Application for advance processing of orphan petition

Instructions for Application for Advance Processing
of an Orphan Petition
Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

USCIS
Form I-600A

OMB No. 1615-0028
Expires 02/28/2017

What Is the Purpose of This Form?
Form I-600A, Application for Advance Processing of an Orphan Petition, enables U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services (USCIS) to determine whether you (and your spouse, if married) are suitable and eligible to adopt 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). You may use Form I-600A if
you are a U.S. citizen who plans to adopt an orphan, but do not have a specific child identified.
Additionally, you may use this form in cases where you know the child you wish to adopt and plan to travel to the country
where the child is located during the adoption process. The processing of this form, however, does not authorize you to
take the child from the foreign country where the child is located. The child cannot immigrate to the United States as an
orphan until USCIS, or the government entity that USCIS designates, approves a Form I-600, Petition to Classify Orphan
as an Immediate Relative, for the child and the child has obtained an immigrant visa.

2016

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 and/or Form I-600 for the adoption of a child habitually residing in a Hague 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 U.S. Department of State's website at
www.adoption.state.gov and the adoption-related pages on the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov/adoption.
NOTE: Form I-600A is not a petition to classify an orphan as an immediate relative. Form I-600, Petition to Classify
Orphan as an Immediate Relative, is used for that purpose.

General Requirements

Fee Rule

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 www.uscis.gov/adoption.
Role of Service Provider under UAA
1. 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 www.adoptions.state.gov.
2. 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 application, or provide any
other legal services concerning your application. You should ask anyone providing you with legal advice if he or she
Form I-600A Instructions 02/01/15 N

Page 1 of 14

is licensed to practice law or is otherwise permitted by U.S. federal regulation to provide you with legal advice
pertaining to immigration processes.

What Are the Eligibility Requirements?
1. Eligibility for Using Form I-600A
You must be a U.S. citizen to file Form I-600A to establish suitability and eligibility to adopt a child from a nonHague Convention country.
NOTE: If you are married and your spouse lives in the United States, you must submit proof that your spouse is
living in the United States lawfully. Your spouse does not need to be a U.S. citizen. However, if residing in the
United States, your spouse must be a U.S. Citizen, a U.S. National, or a Lawful Permanent Resident, or have
another lawful immigration status.
If you are unmarried, you must be at least 24 years of age to file Form I-600A and at least 25 years of age to file Form
I-600 on behalf of a specific child.
2. Eligibility for Using Form I-600

2016

You must be a U.S. citizen to file Form I-600 to classify a child from a non-Hague Convention country as an orphan
under section 101(b)(1)(F) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
Specific age requirements apply and some children may not be eligible to be a beneficiary of Form I-600. For
example, you may not file Form I-600 on behalf of a child who is already in the United States, unless that child is in
parole status and has not been adopted in the United States. You must also file Form I-600 before the child reaches
16 years of age, unless one of the following exceptions applies:
A. Sibling Exception: You may file Form I-600 after the child's 16th birthday, but before the child's 18th birthday
only if the orphan is the birth sibling of another foreign national child who has immigrated (or will immigrate)
based on adoption by the same adoptive parent or parents; OR

Fee Rule

B. Form I-600A Filed When a Child is 15 Years of Age: Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulations at
8 CFR 204.3 do not directly address the relationship between the separate filing of Form I-600A and the statutory
requirement to file Form I-600 while the child is under 16 years of age (or under 18 years of age as permitted under
INA 101(b)(1)(F)(ii)). Consistent with the regulations governing Hague Convention adoption cases, USCIS will
deem the Form I-600A filing date to be the Form I-600 filing date provided both of these requirements are met:
(1) Form I-600A was filed after the child's 15th birthday, but before the child's 16th birthday (or, if applicable,
after the child's 17th birthday, but before the child's 18th birthday); AND
(2) Form I-600 is filed not more than 180 days after initial approval of Form I-600A.
NOTE: Even if you have not yet completed the adoption or obtained all of the required supporting documentation, you
MUST file Form I-600 before the child turns 16 (or 18 if exception A. applies) or, if exception B. applies, no more than
180 days after the initial approval of your Form I-600A so that the child does not age out.
See the Form I-600 instructions for a complete list of Form I-600 eligibility requirements.

General Instructions
USCIS provides forms free of charge through the USCIS website. In order to view, print, or fill out our forms, you should
use the latest version of Adobe Reader, which you can download for free at http://get.adobe.com/reader.
Signature. Each application must be properly signed and filed. All signatures must be original. USCIS will not accept a
photocopy of a signed application or a stamped or typewritten name in place of a signature. A power of attorney is also
not sufficient for USCIS purposes. If you are under 14 years of age, your parent or legal guardian may sign the
application on your behalf. A legal guardian also may sign for a mentally incompetent person.
Form I-600A Instructions 02/01/15 N

Page 2 of 14

Filing Fee. Each application must be accompanied by the appropriate filing fee and biometric services fee (if applicable).
(See the What Is the Filing Fee? section of these instructions.)
Evidence. At the time of filing, you must submit all evidence and supporting documentation listed in the Initial
Evidence section of these instructions.
Biometric Services Appointment. USCIS may require that you appear for an interview or provide fingerprints, photograph,
and/or signature at any time to verify your identity, obtain additional information, and conduct background and security
checks, including a check of criminal history records maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, before making a
decision on your application. After USCIS receives your application and ensures it is complete, we will inform you in
writing if you need to attend a biometric services appointment. If an appointment is necessary, the notice will provide you
the location of your local or designated USCIS Application Support Center (ASC) and the date and time of your
appointment. If you, your spouse (if married), or an adult member of your household fail to attend the biometric services
appointment, USCIS may deny your application. For applicants residing abroad, see the Note for Applicants Residing
Abroad below.
As part of USCIS' biometric services requirements, the following persons must be fingerprinted for this application:
1. You and your spouse (if married); and

2016

2. Each adult member of your household 18 years of age or older. (Note: This may also include any person who has not
yet reached his or her 18th birthday, or who does not actually live at the same residence, but whose presence in your
residence is relevant to your and your spouse's suitability to adopt, as determined by USCIS).
If necessary, USCIS may also take a photograph and signature as part of the biometric services.
Note for Applicants Residing in the United States: After you file your application, USCIS will notify each person in
writing of the time and ASC location where he or she must go for biometric services.
Note for Applicants Residing Abroad: Each individual who requires biometric services must submit a completed Form
FD-258, Applicant Fingerprint Card, or appear for electronic biometrics where available. A USCIS international office,
U.S. Embassy, U.S. Consulate, or U.S. military installation abroad must prepare the fingerprint card or obtain the
electronic biometrics. For additional information on obtaining biometric services when residing outside the United States,
consult the nearest USCIS international office, U.S. Embassy, or U.S. Consulate.

Fee Rule

Acknowledgement of Appointment at USCIS Application Support Center (if applicable). Review the ASC
Acknowledgement that appears in Parts 5. and 7. of the application. The purpose of this acknowledgement is to confirm
that you and your spouse (if married) have completed your application, reviewed your responses, and verified that the
information provided is complete, true, and correct. If you and/or your spouse used someone to prepare this application,
that person must review the acknowledgement with you and/or your spouse to make sure you and/or your spouse
understand it.
Copies. You may submit a legible photocopy of documents requested, unless the instructions specifically state that you
must submit an original document. USCIS may request the original document at any time if the original document should
become necessary. If you submit original documents when not required, the documents may remain a part of the record,
and USCIS will not automatically return them to you.
Translations. If you submit a document with information in a foreign language, you must also submit a full English
translation. The translator must certify that the English language translation is complete and accurate, and that he or she is
competent to translate from the foreign language into English.

Form I-600A Instructions 02/01/15 N

Page 3 of 14

Affidavits. If you cannot obtain a required document, you must submit an original written statement from the governmental
agency that should have the record verifying that the record does not exist or a citation to the U.S. Department of State
Foreign Affairs Manual indicating that the records are generally not available, or otherwise demonstrate the unavailability of
both the primary and secondary evidence. Only then may you submit two or more written affidavits sworn to or affirmed by
persons who are not parties to the application who have direct personal knowledge of the event and circumstances.
Affidavits should contain the following information about each person making the affidavit: his or her full name, address,
date and place of birth, relationship to you, full information concerning the event, and complete details on how he or she
acquired knowledge of the event.
How to Fill Out Form I-600A
1. Type or print legibly in black ink.
2. If you need extra space to complete any item within this application, attach a separate sheet of paper; type or print
your name and Alien Registration Number (A-Number) (if any) at the top of each sheet; indicate the Page Number,
Part Number, and Item Number to which your answer refers; and sign and date each sheet.

2016

3. Answer all questions fully and accurately. If a question does not apply to you (e.g., if you have never been married
and the question asks "Provide the name of your current spouse"), print "N/A" unless otherwise directed. If your
answer to a question which requires a numeric response is zero or none (e.g., "How many children do you have?" or
"How many times have you departed the United States?), type or print "None" unless otherwise directed.
4. Accommodations for Individuals With Disabilities and/or Impairments. If you believe that you need USCIS to
accommodate your, your spouse's (if married), or other household member's disability and/or impairment, select the
"Yes" box and then select the appropriate boxes in Part 4. to indicate who has the disabilities and/or impairments and
describe the nature of the disabilities and/or impairments. Also, type or print the accommodation(s) you are
requesting in the space provided. If you are requesting a sign-language interpreter, you should indicate for which
language.

Fee Rule

5. Applicant's Statement, ASC Acknowledgement (if applicable), Certification, Signature, and Contact Information.
Select the box that indicates if you have read and understand this application or if someone interpreted this application
for you. If applicable, select the box to indicate if someone else prepared this application for you. You also must affirm
that you have read and understand the Acknowledgement of Appointment at USCIS Application Support Center (if
applicable). Further, you must sign and date your application and complete Item Numbers 4., 5., and 6.
6. Applicant's Duty of Disclosure. Under 8 CFR 204.311(d), you, your spouse (if married), and any adult member of
your household have a duty of candor in completing Form I-600A (if applicable), Form I-600, during the home study
process, and an ongoing duty of disclosure throughout the adoption process. (See the Duty of Disclosure section
below for specific information.) Read the Duty of Disclosure statement, then sign and date this section of the
application.
7. Spouse's Statement, ASC Acknowledgement (if applicable), Certification, Signature, and Contact Information.
Your spouse should select the box that indicates if he or she has read and understands this application or if someone
interpreted this application for him or her. If applicable, your spouse should select the box to indicate if someone else
prepared this application for him or her. Your spouse must also affirm that he or she has read and understands the
Acknowledgement of Appointment at USCIS Application Support Center (if applicable). Further, your spouse
must sign and date the application and complete Item Numbers 4., 5., and 6.
8. Spouse's Duty of Disclosure. Under 8 CFR 204.311(d), your spouse (if married) has a duty of candor in completing
Form I-600A, Form I-600, during the home study process, and an ongoing duty of disclosure throughout the adoption
process. (See the Duty of Disclosure section below for specific information.) Your spouse must read the Duty of
Disclosure statement, then sign and date this section of the application.
9. Interpreter's Name, Contact Information, Certification, and Signature. If you and/or your spouse (if married) used
an interpreter to read the instructions and questions on this application, the interpreter must complete Part 9., certify that
he or she has read and accurately translated to you and/or your spouse the Acknowledgement of Appointment at
USCIS Application Support Center (if applicable), sign and date the application.
Form I-600A Instructions 02/01/15 N

Page 4 of 14

10. Name, Contact Information, Statement, Certification, and Signature of the Person Preparing this Application,
If Other Than the Applicant and/or Spouse. If you and/or your spouse (if married) used a preparer to complete this
application, the preparer must complete Part 10., certify that he or she has read to you and/or your spouse the
Acknowledgement of Appointment at USCIS Application Support Center (if applicable), sign and date the
application. If the person completing this application is an attorney or accredited representative whose representation
extends beyond the preparation of this application, he or she must submit a completed Form G-28, Notice of Entry of
Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative, or Form G-28I, Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney in
Matters Outside the Geographical Confines of the United States, along with your application.
NOTE: An "accredited representative" for purposes of preparation of this form means an individual accredited under
8 CFR 292.2(d) to practice before USCIS and/or the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). This type of
accreditation is separate and distinct from accreditation under the Department of State regulations at 22 CFR Part 96
to provide adoption services.
We recommend that you print or save a copy of your completed application to review in the future and for your
records. If you must appear for a biometric services appointment at a USCIS ASC, we recommend that you review
your copy of your completed application before you come to the appointment. At that appointment, you will be
permitted to complete the application process only if you are able to confirm, under penalty of perjury, that all of the
information in your application is accurate, true, and complete. If you are not able to make that attestation in good
faith at that time, you will be required to return for another appointment when you are able to do so.

2016

Form I-600A/I-600, Supplement 1, Listing of Adult Member of the Household
You must complete Form I-600A/I-600, Supplement 1, Listing of Adult Member of the Household, for each adult
member of your household. For purposes of this supplement, the definition of an adult member of the household is any
individual other than you and your spouse (if married), who has the same principal residence as you and is 18 years of age
or older on or before the date that Form I-600A or Form I-600 is filed. Residence is defined as the place of general abode
or a person's principal, actual dwelling place in fact, without regard to intent.

Fee Rule

NOTE: USCIS reserves the right to request information on any household member who has not yet reached his or her 18th
birthday before the date when Form I-600A or Form I-600 is filed, or who does not actually live at the same residence, but
whose presence in the residence is relevant to the issue of your and your spouse's (if married) suitability to adopt.

Initial Evidence

1. Proof of Applicant's U.S. Citizenship

A. If you are a U.S. citizen by birth, submit a copy of your birth certificate issued by the civil registrar, vital statistics
office, or other civil authority. If your birth certificate is not available, submit a statement from the appropriate
civil authority certifying that your birth certificate is not available. In such a situation, secondary evidence must
be submitted, such as:
(1) Religious records bearing the seal of the organization showing the baptism, dedication, or comparable rite
occurred within two months after your birth and showing the date and place of your birth, date of the religious
ceremony, and the names of your parents;
(2) School records issued by the authority (preferably the first school you attended) showing the date of your
admission to the school, your age at the time, and your parents' names and places of birth;
(3) Census records (state or Federal) showing your name, place of birth, and date of birth or age;
(4) Affidavits sworn to or affirmed by persons who were living at the time of your birth and who have personal
knowledge of your date and place of birth in the United States. Affidavits should contain the following
information about each person making the affidavit: his or her full name, address, date and place of birth,
relationship to you, full information concerning the event, and complete details on how he or she acquired
knowledge of your birth; or
(5) An unexpired U.S. passport issued for 10 years.
Form I-600A Instructions 02/01/15 N

Page 5 of 14

B. If you were born outside the United States, submit a copy of one of the following:
(1) Certificate of Naturalization or Certificate of Citizenship issued by USCIS or the former Immigration and
Naturalization Service (INS);
(2) Form FS-240, Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States, issued by a U.S. Embassy or U.S.
Consulate;
(3) An unexpired U.S. passport issued for 10 years; or
(4) An original statement from a U.S. consular officer verifying your U.S. citizenship with an unexpired passport.
NOTE: If you are married, and your spouse lives in the United States, you must submit proof that your spouse is
living in the United States lawfully. If your spouse is a U.S. citizen or non-citizen U.S. national, you must submit
evidence from Part A. or B. above as proof of your spouse's U.S. citizenship or non-citizen U.S. national status.
If your spouse is an alien who is residing in the United States, submit proof of your spouse's lawful immigration
status, such as: Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card; Form I-94, Arrival-Departure Record; a copy of the
biographic pages of your spouse's passport and his or her nonimmigrant visa pages showing an admission stamp;
or any other Department of Homeland Security (DHS)-issued document.

2016

2. Proof of Marriage of Applicant and Spouse (if applicable)

If you are married, you must submit a copy of your marriage certificate. If you or your spouse were previously
married, you must also submit proof of termination of any prior marriages.
NOTE: If any change occurs in the your marital status while your application is pending, immediately notify the
USCIS office that has jurisdiction over your case.
3. Proof of Compliance with Pre-adoption Requirements (if any)
If you intend to adopt the child in the United States, you must provide evidence that any pre-adoption requirements of
the state of the orphan's proposed residence in the United States have been met. If you cannot submit this evidence
upon initial filing of your application under the laws of your state of proposed residence in the United States, you may
submit this evidence later. However, USCIS will not approve your Form I-600 petition for a specific child without it.
4. Home Study

Fee Rule

You must submit a home study prepared according to the requirements specified in 8 CFR 204.311 by a person who is
authorized under 22 CFR 96 to prepare the home study.
NOTE: Effective July 14, 2014, 8 CFR 204.3(e) and certain definitions in 8 CFR 204.3(b) no longer apply unless a
case meets certain criteria specified in the Intercountry Adoption Universal Accreditation Act of 2012 (UAA), which
would exempt the case from UAA requirements. See the adoption-related pages on the USCIS website for more
information at www.uscis.gov/adoption.
An authorized home study preparer must prepare your home study. The home study preparer (or, if the home study is
prepared by an entity, the officer or employee who has authority to sign the home study for the entity) must personally
sign the home study and any updated or amended home study under penalty of perjury under U.S. law.
A home study preparer is an individual or agency authorized to conduct home studies as a public domestic authority, a
public foreign authority, an accredited agency, approved person, supervised provider, or exempted provider
(see 8 CFR 204.301). The home study preparer (other than a public domestic authority or a public foreign authority)
must hold any license or other authorization that is required to conduct adoption home studies under the law of the
jurisdiction in which the home study is prepared. You should ask any adoption service provider whether they are
authorized to provide adoption services in connection with adoptions according to 22 CFR 96 before engaging that
provider's services.

Form I-600A Instructions 02/01/15 N

Page 6 of 14

NOTE: An accredited agency must review and approve any home study that was not performed by an accredited
agency before it is submitted to USCIS. This requirement does not apply to a home study that was prepared by a
public domestic authority or a public foreign authority. A public domestic authority means an authority operated by a
state, local, or tribal government within the United States. A public foreign authority means an authority operated by
a national or subnational government of a foreign country.
You have one year from the filing date of your application to submit your home study.
If you submit Form I-600A without your home study because your state of residence must review and forward your
home study directly to USCIS, you should select Part 2., Information About Your Home Study Preparer and/or
Adoption Service Provider, Item Number 1, Item B. Do not submit your Form I-600A to USCIS until your state
authority is ready to send your home study to USCIS. If your state authority must review and approve your home
study, but will forward it to you (as opposed to USCIS directly), do not file Form I-600A until that appropriate state
authority has reviewed your home study and you are ready to submit it to USCIS.
If you submit your application without a home study because you indicate that it will be forwarded to USCIS directly
by the state authority, USCIS will send you a notice providing you with the date by which the home study must be
submitted. If the state authority fails to submit the home study by the date specified, USCIS may deny your Form
I-600A. Thus, you or the accredited agency will need to work closely with your state authority to ensure that the
home study is submitted on time.

2016

In all cases, your home study must not be more than six months old when it is submitted to USCIS. If it is more than
six months old, you must include an update or amendment that is not more than six months old.

Home Study Requirements

For a complete description of the requirements for a home study subject to the UAA, see 8 CFR 204.311 and 22 CFR 96.

Fee Rule

Home Study Updates and Amendments

Ordinarily, you will not have to submit an updated or amended home study to USCIS unless you are requesting an
extension of your Form I-600A approval or there is a significant change in your household or in the characteristics of the
child you intend to adopt since your home study was completed. Listed below are some examples of significant changes
that require a home study amendment or update. Your adoption service provider can advise you on other changes that
may require an amended or updated home study.
1. Change in marital status. USCIS will automatically revoke an approved Form I-600A if you are an unmarried
applicant who marries or if you are married and your current marriage ends. USCIS will revoke the approval of Form
I-600A without prejudice to filing a new Form I-600A.
If the change in marital status is:
A. While your application is pending, you must submit an updated or amended home study with a new Form
I-600A that reflects your changed marital status and required signatures. No fee is required.
B. After your application has been approved, a new Form I-600A that reflects your new marital status is
required, along with an updated or amended home study. The fee is required. (Note: You could also decide
not to file a new Form I-600A and instead wait to request a suitability and eligibility determination as part of your
Form I-600 petition filing. For more information about such filings, see the filing instructions for Form I-600 on
the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov/I-600.)
2. Change of residence including a change in the child's proposed state of residence in the United States. You
must meet any pre-adoption requirements of the new state of proposed residence in the United States in the case of a
child coming to the United States for adoption.
3. Any change in history of arrest, substance abuse, child abuse, and/or family violence, as an offender, for you,
your spouse (if married), or any household member regardless of age.
Form I-600A Instructions 02/01/15 N

Page 7 of 14

4. Change to a different non-Hague Convention country. This change may require an updated or amended home
study to address suitability under the requirements of the new non-Hague Convention country.
5. Addition of one or more children to your home, whether through adoption, foster care, birth, or any other
means, prior to the child's immigration to the United States. You must submit an updated or amended home study
even if your last home study recommended the adoption of more than one child. The updated or amended home study
must recommend the adoption of an additional child because the actual placement of one or more children in your
household after you submit your home study to USCIS is a significant change in your household, which must be
assessed to ensure you and your spouse (if married) remain suitable to parent an orphan.
6. Addition of one or more members of the household, including adults and children, to the family prior to the
child's immigration to the United States.
7. Seeking to adopt a child with a special need, disability, and/or impairment, if the last home study you
submitted to USCIS did not already address your suitability to parent a child with the particular special need,
disability, and/or impairment.
8. Lapse of more than six months between the date your home study is completed and the date you submit it to
USCIS.

2016

9. Change in the number of children or characteristics (such as age and/or gender) of the child or children you
intend to adopt.
How to File Updates and Amendments to Your Home Study

If you need to file an updated or amended home study, you must always include a copy of the home study that is being
updated or amended, including all prior updates and amendments.
If you need to submit an updated or amended home study after USCIS has approved your Form I-600A, but before USCIS,
or the government entity that USCIS designates, issues a decision on your Form I-600, you must submit the following items
to the USCIS office that approved your Form I-600A if your Form I-600A approval is still valid or to the USCIS office with
jurisdiction over your Form I-600 if your Form I-600A approval has expired:

Fee Rule

1. Your new updated or amended home study;

2. A signed written request or cover letter for an updated or amended approval notice; and

3. A copy of the home study that is being updated (including all prior updates and amendments).
See the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov/adoption/home-study-information.

NOTE: A change in marital status after approval of Form I-600A will require you to file a new Form I-600A with a new
home study and any required fees.
If USCIS determines that the updated or amended home study shows that you and your spouse (if married) remain suitable to
parent an orphan, USCIS will issue a new approval notice with the same expiration date as the original approval, unless you
submitted the updated or amended home study in support of a request for an extension of your Form I-600A approval.
If you need to submit an updated or amended home study before USCIS adjudicates your Form I-600A, you may submit
the updated or amended home study, cover letter, and a copy of the home study that you are updating or amending
(including all prior updates and amendments) to the office that has jurisdiction over your Form I-600A.
NOTE: A change in marital status while Form I-600A is pending will require you to file a new Form I-600A accompanied
by a new home study, but without a fee. See the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov/adoption/home-study-information for
information on filing home study updates and amendments.

Form I-600A Instructions 02/01/15 N

Page 8 of 14

Duty of Disclosure
Under 8 CFR 204.311(d), you, your spouse (if married), and any adult member of your household have a duty of candor in
completing Form I-600A (if applicable), Form I-600, during the home study process, and an ongoing duty of disclosure
throughout the adoption process. This duty requires you, your spouse, and any adult member of your household, to:
1. Provide true and complete information to the home study preparer;
2. Disclose other relevant information, such as physical, mental, or emotional health problems or behavioral issues;
3. Disclose any arrest, conviction, or other adverse criminal history, whether in the United States or abroad, even if
the record of the arrest, conviction, or other adverse criminal history was expunged, sealed, pardoned, or the
subject of any other amelioration;
4. Disclose any history of substance abuse, sexual abuse, child abuse, and/or family violence as an offender under
8 CFR 204.309(a)(1); and
5. Notify the home study preparer and USCIS of any new event or information that might warrant submission of an
amended or updated home study.

2016

With respect to child abuse or neglect, this duty of disclosure requires the disclosure of any currently pending
investigation by any child welfare agency, court, or other official authority in any state or foreign country concerning
the abuse or neglect of any child, as well as past investigation other than an investigation that was completed and
formally closed based on a finding that the allegation of abuse or neglect was unfounded or unsubstantiated.
This duty of disclosure is an ongoing duty, and continues while any Form I-600A is pending, after any Form
I-600A is approved, while any Form I-600 is pending, and until there is a final decision admitting a child, on whose
behalf you filed Form I-600, to the United States with a visa.

WARNING

Fee Rule

Under 8 CFR 204.309(a), USCIS will deny this application if you, your spouse (if married), or any adult member of your
household:
1. Fail to disclose, conceal, or misrepresent any facts to the home study preparer or USCIS about any arrest, conviction,
or history of substance abuse, sexual abuse, child abuse, and/or family violence, or any other criminal history as an
offender. The fact that an arrest or conviction or other criminal history was expunged, sealed, pardoned, or the
subject of any other amelioration does not relieve you, your spouse, or any additional adult member of your household
of the obligation to disclose the arrest, conviction, or other criminal history;
2. Fail to cooperate in having available child abuse registries checked in accordance with 8 CFR 204.311;
3. Fail to disclose, as required by 8 CFR 204.311, each and every prior adoption home study, whether completed or not,
including those that did not favorably recommend you, your spouse, or any adult member of your household for
adoption or custodial care.

What Is the Filing Fee?
The filing fee for Form I-600A is $775.
A biometric services fee of $85 is required for every applicant, spouse (if married), and any adult member of the household.
For adult persons living abroad, see the Note for Applicants Residing Abroad below.
NOTE: The filing fee and biometric services fee are not refundable, regardless of any action USCIS takes on this
application. DO NOT MAIL CASH. You must submit all fees in the exact amount.
Note for Applicants Residing Abroad: You, your spouse (if married), and each adult member of your household MUST
provide biometrics:
1. USCIS will inform a person residing abroad if he or she must pay a USCIS biometric services fee.
Form I-600A Instructions 02/01/15 N

Page 9 of 14

2. The U.S. Department of State or U.S. military installations abroad may also charge biometric services fees.
3. Contact the nearest USCIS international office, U.S. Embassy, or U.S. Consulate for instructions on fees and the
method of payment.
To ensure you file your application properly, you must enclose a separate check or money order for each application
requiring filing and/or biometric services fees. For example, if a married couple residing in the United States with one
adult member of their household files an application, the total fees would be $775 for Form I-600A and a separate
check or money order for $255 ($85 x 3 adults living in the household) for biometrics.
NOTE: USCIS will provide one additional biometric services appointment at no charge to you, your spouse (if married),
and/or any adult member of your household, if the 15-month biometric services validity period has or will expire before
the final adjudication of your Form I-600 petition. See the adoption-related pages on the USCIS website at
www.uscis.gov/adoption for more information about requesting the additional biometric services appointment.
Use the following guidelines when you prepare your checks or money orders for the Form I-600A filing fee and
biometric services fees:

2016

1. The checks or money orders must be drawn on a bank or other financial institution located in the United States and
must be payable in U.S. currency; and
2. Make the checks or money orders payable to U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
NOTE: Spell out U.S. Department of Homeland Security; do not use the initials "USDHS" or "DHS."
Notice to Those Making Payment by Check. If you send us a check, USCIS will convert it into an electronic funds
transfer (EFT). This means we will copy your check and use the account information on it to electronically debit your
account for the amount of the check. The debit from your account will usually take 24 hours and your bank will show it
on your regular account statement.
You will not receive your original check back. We will destroy your original check, but will keep a copy of it. If USCIS
cannot process the EFT for technical reasons, you authorize us to process the copy in place of your original check. If your
check is returned as unpayable, USCIS will re-submit the payment to the financial institution one time. If the check is
returned as unpayable a second time, we will reject your application and charge you a returned check fee.

Fee Rule

How To Check If the Fees Are Correct

Form I-600A's filing fee and biometric services fee are current as of the edition date in the lower left corner of this page.
However, because USCIS fees change periodically, you can verify that the fees are correct by following one of the steps
below.
1. Visit the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov, select "FORMS," and check the appropriate fee; or
2. Call the USCIS National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283 and ask for fee information. For TTY (deaf or
hard of hearing) call: 1-800-767-1833.
3. If you live outside the United States, contact the nearest USCIS international office, U.S. Embassy, or U.S. Consulate
for instructions on fees and the method of payment.

Where To File?
Please see our website at www.uscis.gov/I-600A or call our National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283 for the
most current information about where to file this application. For TTY (deaf or hard of hearing) call: 1-800-767-1833.

Form I-600A Instructions 02/01/15 N

Page 10 of 14

Address Change
You must notify USCIS of your new address within 10 days of moving from your previous residence. For information on
filing a change of address go to the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov/addresschange or contact the USCIS National
Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283. For TTY (deaf or hard of hearing) call: 1-800-767-1833.
In addition, you must notify the USCIS office with jurisdiction over your case. If you filed your application with the USCIS
Lockbox, the National Benefits Center (NBC) has jurisdiction over your case. If you filed at a USCIS international office,
you will need to submit your change of address to that office. Due to your change in residence, USCIS may also require you
to submit an updated or amended home study for a significant change.
See the adoption-related pages on the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov/adoption for information on significant changes
due to a change in residence and current mailing addresses for the NBC and USCIS international offices.
NOTE: Do not submit a change of address request to the USCIS Lockbox facilities because these facilities do not
process change of address requests.

2016

Processing Information

Certification. You must fill out and sign Parts 5. and 6. of Form I-600A. Your spouse (if married) must fill out and
sign Parts 7. and 8.
USCIS will reject any Form I-600A that is not signed or accompanied by the correct fee, if any, and issue a notice
stating that your Form I-600A is deficient. You may correct the deficiency and resubmit Form I-600A. An application
is not considered properly filed until USCIS accepts it.
Initial Processing. Once USCIS accepts your application, we will check it for completeness. If you do not completely
fill out this application, you will not establish a basis for your eligibility and USCIS may reject or deny your application.

Fee Rule

Requests for More Information. We may request that you provide more information or evidence to support your
application. We also may request that you provide the originals of any copies you submit. USCIS will return any
requested originals when they are no longer needed.
Requests for Interview. We may request that you appear at a USCIS office for an interview based on your application.
At the time of any interview or other appearance at a USCIS office, we may require that you provide your fingerprints,
photograph, and/or signature to verify your identity and/or update background and security checks.
Decision. The decision on Form I-600A involves a determination of whether you have established suitability and eligibility
to provide proper care for an orphan. USCIS will notify you of the decision in writing.
Extension of Form I-600A Approval Period
If USCIS has approved your Form I-600A, and you have not yet filed Form I-600 based on that approval, you may make
one request, without fee, to have USCIS extend the approval period of your Form I-600A an additional 18 months. If
your Form I-600A was approved domestically, you must submit a written request to the NBC. If your Form I-600A was
approved abroad, you must submit a written request to the USCIS international office that approved your original Form
I-600A. USCIS must receive the request before your Form I-600A approval expires, but no earlier than 90 days prior to
its expiration. For instance, if your Form I-600A approval notice is valid until December 31, you may not file the request
before October 3, but USCIS must receive your request at the USCIS office no later than December 31.
The written request must explicitly request a one-time, no-charge extension to your current Form I-600A approval. You
must submit an updated or amended home study with original signatures and any other supporting documentation of any
changes in your household. Your home study update or amendment must address each issue discussed in the Initial
Evidence, Home Study section of these instructions. Your home study must also address any changes to Form I-600A
answers and must say whether approval is still recommended.
Form I-600A Instructions 02/01/15 N

Page 11 of 14

To find the most current mailing addresses for the NBC and USCIS international offices, visit www.uscis.gov/adoption
and view the "Field Office Locator" or USCIS Adoptions Contact Information.
Requesting a Change of Country
If USCIS sent the approved Form I-600A to the U.S. Department of State National Visa Center for a particular country, but
you now wish to adopt a child from a different country, you may make one request, without fee, to have a new approval
notice sent to the U.S. Department of State National Visa Center for the new country. If your Form I-600A was approved
domestically, you must submit a written request to the NBC. If your Form I-600A was approved abroad, you must submit a
written request to the USCIS international office that approved your original Form I-600A. You may also need to submit an
updated or amended home study with original signatures that addresses the change in country, whether the home study
preparer recommends approval of the change, and any other changes since your Form I-600A was approved.
If you have already received one no-fee change of country, then you must submit a properly completed Form I-824,
Application for Action on Approved Petition or Application, with the correct fee to obtain any additional change of
country. (See the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov/I-824 for more information.) You may also need to submit an
updated or amended home study with original signatures that addresses the change in country, whether the home study
preparer recommends approval of the change, and any other changes since your Form I-600A was approved.

2016

Filing a Second Form I-600A for UAA-Grandfathered Applications

If you previously extended your UAA-grandfathered Form I-600A approval, USCIS will allow you to file a second UAAgrandfathered Form I-600A application (with fee), and its timely one-time extension, if you:
1. Are unable to file all of the corresponding Form I-600 petitions before your extended Form I-600A approval expires; and
2. File the second one-time Form I-600A application (with fee) before your extended Form I-600A approval expires.
However, if your originally extended UAA-grandfathered Form I-600A approval expires before you file a second Form
I-600A application, then your second Form I-600A application will not be UAA grandfathered and must comply with the
UAA requirements.

Fee Rule

What Should You Do After Locating or Identifying a Child or Children?

Once approved, a Form I-600A is valid for 18 months. When you have located and/or identified a child for adoption, you
must also file a Form I-600 petition on the child's behalf. You do not need to pay a new fee with your Form I-600 if you
file it while your Form I-600A approval is still valid or your Form I-600A is still pending.
If your home study approves you for more than one child, you may file a Form I-600 for each of the additional children to
the maximum number reflected in your Form I-600A approval notice. If the children are birth siblings, no additional
filing fee is required. However, if the children are not birth siblings, an additional filing fee is required for each Form
I-600 beyond the initial Form I-600 filing.
You must submit a fee of $775 when filing a Form I-600. However, a fee is not required for Form I-600 if you filed Form
I-600A for advance processing and it was approved (or an extension approved) within the previous 18 months, or is still
pending.
Form I-600 must be accompanied by all the evidence required by the instructions of that form, except when the evidence
was provided previously with Form I-600A.

Individuals With Disabilities and/or Impairments
USCIS is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and/or
impairments that will help them fully participate in USCIS programs and benefits.

Form I-600A Instructions 02/01/15 N

Page 12 of 14

Reasonable accommodations vary with each disability and/or impairment. They may involve modifications to practices
or procedures. There are various types of reasonable accommodations that USCIS may offer. Examples include but are
not limited to:
1. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, USCIS may provide you with a sign-language interpreter at an interview or other
application-related appointment;
2. If you are blind or have low vision, USCIS may permit you to take a test orally rather than in writing; or
3. If you are unable to travel to a designated USCIS location for an interview, USCIS may visit you at your home or a
hospital.
If you believe that you need USCIS to accommodate your disability and/or impairment, select "Yes" and then any
applicable box in Part 4. that describes the nature of your disabilities and/or impairments. Also, describe the types of
accommodations you are requesting on the lines provided. If you are requesting a sign-language interpreter, indicate for
which language.
NOTE: All domestic USCIS facilities meet the Accessibility Guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act, so you
do not need to contact USCIS to request an accommodation for physical access to a domestic USCIS office. However, in
Part 4. of this application, you can indicate whether you use a wheelchair. This will allow USCIS to better prepare for
your visit.

2016

USCIS considers requests for reasonable accommodations on a case-by-case basis, and we will make our best efforts to
reasonably accommodate your disabilities and/or impairments. USCIS will not exclude you from participating in USCIS
programs or deny your application because of your disabilities and/or impairments. Requesting and/or receiving an
accommodation will not affect your eligibility for any USCIS benefits.

USCIS Forms and Information
To ensure you are using the latest version of this application, visit the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov where you can
obtain the latest USCIS forms and immigration-related information. If you do not have Internet access, you may order
USCIS forms by calling our toll-free number at 1-800-870-3676. You may also obtain forms and information by calling
the USCIS National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283. For TTY (deaf or hard of hearing) call:
1-800-767-1833.

Fee Rule

Instead of waiting in line for assistance at your local USCIS office, you can now schedule an appointment through the USCIS
Internet-based system, InfoPass, at infopass.uscis.gov/. Use the InfoPass appointment scheduler and follow the screen
prompts to set up your appointment. InfoPass generates an electronic appointment notice that appears on the screen.

Penalties
If you knowingly and willfully falsify or conceal a material fact or submit a false document with your Form I-600A, we
will deny your Form I-600A and may deny any USCIS benefit you request.

USCIS Privacy Act Statement
AUTHORITY: The information requested on this application and the associated evidence, is collected under Section
101(b)(1)(F) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) [8 USC 1101], 8 CFR 204.3, and 8 CFR 204.311.
PURPOSE: The primary purpose for providing the requested information on this form is to determine if you are suitable
and eligible to adopt an orphan. Filing this form allows USCIS to make an initial determination on your suitability and
eligibility before you identify or adopt an orphan. DHS will use the information you provide to grant or deny your
application.
DISCLOSURE: The information you provide is voluntary. However, failure to provide the requested information, and
any requested evidence, may delay a final decision in your case or result in denial of your application.
Form I-600A Instructions 02/01/15 N

Page 13 of 14

ROUTINE USES: DHS may share the information you provide on this form with other Federal, state, local, and foreign
government agencies and authorized organizations following approved routine uses described in the associated published
system of records notices [DHS/USCIS-005 - Inter-Country Adoptions Security and DHS/USCIS-001 - Alien File, Index,
and National File Tracking System of Records, which can be found at www.dhs.gov/privacy]. The information may also
be shared, as appropriate, for law enforcement purposes or in the interest of national security.
NOTICE TO ADULT MEMBERS OF THE HOUSEHOLD: You are not the applicant who is filing Form I-600A.
As an adult member of the applicant's household, however, information about you may be relevant to the adjudication of
the applicant's Form I-600A. Under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(16), the applicant is entitled to review any information that may be
used as evidence supporting a denial of Form I-600A. By signing the Form I-600A/Form I-600, Supplement 1, you are
providing your consent to permit USCIS to disclose to the applicant and adoption service provider, if applicable,
information that USCIS may obtain about you that is relevant to the adjudication of the applicant's Form I-600A, even if
the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 552a, might otherwise prevent disclosure of the information to the applicant.
PRIVACY ACT WAIVER: Except as permitted by the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 552a, applicable routine uses, and
information related to adult members of your household as noted above, USCIS may not disclose or give access to any
information or record relating to any applicant, spouse (if married), or adult member of your household to any individual
or entity other than that person, including but not limited to an accredited agency, approved person, exempted provider,
supervised provider, or other adoption service provider, unless you give written consent, as provided by the Privacy Act.

Paperwork Reduction Act

2016

An agency may not conduct or sponsor an information collection, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of
information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated at 45 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering the required
documentation and information, completing and submitting the application, preparing statement, attaching necessary
documentation, and submitting the application. The collection of biometrics is estimated to require 1 hour and 10
minutes. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including
suggestions for reducing this burden to: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Regulatory Coordination Division,
Office of Policy and Strategy, 20 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20529-2140; OMB No. 1615-0028. Do not
mail your completed Form I-600A to this address.

Fee Rule

Form I-600A Instructions 02/01/15 N

Page 14 of 14