CITIZEN SERVICES
Adoption Checklist
Dear Prospective Adoptive Parent(s):
The National Visa Center has notified us that your petition has been approved. The petition indicates that you have chosen to adopt an orphan from Pakistan. Legal adoption, as defined by U.S. immigration law, does not exist in Pakistan. Therefore, you (the petitioner) must secure permanent legal custody of the prospective adoptive child under Pakistani law and that custody must be sufficient to allow the child to be taken from Pakistan and adopted in the United States. The adoption of the child must be completed in the United States. A child who enters the United States on an IR-4 visa will acquire American citizenship when the adoption is full and final in the United States.
In order to initiate the IR-4 visa process, you will need to submit the following documents to the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad on behalf of the prospective adoptive child:
- Notice of approval of I-600A
- I-600 petition
- DS 230
- Two visa photos - Petitioner
- Two visa photos - Spouse
- Two visa photos - Child
- Proof of citizenship - Petitioner
- Proof of citizenship - Spouse
- Marriage certificate
- Divorce certificate/death certificate, if applicable
- Valid fingerprint clearance - Petitioner
- Valid fingerprint clearance - Spouse
- Valid fingerprint clearance - Household member, if applicable
- Home study with original signature (valid for 12 months)
- Home study extension, if applicable (valid for 6 months)
- Child's birth certificate
- Proof child is an orphan
- Hospital records, if available
- Written statements from biological parents relinquishing parental rights
- Document's supporting child's identity and status (i.e., from adoption center, orphanage, police, etc.)
- Order from a competent authority granting guardianship/ permanent legal custody to prospective adoptive parent(s). Order should specifically state that child is allowed to be taken outside the jurisdiction of the competent authority for the purpose of adoption.
- Evidence State adoption requirements have been met
- Newspaper ad requesting information on birth parents, if required by competent authority
- Medical exam
- Affidavit of Support (I-864 signed by the petitioner, I-864A signed by the household member, and copy of federal income tax returns for last fiscal year)
Effective June 22, 2008, the Embassy is pleased to announce the addition of new, dedicated hours for adoptive families. Parents may now bring their documents to the American Citizen Services Unit at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad at 1:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding U.S. and Pakistani holidays. No appointment is required to submit documents. If the documents are complete, we will interview the child and the petitioner on the same day. At the interview, a consular officer will review the documents and determine if the child is eligible for a visa. All documents need to be presented in the original. If a document is not in English, then a certified English translation with photocopy is also required. In the absence of original documentation, only certified U.S. notarized copies will be accepted. If all is in order, the consular officer will issue the child's immigrant visa. Please note that there is a $400 processing fee for each visa.
If you have additional questions about adopting a child from Pakistan, please contact the American Citizen Services Unit at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad at +92-(0)51-208-2116 or +92-(0)51-208-2186, or via email at ACS_Islamabad@state.gov. Additional information on intercountry adoption may be found at http://adoption.state.gov/. Due to the high volume of calls and emails we receive on a daily basis, it may take us a few days to respond to your inquiry. However, we endeavor to respond to all calls and emails as quickly as possible.
Thank you,
American Citizen Services