Instructions For Form I-600 - Petition To Classify Orphan As An Immediate Relative printable pdf download

Instructions for Petition to Classify Orphan

as an Immediate Relative

USCIS

Form I-600

Department of Homeland Security

OMB No. 1615-0028

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

Expires 12/31/2018

What Is the Purpose of This Form?

Form I-600, Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative, enables U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

(USCIS) to determine whether a foreign-born child (or orphan) from a country that is not a party to the Hague Convention on

Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention or Hague

Convention) is eligible to be classified as your (and your spouse's, if married) immediate relative. You may use Form I-600

if you are a U.S. citizen who has or will adopt an orphan who is not habitually resident in a Hague Convention country.

On April 1, 2008, the Hague Adoption Convention entered into force for the United States. Therefore, it is important to

note that you cannot file Form I-600A, Application for Advance Processing of an Orphan Petition, and/or Form I-600 for

the adoption of a child habitually residing in a Hague Adoption Convention country unless the adoption occurred before

April 1, 2008, or meets the requirements for a grandfathered transition case (example: Form I-600A or Form I-600 was

filed prior to April 1, 2008). For a list of Hague Adoption Convention countries and for additional information regarding

grandfathered transition cases, see the Department of State's website at

and the adoption-related

pages on the USCIS website at

General Requirements

Intercountry Adoption Universal Accreditation Act of 2012 (UAA)

Effective July 14, 2014, any agency or person providing adoption services, including home study preparation, in

intercountry adoption cases involving Form I-600A or Form I-600 must be accredited or approved, or be a supervised or

exempted provider in compliance with the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 and accreditation regulations at Title 22

Part 96 of the Code of Federal Regulations (22 CFR 96). This accreditation or approval requirement now applies to both

non-Hague Convention and Hague Convention adoptions.

The UAA does not apply to cases that meet certain criteria. For more information about the UAA, see the adoption-

related pages on the USCIS website at

Role of Service Provider under the UAA

Adoption Service Provider

If the UAA applies to your non-Hague Convention case, an individual or entity must be authorized under 22 CFR 96

to provide adoption services following the same accreditation or approval process required in Hague Convention

adoption cases. You should ask any adoption service provider whether they are authorized under 22 CFR 96 to

provide adoption services before working with that provider. A list of individuals and entities authorized under 22

CFR 96 is available at the Department of State's adoption website at .

Legal Services Provider

Only an individual who is licensed in the United States as an attorney, or who is otherwise permitted under 8 CFR 1.2,

292.1, and 292.2 to practice before USCIS, may give you legal advice concerning your petition, or provide any other

legal services concerning your petition. You should ask anyone providing you with legal advice if he or she is

licensed to practice law or are otherwise permitted by U.S. Federal regulation to provide you with legal advice

pertaining to immigration processes.

Form I-600 Instructions 12/23/16 N

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Instructions For Form I-600 - Petition To Classify Orphan As An Immediate Relative

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