Carl Levin - United States Senator for Michigan: Helping You

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International Adoption

Many families in Michigan have adopted or considered adopting children from other countries. As a longtime supporter of adoption, I have authored legislation to extend tax deductions for all adoptions and have supported adoption tax credits, both of which have become law.

Please take a few minutes to read the information below to see if it answers your questions. We have included several links to the State Department’s Intercountry Adoption website that may be helpful to you as well.

If you need additional assistance, please call my Detroit office at (313) 226-6020 or TTY/Voice toll-free (800) 851-0030 (in state).

Carl Levin

General Information

According to the U.S. Department of State, international (or intercountry) adoption is the process by which you adopt a child from a different country than your own through permanent legal means and bring that child to your home country to live with you permanently. Through international adoption, the legal transfer of parental rights from birth parent(s) to another parent(s) takes place.

The international adoption processes are:

The Hague Process, if the child is habitually resident in a country that is a Party to the Hague Intercountry Adoption Convention. The Convention Countries are parties to the Hague Adoption Convention.
The Orphan Process, if the Hague Intercountry Adoption Convention does not apply.

Click each section below to learn more about it.

The Hague Process »

The Hague Convention adoption process generally involves six primary steps. You must complete these steps in the following order in order to meet all legal requirements for Hague Convention adoptions.

Choose an accredited adoption service provider.
Apply to be found eligible to adopt by submitting an I-800A (Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country) with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Be referred for a child.
Apply for the child to be found eligible to immigrate to the United States by submitting an I-800 (Petition to Classify Convention Adoptee as an Immediate Relative) with the USCIS.
Adopt the child.
Obtain an Immigrant Visa for the child at the U.S. embassy or consulate general abroad.

The Orphan Process »

The process for non-Hague countries also generally involves six primary steps:

Choosing a licensed adoption service provider.
Applying to be found eligible to adopt by submitting an I-600A (Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition) with the USCIS.
Being referred for a child.
Adopting the child.
Applying for the child to be found eligible for immigration to the United States by submitting an I-600 (Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative).
Obtaining an Immigrant Visa for the child at the U.S. embassy or consulate general abroad.

For more information please visit the State Department’s Intercountry Adoption website.

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Street Address *

Street Address (2)

City *

State *

Zip Code *

Primary Phone *

Secondary Phone

e-mail

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