Notice on New I-604 Requirements 4/6/07
April 5, 2007
Dear Members of the American Adoption Community Interested in
The U.S. Embassy in
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) has advised
The new version, which went into effect on October 30, 2006, requires consular officers to certify that the adopted child
fits the suitability criteria noted in the home study report, Visas 37 cable/I-600A approval notice, or approved I-600 as
appropriate for age, gender, special needs, number of children, etc. Therefore, in order for an I-600 to be approved and an
immigrant visa be issued, the child must meet the eligibility criteria as recommended in the home study. A home study report
does not have to set such limitations, but if there are any, the adopted child must meet all these criteria. For example,
if a family is approved for adoption of an infant child, they cannot receive an immigrant visa for a five-year old adopted
child without USCIS authorization. Even though each case can be considered on its individual merits, any significant discrepancies
(e.g., age difference over one year) may mean that the family needs to obtain an amended USCIS approval.
Given that
Questions regarding this information may be addressed to the U.S Embassy in Kyiv.