerpt adapted from the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse.  For more information on the costs of adoption, including domestic adoption, please consult the NAIC's Costs of Adoption: A Factsheet for Families.

Prospective adoptive parents may be concerned about the financial costs of adopting an infant or child and their ability to meet these costs. While becoming a parent is rarely free of expenses (even pregnancy and childbirth can be relatively expensive if there is inadequate insurance), adoptive parents often are faced with initial costs that can seem challenging.

The total cost of international adoption varies from $7,000 to more than $30,000, depending on a number of factors. The wide range reflects the multitude of factors that may affect costs. Prospective adoptive parents are encouraged to check with the agencies they are considering to find out more about specific costs for their circumstances.

Factor that affect costs:

Home study expenses. A home study must be completed for all prospective parents, no matter what type of adoption they intend to pursue. The purpose of the home study is to prepare the prospective parents for the adoption, gather information about them so that an appropriate match between the child and parents can be made, and evaluate the fitness of the parents. Home studies culminate in the social worker's written report, which includes a recommendation about whether the prospective parents are qualified to adopt and, if so, what age child or children would be most appropriate. The cost for the home study is generally borne by the prospective parents. For international adoption, the private agency or certified (or licensed) social worker may charge $1,000 to $3,000 for the home study. In some cases, the fee for the home study may be included in the overall agency fee. Information about all fees should be provided in writing by the agency or social worker, and prospective parents should ask for such information.

Legal fees. All domestic adoptions and some intercountry adoptions must be finalized in a court in the United States. Some intercountry adoptions are finalized in the child's country of origin. Although not required in these situations, parents often choose also to finalize the placement in a U.S. court to provide additional protection of their child's legal status. All of these procedures incur a cost. The cost for court document preparation can range from $500 to $2,000, while the cost for legal representation may range from $2,500 to $12,000 or more in some States. (Again, these costs may be reimbursable.) In some jurisdictions an adoption can be finalized without representation.

Intercountry adoption costs: $7,000 to $30,000. Agencies that provide intercountry adoption services charge fees that range from $7,000 to $30,000. These fees generally include dossier and immigration processing and court costs. In some cases, they may include a required donation to the foreign orphanage or agency. Overall costs may be affected by the type of entity in the foreign country that is responsible for placing the child (e.g., government agency, government orphanage, charitable foundation, attorney, facilitator, or some combination thereof). Many intercountry adoption agencies offer a sliding fee scale.

Depending on the country, there may be additional fees, such as:

• Child foster care (usually in South and Central American adoptions)

• Parents' travel and in-country stay(s) to process the adoption abroad

• Escorting fees, charged when parents do not travel but instead hire escorts to accompany the child on the flight

• Child's medical care and treatment (occasionally in South and Central America)

• Translation fees

• Foreign attorney fees

• Foreign agency fees

• Passport fees

• Visa processing fees and costs of visa medical examination

In many cases, tax credits, subsidies, employer benefits, and loans or grants can help with adoption costs.  Please refer to the below FAQs for information on the adoption tax credit and other ideas for financial assistance.

JCICS strongly advises that parents obtain as much information as possible about the costs of adoption from any agency which they are considering working with.  In order to assist parents in anticipating some of these costs, JCICS has created a Cost Comparison Worksheet (Excel file) for Parents. 

Parents should be aware that the worksheet does not necessarily include all of the costs that an international adoption may incur.  It is also important to recognize that costs will vary from agency to agency and that there may also be distinct differences in expense depending on the country from which the family would like to adopt.  You are encouraged to explore multiple agencies and consider alternate countries as you fill out the worksheet and consider the cost of your adoption.

      10.  Adoption Tax Credit

The Hope for Children Act (Public Law 107-16) was passed on May 26, 2001 by both Houses of Congress as part of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001.  On June 7, 2001 President Bush signed the legislation which went into effect on January 1, 2002. 

This Adoption Tax credit increases the previous $5,000 adoption tax credit for “qualifying adoption expenses” to $10,000. It also increases the employer adoption assistance exclusion to $10,000. 

To learn more about the Adoption Tax Credit consult the IRS webpage.