Adoption

Frequently Asked Questions- Overseas Residents

If adopting parents currently live outside of the United States, their child may not be eligible for citizenship status after arriving in the United States. For more information, click here to Citizen and Immigration Services' page or contact U.S. Consulate Guangzhou.  Additionally, you should review the material on this page to learn more about adopting while resident overseas. 

1. How do I begin to adopt if I already live overseas?

If you legally reside abroad, you may file an I-600A with the nearest Department of Homeland Security, Citizen and Immigration Services office or at your local Embassy or Consulate. They will then forward the application to the nearest Citizen and Immigration Services office for approval. Note: Even if you live overseas, Citizen and Immigration Services still requires (1) a home study conducted by an entity approved to conduct home studies in the United States or in the individual’s country of residence (although that home study will also need to be reviewed and approved by a U.S. licensed adoption agency) and (2) an FBI fingerprint check. Click here to see Citizen and Immigration Services’ fingerprinting process page.

For this reason, applications filed overseas sometimes require a longer period of time before the local Citizen and Immigration Services office can approve them. For further information, contact the Citizen and Immigration Services office with jurisdiction in your area.

The Chinese government requires all adoptive parents to work with an approved adoption agency. Effective May 1, 2005, China Center for Adoption Affairs has designated Bridge of Love as the only adoption agency that can help U.S. expatriates living in China; this agency will submit adoption dossiers and liaison with China Center for Adoption Affairs regarding adoptions in China.

Bridge of Love
Address: Room 1206, No. 07 Baiguang Rd, Xuanwu District, Beijing, China
Tel: 010-63518462 or 63589988 ext. 1216
Fax: 010-63518472
Email: zhsy@mail.china-blas.org

2. We live overseas and need an adoptions agency and home study preparer, how do we find one overseas?

Please contact the ACIVU if you live in China or Hong Kong.  The ACIVU also has a limited list that includes home study preparers from other countries.

3. Can my child travel back and forth into the United States with the IR3 or IR4 visa?

No.  Your child can only enter the U.S. one time with an IR-3 or IR-4 visa.  We highly recommend that before you leave the U.S. you complete the naturalization process and receive the child’s U.S. passport before returning to your residence abroad. 

4. My wife and I live overseas but only one of us can go to China for the adoption, how does this affect the expeditious naturalization process?

In order to complete the expeditious naturalization process in Honolulu, the child must have an IR-3 visa which means that both parents have to be present for the adoption in China.

5. We are living overseas on official U.S. Government orders, do we need to complete the expeditious naturalization process?

No, If you are living overseas as part of an assignment with the U.S. Government you are considered a legal resident of the United States and your adopted child will automatically acquire U.S. citizenship at the port of entry.

6. Where can I get an expeditious naturalization certificate and passport for my adopted child?

If you reside overseas your child will not automatically acquire citizenship at the port of entry.  Instead you will be required to file an Application for Citizenship and Issuance of Certificate under Section 322, Form N-600K with the Honolulu, Hawaii District Office of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security.  You will need to make an appointment for this using INFOPASS.   INFOPASS can be accessed on the Internet at http://infopass.uscis.gov/. 

Form N-600K can be downloaded from the USCIS Web Site: http://uscis.gov/graphics/formsfee/forms/n-600k.htm.

Please select the option, need to see an Immigration Officer and use the zip code 96813.

The contact information for Department of Homeland Security, Citizenship and Immigration Services Honolulu and the U.S. Passport Agency in Honolulu are as follows:

Department of Homeland Security, Citizenship and Immigration Services, Honolulu.

If you wish to obtain your child's certificate of U.S. citizenship in Honolulu, once you know your flight information and arrival time, send an e-mail in advance of your departure for Honolulu. Citizen and Immigration Services advises they will respond by email with further instructions. Allow five working days for an initial response.

U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service
595 Ala Moana Boulevard
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Facsimile (808) 532-6386
Email: hawaii.naturalization@dhs.gov

Public Service Hours:

8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Monday to Thursday
8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Friday

Honolulu Passport Agency:

The Honolulu Passport Agency only serves customers who are traveling or submitting their passports for foreign visas within 14 days. To apply at the Agency, you must schedule an appointment by calling 1-877-487-2778, 24 hours/day. If you are not traveling, or needing to submit your passport for foreign visas within 14 days, you must apply at a Passport Application Acceptance Facility.

WARNING: There is no charge for an appointment at a passport agency. Customers should not pay anyone or any business making such a charge.
 
Public Hours of Operation 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Monday through Friday (except Federal holidays)
Address:
Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole Federal Building
300 Ala Moana Blvd, Ste. 1-330 (corner of Punchbowl St.)
Honolulu, HI 96850-1330.

Expedited Passport Issuance Information: The service operates on a first come - first serve basis. A minimum of 24 hours is required to process a passport. Please be prepared to present an international airline ticket showing immediate travel. Those who need a passport immediately are encouraged to try to visit the office early in the morning.

7. Is Honolulu, Hawaii the only place we can go to complete the expeditious naturalization and passport process?

The Honolulu District office offers a fast expeditious naturalization for adoptive parents residing overseas.  We are not yet aware of any other district offices that can complete the process as quickly as Honolulu but please check with the Department of Homeland Security Citizenship and Immigration Office for updates.