Adopting a child from another country can be a rewarding experience and a great way to build your family, but it’s crucial to understand the applicable immigration visa requirements and prepare accordingly. Here’s how immigration through adoption works and how an attorney can help.

File The Required Paperwork

The first step in preparing for immigration through adoption is to file the necessary paperwork with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This will either one of three forms:

  • Form I-800A (Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country) if the child you are adopting is from a country with whom the United States entered into the 2008 Hague Convention agreement
  • Form I-600A (Application for Advance Processing of an Orphan Petition) if the child is from a non-Convention country
  • Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) if obtaining an immigrant visa through a family-based petition

The application must be submitted to the USCIS office nearest the adoptive parents’ place of residence. The application must be accompanied by a filing fee and supporting documentation, as well as evidence that the adoptive parents meet the eligibility requirements for adopting a child from another country.

Eligibility Criteria For International Adoption

To be eligible to adopt a child from another country, you must meet certain criteria set forth by both the U.S. government and the government of the child’s country of origin. These criteria typically include:

  • Being at least 25 years old (21 if adopting with a spouse)
  • Having a clean criminal history
  • Demonstrating financial stability
  • Meeting physical and mental health requirements
  • Undergoing an adoption home study

Note that these are only general guidelines and each country has its own specific requirements that must be met for an adoption to be approved.

Estimating Adoption Costs

International adoption can be expensive, so it is important to estimate associated costs up front and make sure you have enough on hand and in savings to pay for adoption expenses and meet the child’s needs. Some of the potential expenses include:

  • Home study fees
  • Agency fees
  • Attorney fees
  • Travel expenses
  • Court filing fees

In addition, once the child is adopted, there will be additional costs associated with raising them such as food, clothing, education, etc.

Eluid Zavala is a veteran Texas immigration attorney who can provide you with comprehensive legal assistance for Convention and non-Convention international adoptions. Call now at (713) 766-6720 (Houston) or (713) 588-2132 (Greenspoint Park).