For U.S. citizens adopting a child from another country. There are two processes, Hague and non-Hague, and the right one depends on the child's country.
Verified against official sources on 2026-10-25Last verified: 2026-10-25
Core facts, form edition dates and recent notices were checked against the official pages listed below on October 25, 2026. Sections marked 'Our guidance' are our own advice, not official text. Official pages we used for this guide may show older 'last updated' dates. We say so where it applies. Intercountry adoption is highly specialised, so work with an accredited adoption service provider and consider legal advice.
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Overview
When a U.S. citizen adopts a child abroad, USCIS decides two things: whether the prospective parents are suitable and eligible to adopt, and whether the child is eligible to immigrate. Which steps you follow depends on the child's country. If it is a Hague Convention country you use Forms I-800A and I-800. If it is not, you use Forms I-600A and I-600. The visa the child receives depends on the process and on where the adoption is finalised.
Who qualifies
Parents: a U.S. citizen. For the Hague process you must also be habitually resident in the United States.
If you are unmarried, you must be at least 24 when you file the first form (I-800A or I-600A) and at least 25 when you file the child's petition (I-800 or I-600).
A home study is required.
Hague process: the child must be under 16 when the I-800 is filed (under 18 if the sibling exception applies), habitually resident in a Hague country, and found eligible for intercountry adoption by that country's Central Authority.
Non-Hague process: you generally must file the I-600 before the child turns 16, unless an exception applies.
Some countries of origin limit adoption by single parents.
1. Is the child's country a party to the Hague Adoption Convention?
Yes (Hague): File Form I-800A before you adopt or accept a placement. After approval, work with your adoption service provider to be matched with a child. Then file Form I-800. Do not accept a placement before USCIS approves the I-800A.
No (non-Hague): File Form I-600A before identifying a child, or file Form I-600 if the child is already known and you are travelling to that country. The child must stay in the foreign country until processing is complete.
2. Where will the adoption be finalised?
Abroad: The child enters with an IH-3 visa (Hague) or an IR-3 visa (non-Hague).
In the United States: The child enters with an IH-4 visa (Hague) or an IR-4 visa (non-Hague), and the adoption is finalised in the U.S.
3. Does the adoption fit neither process?
Yes: USCIS says a parent may file Form I-130 for an IR-2 visa. The parent must have two years of legal and physical custody, and a full, final adoption.
Hague Convention countries
Type a country to check if it is on the State Department's list. If it is, the Hague process (I-800A and I-800) applies. If it is not, the non-Hague process (I-600A and I-600) applies.
The State Department counts a country only if it is a party to the Convention and the Convention is in force with the United States.
Being on this list tells you which process applies. It does not mean adoptions from that country are open right now. Countries can limit or suspend adoptions, so check the State Department's page for your child's country and talk to an accredited adoption service provider.
The full list of treaty parties is kept by the Hague Conference on Private International Law. The State Department list is the one that matters for U.S. adoptions.
USCIS fees were checked on October 25, 2026 in its Fee Schedule. Form edition dates were not checked for these forms, so use the edition shown on the official page.
I-800A
Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country
Hague process: filed first, before you adopt or accept a placement.
Fee: $920 (USCIS)
What it does
Establishes that you are suitable and eligible to adopt.
Who files it
The prospective adoptive parent(s), who must be U.S. citizens habitually resident in the U.S.
When
Before you adopt or accept a placement.
You will usually need
A home study from an authorized provider
Proof of U.S. citizenship
Information on every adult member of the household
Your adoption service provider's details
Tip: Do not accept an adoption placement before USCIS approves the I-800A.
This is USCIS's Hague process. The non-Hague process uses the I-600A and I-600 and follows a similar shape.
Choose an accredited or approved adoption service providerThis is your primary provider for the Hague process.
Get a home studyFrom someone authorised to complete an intercountry adoption home study.
File Form I-800ABefore adopting or accepting a placement.
Seek a proposed placementAfter I-800A approval, through the Hague country's Central Authority and your provider.
File Form I-800Before adopting, so the child can be found provisionally eligible.
Adopt the child or obtain legal custodyAfter provisional approval, for emigration and adoption.
Get the child's immigrant visaIf you live in the U.S., you obtain an immigrant visa for the child.
Bring the child to the U.S.The child is admitted with the visa. USCIS points families to a separate process for a certificate of citizenship (Form N-600).
USCIS fees as published in its Fee Schedule, checked on Oct 25, 2026. Fees change, so confirm on the official page before you pay. These are not Move to America's prices.
Paid to USCIS
Form
What it is for
Fee
Timing
I-800A
Suitability to adopt, HagueA change in marital status after approval needs another filing at $920.
$920
Not currently verified
I-800
Petition for a Hague adopteeFirst I-800 during the I-800A approval period: $0. Additional non-birth siblings: $920 each. Birth siblings: $0.
$0 first, otherwise $920
Not currently verified
I-600A
Advance processing, non-Hague
$920
Not currently verified
I-600
Orphan petition, non-HagueFirst I-600 during the I-600A approval period: $0. Additional non-birth siblings: $920 each. Birth siblings: $0.
USCIS says a request without the correct fee will be rejected, and cash can never be used for a filing or biometric fee.
Adoption service providers, home studies, foreign adoption costs and travel are separate and are not government fees.
The State Department also lists fees for immigrant visa services. Check the Fees for Visa Services page for your child's visa.
Medical exams, translations, passport photos and document copies cost extra.
Move to America's own charges ($2 per eligibility assessment, and optional community membership) are separate from every fee above.
Processing times
Intercountry adoption timelines depend heavily on the child's country, its Central Authority and your provider. We do not yet have verified processing averages for adoption forms, so we show none.
Accepting a placement before USCIS approves the I-800A (Hague)
Using the wrong process for the child's country
Missing the child's age limit when filing the petition
Assuming a visa type before you know where the adoption will be finalised
Working with a provider who is not accredited or approved for Hague cases
Assuming the child's citizenship needs no paperwork; USCIS points to a certificate of citizenship application
Frequently asked questions
What do IH-3, IH-4, IR-3 and IR-4 mean?
USCIS lists them as the immigrant visas for an adopted child: IH-3 for a child adopted in a Hague country, IH-4 if the adoption is finalised in the U.S. in a Hague case, IR-3 for a non-Hague adoption finalised abroad, and IR-4 if it is finalised in the U.S.
Does my child become a citizen automatically?
The USCIS page does not say so directly. It notes a child might acquire citizenship before moving permanently and points to Form N-600, the Application for Certificate of Citizenship.
Can an unmarried person adopt?
Yes in general, if at least 24 when filing the first form and 25 when filing the child's petition, but some countries limit single-parent adoptions.
Official notices that may affect adoption cases. Checked on October 25, 2026. Rules change often, so open the source before you act.
Jan 1, 2026 · White House / State Department
Entry restrictions for nationals of listed countries
A presidential proclamation effective January 1, 2026 suspends entry and visa issuance for nationals of 19 countries in full, and limits visas for nationals of 20 more. Use the lookup in the 'Entry restrictions by nationality' box below to check your nationality. The proclamation lists a small number of exceptions, and its text does not list one for immediate-relative or adoption immigrant visas.
Adoption exception during the immigrant visa pause
The State Department says that during its January 2026 pause on immigrant visa issuance to nationals of 75 countries, children being adopted by Americans may qualify for an exception, including a National Interest Exception under Presidential Proclamation 10998, if applicable, and that families should continue the normal adoption process. A court order ended the pause on August 21, 2026. State says it is still reviewing its screening policies, so check its page for the latest.
Check whether the January 2026 proclamation affects your nationality.
Full restriction
Afghanistan
Burma
Burkina Faso
Chad
Republic of the Congo
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Haiti
Iran
Laos
Libya
Mali
Niger
Sierra Leone
Somalia
South Sudan
Sudan
Syria
Yemen
Travel documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority are also covered by the full restriction.
Partial restriction (immigrant visas, and B, F, M and J visas)
Angola
Antigua and Barbuda
Benin
Burundi
Cuba
Côte d'Ivoire
Dominica
Gabon
The Gambia
Malawi
Mauritania
Nigeria
Senegal
Tanzania
Togo
Tonga
Venezuela
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Immigrant visas only
Turkmenistan
Exceptions in the proclamation text
Lawful permanent residents of the United States.
Dual nationals travelling on a passport from a country that is not on the lists.
Holders of certain diplomatic and international organization nonimmigrant visas (A-1, A-2, C-2, C-3, G-1 to G-4, NATO-1 to NATO-6).
Certain athletes and teams, with support staff and immediate relatives, travelling for major sporting events as determined by the Secretary of State.
Special Immigrant Visas for U.S. government employees, and immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran.
People who already held a valid visa on January 1, 2026. The proclamation says those visas are not revoked.
People already granted asylum in the U.S., and refugees already admitted.
Case-by-case national-interest exceptions can be granted by the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security.
The proclamation text we read lists no exception for immediate-relative or adoption immigrant visas.
For Burundi, Cuba, Togo and Venezuela the text says entry stays limited as set out in an earlier proclamation (10949) and in this one, so check the State Department page for the exact visa categories.
We read the proclamation as published. It may have been amended since. Check the State Department page before you plan or pay for anything.
Ticking items is just a way to keep track. It does not mean your application is ready or will be approved.
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Move to America is an independent information and preparation service. We are not a government agency, not affiliated with USCIS or the U.S. government, and not a law firm. Nothing here is legal advice, and we cannot guarantee any visa or immigration outcome.