Haiti and Adoption
In the wake of the earthquakes that struck Haiti, USCIS has received many questions from prospective parents concerned about Haitian children they are seeking to adopt.
We want everyone to know we are giving these cases our highest priority. To ease the handling of paperwork, USCIS has created a special email inbox to receive scanned documents: haitianadoptions@dhs.gov
Many of you realize that international adoption can be an extremely complex process involving the laws of different jurisdictions. In the case of Haiti, these normal challenges are made far more difficult by an unprecedented environmental disaster.
USCIS employees are working in the United States and in Haiti to unite children with their new families as quickly and safely as is possible.
The Miami District Director sent us the following message detailing her recent work experience:
Just returned home from Miami International Airport. To witness so many Haitian orphans arrive in the United States with absolutely nothing other than the clothes on their backs, terrified but with eyes wide open was nothing short of life-changing. It is a privilege to be a USCIS employee and able to play a role, however small, in helping ease the suffering of these children.You can find more information about adopting a child from Haiti in our "Questions & Answers: Information for U.S. Citizens in the process of adopting a child from Haiti". Also, those interested in the inter-country adoption process can find more information here. Please continue to check the USCIS website for updates and information.
Update: Describing how one person can make a difference, both Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (see video) and "The Wall Street Journal" recognized the work of USCIS employee Pius Bannis in facilitating adoptions of Haitian orphans.
posted by USCIS Blog Team @ 4:46 PM
18 Comments
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18 Comments:
the child I am adopting is with me, out on Humanitarian Parole. Our case was in the early stages of the Haitian goverment. One of the first offices. We do not have a Haitian adoption decree. How do we finalize our adoption?
I understand there have been many procedures set for the orphans. What I don't understand is why aren't any procedures placed for children who have their parents living in the US and need to file for them to come with live with them. My son's mother died from the earthquake. I would like to bring him to live with me here but we are not getting any help. Technically, he is an orphan in Haiti until he comes here.
@ Anonymous (February 1)
Just wanted to circle back on your comment. A question and answer page was just posted that may be helpful in addressing your question.
@ Anonymous (February 1)
Just wanted to circle back on your comment. A question and answer page was just posted that may be helpful in addressing your question.
Now that my daughter is home, how do we finish her adoption. We have a copy of her adoption decree and all the other papers, we were just waiting for her travel visa when the earthquake happened. I would like to be able to finalize the adoption here in the states and to have her re-adoption done in our state this year but need guidance. We had gotten notification that her I600 was approved on 12/31 and that our paperwork was being sent to the embassy on 1/15. Any help?
Thanks for this useful information. Now everything becomes clearer.
Glad to know that there were lot of people concerned to those people from Haiti. I was very pity for those children. Glad to know that there are people who are kind and seeking the adoption.
I hope that a lot of these poor childen are now beginning to find suitable homes depite all the legal complexities. Anything that can be done to speed up the process is a very good thing. Thanks for updates.
Thanks for the valuable informative updates and congratulations to all for your dedication to change these kids lives.
Hopefully every child will find a suitable home so they can continue to grow and have good lives. Thanks for the updates!
Recent earthquakes worldwide have made adoption of surviving children a very viable idea. The adoption information here is extremely helpful. Great job!
http://recentearthquakes.net has tips that may help.
Haiti, the disaster that is touching everyone in the world. This leaves the problem of children who survived there. We are concerned may think to adopt them, but not so easy because in order to prevent bad things, there is a special team who take care of this problem. Thanks.
What youre saying is completely true. I know that everybody must say the same thing, but I just think that you put it in a way that everyone can understand. Im sure youll reach so many people with what youve got to say.
Thanks for all that the USCIS is doing. The events in Haiti are absolutely tragic and provide a great example of what happens when a gov't isn't as efficient and effective as it should be. Thanks again.
Thank you for all your efforts. Have there been any recent development. With our rapid news cycle important matters can get lost quickly unless something new happens. Thus, how about an update?
Will you give us an update as far as the latest news concerning Haiti and the adoptions. It is "old news" now especially considering what's happening in Japan. THank you
Im afraid that most of people forgot about tragedy. I dont hear many news about Haiti now. Journalists los their attention few weeks after :(
Hmm, Good work doing by USCIS employers. I hope by their working process Haiti will able to overcome their previous position. Keep up the great work.
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