How to Adopt From Two Countries at the Same Time

In the world of ever-changing adoption laws and long adoption processes, many families find that they are waiting eighteen months, two years or more to bring their child home. Often adoptive parents will consider adopting another child while their first adoption is in process and often the parents choose a different country for this second adoption. It is important to understand how to adopt from two countries at the same time in order to make sure all laws are followed and both of your children are able to come home.

Instructions

1. Consider the countries you are interested in adopting from and look into whether they allow concurrent adoptions. If the country allows you to adopt two unrelated children at the same time then they will likely not have regulations against adopting from another country.

2. Talk to your agency or facilitator. You need to make sure that your current agency is on board with your choice to start a second adoption. Some adoption contracts prohibit starting a second adoption or working with another agency while the contract is in place.

3. Call your homestudy provider, if different from your adoption agency, and get their verbal approval for you to adopt two children at one time from two different countries. If your homestudy provider is reluctant, but you still want to go forward, you may need to find another homestudy agency.

4. Get a homestudy update that approves you to adopt from both countries. Sample wording might be “Tim and Cindy Jones are approved to adopt one or two children, ages 0-5, from Liberia or Vietnam”.

5. Understand the role of USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) in your international adoption. USCIS has to approve you before you can bring a child into the United States. When you are adopting from two countries, you have to make sure that your USCIS approvals are in order for both.

6. Use your homestudy from step 4 to submit for USCIS approval. Submit two separate I-600a forms, complete with the required documents and fees. Be sure to include a note that explains you are requesting approval for both countries. If you already have your immigration approval, the I-71h, for one country, you still need to submit a new I-600a for the second country.

7. Wait as patiently as you can for your approvals from USCIS. Talk to your agency about how to prepare your dossier while you wait for the approval.

8. Go forward with each adoption separately. Neither adoption has anything to do with the other in terms of the countries involved or USCIS. Be sure to keep tabs on the adoption process for both children so that you can make travel plans accordingly.

Tips & Warnings

• There is some variation between the state USCIS offices. Call and speak to an immigration officer to be certain that your state does not have any added steps.

Resources

• USCIS Website