US Embassy Adoption Interview 

The responsibility at the US Embassy interview is to review the process again and determine the following:

• Review the I-800 petition;
• Verify that the child meets the criteria as an orphan;
• Check that you have legal custody;
• Check the visa medical reports;
• Confirm that the child has a Thai passport.

Once your adoption has been approved by the Thai Adoption Board then will issue you with the needed documents to issue the child with a Thai passport. The Embassy will check that this is available. The following documents will be needed by the US Embassy so ensure that you have copies in the event that they need to keep certain documents such as the child’s new birth certificate and the adoption decree.  The documents needed at the interview are:

• Proof of your U.S. Citizenship (your passport)
• Marriage Certificate / Divorce and/or death certificate
• Verification of a favorably recommended home study
• Notification by USCIS of I-600A or I-800A approval
• Final adoption decree or official proof of custody from the country-of-origin
• The child’s birth certificate
• The child’s passport (from the child’s country of origin)
• The completed and signed medical examination report
• Police, military, or prison records, if required
• Three (3) frontal photographs of the child’s face
• The visa application (Form DS-230, Parts I and II)
• Completed I-600 petition (if it was not previously approved by USCIS) or I-800 petition.

Visa Checklist

Check with a lawyer in Thailand if you need assistance collecting the documents again or if you need assistance with obtain a Thai passport or registering the adoption at the local District Office. The adoption process can be time consuming and mistakes can creep in. See also the Translations and Residency.

As stated before that certain States in the US do not have rules for readopting so you should check your local laws so you know what to do when you return back to the US. You do however have to notify the agency in the US that you and your child have arrived back in the US so that the bi-monthly report can begin which lasts for 6 months.

On another note. If you arrive in Thailand you will obtain a 30 day visa waiver at the airport. You might want to consider obtaining a proper Thai visa at the Thai Embassy in your country in the event you wish to stay a bit longer than the 30 days. There is a 60 day tourist visa or a 90 day “O” visa which stands for “other”. Usually a letter from your attorney in Thailand to the Embassy asking for an “O” visa to be granted on the bases of the adoption might help.

Incoming search terms:

• thailand adoption us embassy (2)

The post US Embassy Interview appeared first on Thailand Adoption.

IH-4 visa for Thai: 

Is issued when a child is coming to the US from a Hague Convention country to be adopted.

Children with an IH-4 visa:

• IH-4 children do not acquire automatic citizenship upon entry to the US;
• IH-4 children become Permanent Residents when they enter the US;
• Also the IH-4 children automatically receive a permanent resident card (green card);
• IH-4 children automatically get citizenship on the date of their adoption in the US (if)
• IH-4 children are adopted before the child’s 18th birthday.

The IH4 Visa is issued if your child’s adoption was not completed abroad and/or both adopting parents (in the case of a married couple) have not met the child. In this case, adoption or readopting must be completed in the U.S. after which, citizenship will be granted automatically. However, IR4 or IH4 families must apply separately for a copy of their child’s Certificate of Citizenship. The final adoption process is completed back in the US with what is called readopting.

Always seek proper legal advice as this website is no substitute for proper legal advice but only to give you an overview of the adoption process. Once the child arrives in the US, you will need to activate the bi-monthly reporting which lasts for 6 months and you will also need to start the re-adoption process or post adoption process in the US in order for the child to obtain US citizenship.

See the adoption process overview.

Incoming search terms:

• IH-4 visa (2)
• Thailand orphan visa ih4 (1)

The post IH-4 Visa for Thai appeared first on Thailand Adoption.

Child Adoption  I-800A

The first list of question are only person identifiable information such as your name, surname, social security number and other contact details. The second question asks which country you are wanting to adopt from. You will note the warning that you cannot use this form for a child located in a non-Hague Convention country.

The third part is very important as you have to identify your current status in the US. This will affect how the adoption occurs. You will note the following options on the form:

• A person who is domiciled in the United States;
• A person who is domiciled in the United States, even if temporally living outside the US

The first option is not an issue however the second is. If you have lived abroad outside of the US and still are then the adoption process has a slight change. If as an example you are an American who has lived and still lives in Singapore and have lived there for more than 6 months then you need a Home Study done in Singapore even if you are an American. The process become more complicated as the child would need to be able to live in Singapore with you but also needs to be able to travel to the US and be able to become a US citizen. As stated on this website that inter-country adoptions are complicated and it is best to speak to an attorney who has experience with all these different needs.

Adoption Documents Needed

The remainder of the document is about marital status as well as any previous marriages which you had. The important section is question ten:

• Have you even been convicted, cited or arrested for a DUI?
• Also have you ever received amnesty or a pardon?
• Have you ever received a suspended sentence or placed on parole?
• Have you even been investigated for child abuse locally or in a foreign country?

Safe to say that if you have ticked yes to any of the above four. Then the likelihood of you getting permission for an adoption is going to be very slim to none. You will need to take legal advice in this situation. This as the adoption could be for your step children from a Thai fiancée/wife. You will need to provide all the documents for the incident that has occurred so that it can be viewed by Homeland Security and the USCIS. The above questions are also applicable to your wife.

Another note is that if you are married but separated then you cannot use this form unless you are living together as the I-800A is a joint petition. The US I-800A application when approved is valid for 15 months.

Speak to a lawyer if you are interesting in adoption in Thailand. The lawyer in Thailand will also be able to explain all of the above to you. The information provided above is only a guide and does not substitute for proper legal advice.

The post Child Adoption I-800A appeared first on Thailand Adoption.

Adoption Process US I-800

See the article on The Hague Convention as to how children are classified as non-Hague and Hague convention children. Thailand is a Hague Convention country so this is the correct form for that.

Process:

US I-1800A ————— Home Study ———————- US I-800

I-800 Application:

Note that if there are any changes since you had filed the I-800A then you cannot complete the form until the changes have been noted or changed. You will need to inform USCIS of any changes. Section 3 of the form is important as it is going to inform how you are going to bring the child to the United States. If you are a government employee abroad or in the armed services then this has to be noted in this part of the form. See the article on translations and residency to understand how this will work while abroad.

• Option a: You will apply for an immigrant visa even if you are temporary based abroad;
• Also option b: You will apply for a non-immigrant visa and apply for naturalisation while abroad;
• Option c: You will apply for adjustment of status

The most common options are (a) and (b). Most are option (a) but there are expats who adopt a Thai child and continue to live in Thailand which will more likely than not fall under option (b). The last option is rarely used in Thailand. For options (a) and (b) you would have to state that the visa for the child will be applied for at the US Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand.

Important: The US I-800A application once approved is valid for 15 months. Is this I-800 on time?

The rest of the I-800 forms is very basic and easy to understand. Since the child is being adopted in Thailand from an orphanage. If the child is not being adopted in this way then contact an attorney for further assistance as it will require more information about the adoption and the child.

Always take proper legal advice before embarking on an adoption abroad.

The post Adoption Process US I-800 appeared first on Thailand Adoption.