California Resources:

Adoption Process

CA Live Scan Fingerprint Locations:   Families are normally requested to have Live Scan fingerprints taken for by the Home Study agency.   Live Scan fingeprints are different from the fingerprints requested by USCIS for the I600A, I600, I800a or I800 form(s).   Results for the Live Scan clearances are sent directly to the Home Study agency.

CA USCIS Field Office Locator:   Families will locate the correct USCIS office for submission of the I600a, I600, I800a or I800 forms.   Smaller field offices do NOT accept all forms.   Some locations accept submissions in person.   Please look for the ‘Orphans Unit’ in the USCIS field location detailed information, to ensure that you are sending and/or taking your submissions to a field office that handles ‘orphan petitions’.

Readoption / Finalization:   Post-Placement

HOW TO Readopt or Finalize:  these are member suggested instructions on how to readopt or finalize the adoption of your child

CA Court Locations:   for submission of Readoption or Adoption Finalization applications

Adopt-050:  How to Adopt in CA document

Adoption Finalization / Readoption Forms L1140:   the packet of forms required for submission to the courts for finalization or readoption

Resource Links - General Helpful Links

JCICS - Joint Council on international children’s services.   A great place to start learning about international adoption amd governing laws.   Members recommend that families choose agencies that are in good standing with JCICS.

Immigrant Visa Statistics - View the numbers of the top international countries that  the U.S. Government has issued Immigrant Visa’s from in recent years.

CARA - Central Adoption Resource Authority, Ministry of Women and Child Development Government of India

Birth/Marriage/Divorce Certificates - an online resource for ordering certified certificates most often required for dossier preparation.   Note:   other resources with varying fees are also available, however this is a member suggested link.

USCIS

USCIS Office Locator - to identify which office to submit I600a, I600, I800a or I800 applications.   We suggest that you read the detailed information of the field office to ensure that the particular field office as an ‘Orphans Unit’ that will accept ‘orphan petitions.

I600a - Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition

I600 - Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative

I800a - Applicaiton for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Hague Convention Country

I800 - Petition to Classify Hague Convention Adoptee as an Immediate Relative

Note:  I600a, I600, I800a, I800 forms have sections that must be completed according to the placing agency and country ’specific’ information.  Please consult with your placing agency for accurate support in completing these forms.

Approval of I600a Petition will result in the family being mailed an I171H - Preliminary approval to adopt a foreign born

Approval of I600 Petitition will result in the family being mailed a I171 - Notice of Approval of Relative Immigrant Visa Petition and the approval also being sent to the ‘National Visa Center’

Readoption or Adoption Finalization - some useful resouce links are provided here, but each Court, County and State have specific laws, forms and requirements.   Please consult with your placing or Home Study agency for assistance and support during this process.   Members are invited to share their court, county and state experiences in the Wowcio Forum to aid the adoption community at large.

Social Security Card

Documents You Need for a Social Security Card for a Foreign-born Adoption Child (never had a number)

N-600 Form - Application for Certificate of Citizenship , not required if your child arrived home on an IR-3 Visa.   N-600 Form is a USCIS application for U.S. Citizenship

California Readoption / Adoption Finalization - members suggested ‘how to’ guidelines

California - Readoption / Finalization 

Note:  Readoption and Adoption Finalization procedures and process times vary from county to county within California.   Please contact your local Court House, placing agency and social worker to obtain further information on the correct documents required for your child’s adoption finalization or readoption.   Some CA counties do NOT require that you use an attorney for this process, thus allowing you to submit the forms and apply for a court date.    Members are welcome to add their tips and advise as you complete these portions of your adoption process.   Members are also welcome to post questions and recommendations on the community forms at adoption.wowcio.com General Steps (collected thus far from adoptive families) 

FORMS:

Adopt-050 How to Adopt a Child in California

L-1140 Adoption Kit, which includes the following forms 

• Adopt-200 form
• Adopt-210 form
• Adopt-215 form
• Adopt-230 form

VS44 - Certificate of Birth request form

Consent and Joinder FAM020 -  Family Law Case Cover Sheet

•  $20 + 2 extra copies of all forms + (Post Placement OR Readoption Report)* will all be submitted t the County Clerks office
• County Clerk issues Court date + Case#  (the courts that are backlogged can potentially issue a family a court date up to 6-months or longer into the future)
• On the Court Date the family will take their copies of all of the above forms.   One additional form that will be completed before or DURING the court hearing is the VS44 - Certificate of Birth request form, which is what initiates the issuance of the new Birth Certificate
• During the Court hearing - family can ask how long it should take for the new Birth Certificate to arrive as this time is continually changing

Note:   Families with children from countries that require Adoption Finalization (eg. Korea, India) will be required to submit PP-Post Placement reports*Note:  Families with children from countries where the adoption was completed in the birth country, but require Readoption (eg.  China, Vietnam) will be submitting a Readoption report along with the court forms, along with copies of legal adoption documents, in addition to the copy of the Immigrant Visa.

Next Steps:

•  N600** with USCIS for ‘Certificate of Citizenship’
•  SS-5 form for Social Security Card (filing for SS card will have to wait until after official Birth  Certificate is received)

**If your child arrived home on an IR-3 Visa, then your child should automatically receive the U.S. Certificate of Citizenship (usually within 45 days of returning home).   You will NOT need to file the N600 with USCIS. Available FORMS are located under the INFORMATION section. 

Office Locator

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