Intercountry Adoption

Making the decision to adopt a child is life changing, and doing so across international borders adds complexity and unique challenges.

While the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service and U.S. Department of State play key roles in administering the federal laws governing the intercountry adoption process, the adoption laws of the child’s country of birth — and the state in which the U.S. Citizen parent resides — will also govern aspects of the adoption process.

The Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (the Hague Adoption Convention) is an international treaty that provides safeguards to protect the best interests of children, birth parents, and adoptive parents. Anyone seeking to adopt a child who habitually resides outside of the United States in a country that is a party to the Convention must follow the Hague process.

U.S. Immigration Assistance for International Adoption

For more information on immigration through adoption, please contact an immigration attorney at Sivaraman Immigration Law to request a consultation.