Adoption Process

CA Live Scan Fingerprint Locations
Families are normally requested to have Live Scan fingerprints taken for by the Home Study agency.   Live Scan fingerprints are different from the fingerprints requested by USCIS for the I600A, I600, I800a or I800 form(s).  Results for the Live Scan clearances are sent directly to the Home Study agency.

CA USCIS Field Office Locator
Families will locate the correct USCIS office for submission of the I600a, I600, I800a or I800 forms.   Smaller field offices do NOT accept all forms.   Some locations accept submissions in person.   Please look for the ‘Orphans Unit’ in the USCIS field location detailed information, to ensure that you are sending and/or taking your submissions to a field office that handles ‘orphan petitions’.

Readoption, Finalization & Post-Placement

Readoption/Adoption Finalization In California
Member-suggested “how to” guidelines on how to readopt or finalize the adoption of your child

CA Court Locations
For submission of readoption or adoption finalization applications

Adopt-050
How To Adopt A Child In California (document)

Packet #L1140
Packet of forms required for submission to the courts for finalization or readoption

Social Security Card

Documents Needed For Social Security Card

N600 Form
Application for Certificate of Citizenship

JCICS
Joint Council On International Children’s Services

Hague Accredited Adoption Agencies
Accredited Hague Adoption Service Providers

Hague - Agencies Denied Accreditation

Immigrant Visa Statistics
View the numbers of the top international countries that the US Government has issued Immigrant Visa’s from in recent years.

CARA
Central Adoption Resource Authority, Ministry of Women and Child Development Government of India

Birth/Marriage/Divorce Certificates
An online resource for ordering certified certificates most often required for dossier preparation (other resources with varying fees are also available; this is a member suggested link)

USCIS
US Citizenship & Immigration Services

USCIS Orphan’s Unit - for latest USCIS news and information on filing

USCIS Office Locator

Identify which office to submit I600a, I600, I800a or I800 applications. We suggest that you read the detailed information of the field office to ensure that the particular field office as an “Orphans Unit” that will accept “orphan petitions”.

I600a
Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition

I600
Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative

I800a
Applicaiton for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Hague Convention Country

I800
Petition to Classify Hague Convention Adoptee as an Immediate Relative

How to obtain a Social Security Number for a foreign-born adopted child (additional info: required documents)

N-600
A USCIS Application for Certificate of US Citizenship (not required if your child arrived home on an IR-3 Visa).

IRS Adoption Tax Credit
2007 IRS Tax Credit for Adoption and Special Needs Adoption

Note:  Readoption and Adoption Finalization procedures and process times vary from county to county within California.   Please contact your local Court House, placing agency and social worker to obtain further information on the correct documents required for your child’s adoption finalization or readoption.   Some CA counties do NOT require that you use an attorney for this process, thus allowing you to submit the forms and apply for a court date.    Members are welcome to add their tips and advise as you complete these portions of your adoption process.   Members are also welcome to post questions and recommendations on the community forms at forums.wowcio.com General Steps (collected thus far from adoptive families) 

FORMS:

Adopt-050 How to Adopt a Child in California

L-1140 Adoption Kit, which includes the following forms 

• Adopt-200 form
• Adopt-210 form
• Adopt-215 form
• Adopt-230 form

VS44 - Certificate of Birth request form

Consent and Joinder FAM020 -  Family Law Case Cover Sheet

•  $20 + 2 extra copies of all forms + (Post Placement OR Readoption Report)* will all be submitted t the County Clerks office
• County Clerk issues Court date + Case#  (the courts that are backlogged can potentially issue a family a court date up to 6-months or longer into the future)
• On the Court Date the family will take their copies of all of the above forms.   One additional form that will be completed before or DURING the court hearing is the VS44 - Certificate of Birth request form, which is what initiates the issuance of the new Birth Certificate
• During the Court hearing - family can ask how long it should take for the new Birth Certificate to arrive as this time is continually changing

Note:   Families with children from countries that require Adoption Finalization (eg. Korea, India) will be required to submit PP-Post Placement reports*Note:  Families with children from countries where the adoption was completed in the birth country, but require Readoption (eg.  China, Vietnam) will be submitting a Readoption report along with the court forms, along with copies of legal adoption documents, in addition to the copy of the Immigrant Visa.

Next Steps:

•  N600** with USCIS for ‘Certificate of Citizenship’
•  SS-5 form for Social Security Card (filing for SS card will have to wait until after official Birth  Certificate is received)

**If your child arrived home on an IR-3 Visa, then your child should automatically receive the U.S. Certificate of Citizenship (usually within 45 days of returning home).   You will NOT need to file the N600 with USCIS. Available FORMS are located under the INFORMATION section.