IR-3: Orphan adopted abroad by a U.S. Citizen
IR-4: Orphan to be adopted in the U.S. by a U.S. citizen
There are many U.S citizens who want to adopt children from foreign countries. To be able to do that, the child must have a valid immigrant visa to come and live in the U.S with the adoptive parents. There are different types of U.S immigrant visas which allow U.S citizens to adopt in this way, but the main ones are the IR-4 and the IR-3 visa.
1.The child must be eligible based on the U.S Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)
2.The child must be under 21 years old
3.The child must be from either a Hague or Non-Hague Convention Country
4.The U.S citizen parent must be willing to adopt the child and pass an eligibility test by the U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)（IR3）/The U.S citizens must be willing to obtain guardianship of the child in the foreign country and then adopt in the U.S(IR4)
5.The U.S citizen must plan to bring the child to the U.S to reside with them（IR3）/The U.S citizens must plan to bring the child to the U.S to live with them(IR4)
6.The U.S citizen must have a valid U.S address
The applicant shall meet the following requirements:
1.Must be U.S Citizen
2.U.S. citizens are willing to provide economic guarantee to the U.S. government to ensure the life of the beneficiary in the United States, and the applicant will not become a burden to the U.S. public.
The application process
STEP 1:
Preliminary assessment
Potential clients will receive the result in one business day.
STEP 2:
Sign the agreement and prepare the materials.
Time for preparation: 15 days to 1 months.
STEP 3:
Submit all the materials to USCIS.
STEP 4:
Receive the receipt notice.
STEP 5:
Situation 1: I-130 is approved by USCIS.
Situation 2: I-130 is denied by USCIS.
Situation 3: Request for Evidence. The response must be received by USCIS within 89 days.
STEP 6:
Situation 1: In the United States, the clients can submit I-485 application.If the beneficiary stays in the United States, she/he should have legal status, such as H-1B, F-1 visa.
Situation 2: Outside the United States, the clients pay NVC filing fee, submit DS-260, notarization and other materials to the National Visa Center
Step 7:
Wait for an interview notice from USCIS(I-485) or the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou (CP). If visa is not available, the client needs to wait. Note: Please provide DS-230 and I-864.
Step 8:
Check-up, interview and obtain an immigration visa.
Step 9:
If there is an administrative process, please ask an attorney to submit an inquiry.
- Document list
I-130 Document list
1.I-130 Form
2.Petitioner, U.S. citizen
1). Proof of US citizenship with copy of birth certificate
2). copy of US passport
3). copy of citizenship naturalization certificate
4). Marriage and relationship documents or A copy of any divorce decrees, death certificates, or annulment decrees if either you or your fiancé(e) have been previously married
5). Passport photos, 2″x2″ full face color
6). information changed by Petitioner, such as copies of certificates of former names
3.Proof of family relationship
1). Marriage and relationship documents
2). Birth registration documents
3). Other documents for raising children: such as proof of financial support
4). If the petitioner is stepparent, they need to provide: the copy of the beneficiary’s birth certificate; the adoption certificate; the court’s ruling that the legal guardianship has been for 2 years; the court’s ruling that the physical guardianship has been for 2 years.
I-485 document list
1.certificate of non-criminal record of child(fill in truthfully if there is a criminal record)
2.copy of birth certificate of child
3.recent color photos
4.copy of passport
5.g-325a
6.other valid documents of child(such as legal status in the United States)
7.I-693 physical examination report of child
I-864 financial support document list
1.work certificate or income certificate of U.S. citizen
2.payroll of US citizens for the past three months
3.U.S. citizens’ tax returns for the past three years (W-2)
4.copy of SSN
5.copy of driver’s license