Adoptions Announcement Regarding Updated Approval Notices

Effective immediately: All families requesting immigrant visa appointments at the U.S. Consulate need to have a current approval notice whose listed characteristics of the child match the characteristics of the child being adopted.  Families who are adopting a child whose age, gender, or health status is different from the characteristics listed on the approval notice (I-171H or I-797C) will not have immigrant visa appointments scheduled until they receive the updated approval notice from USCIS.  Once your families receive their updated approval notices, you can fax our Consulate the I-171H or I-797C, and if the characteristics of the child match the actual child being adopted, our office will make the appointment for your family.

You should not allow families to travel to China who have pending USCIS approvals.  Having home study amendments submitted to USCIS is not enough.  Families must have already received the approval notice BEFORE traveling to China. The Consulate cannot issue visas to families who do not have updated approvals, and will not schedule appointments without updated approval notices.  As adoptions agencies, your role is to ensure these approvals are ready before the family leaves the United States.