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Adoption Terminology

"A" Number: Alien Registration Number found in your child's passport. The A-number is written into the child's passport when you or your escort goes through immigration on entry into the US .

Abandoned or Foundling: A child that has been abandoned or relinquished by the birth parent(s) to the country's social services/adoption authorities.

Adoption: “Adoption is a legal process which creates the relationship of parent and child between individuals who are not each other's biological parent and child. Upon issuance of a judicial decree of adoption, the legal relationship of the adopted child and its biological parents and other members of its original family is completely severed. Adopted children become, for all legal purposes, the children of the adoptive parents." Joan H. Hollinger, 'Introduction to Adoption Law and Practice,' Adoption Law and Practice ed. Joan H. Hollinger (New York: Matthew Bender, 1989), 1-1.

Adoption Agency:  A public or private entity authorized to assume legal guardianship and to facilitate the adoptive placement of children. Licensing of adoption agencies is through state mandate. Hence, qualification requirements and other guidelines vary according to jurisdictional standards.

Adoption Decree: The document issued by the court when an adoption is finalized. The adoption decree states that that the adoptee is the legal child of the adoptive parents.

Affidavit: A legal document in which the party who makes it swears that the information contained in the document is true, and correct to the best of their knowledge.

Affidavit of Support: An I-864 Form, which is basically a statement verifying that you have sufficient financial means to provide for a child.

Apostille: An authenticating seal placed on a document by the state Secretary of State where the document was issued. Certain countries only accept this type of authentication on documents.

Attachment & Bonding: A child's formation of stable emotional connections with primary care givers and significant people in his/her life. If a child does not establish these connections he/she may later have difficulties with social relationships.

Authentications: A generic name for getting the proper seals and or certifications from specific authorities for international adoption purposes (Dossier). This could include includes certifications, notaries, and/or apostilles depending on country requirements.

Background Check: There are several kinds of background checks & clearances that may be required. Most states require a state criminal and child abuse clearance for people wishing to adopt. This is usually done by submitting fingerprint cards/getting electronically fingerprinted. In addition, the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Service (BCIS) conducts their own criminal clearance checks through the FBI. In addition to any state required fingerprinting, you will be fingerprinted at the BCIS regional/sub office closest to your home.

BCIS, Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services: On March 1, 2003, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and its functions were divided into various bureaus of that department. The people you will deal with throughout your international adoption are in the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services. Because you will technically be bringing a citizen from another country into the US when you adopt, that child is considered an immigrant and therefore subject to all immigration requirements of the BCIS. You will work through your regional BCIS office/sub office at various points in your adoption process: to get initial approval to adopt a child from abroad (I-600a, to include fingerprints, FBI background check). You will deal with the US State Dept. (US Embassy) who acts as BCIS representatives abroad and handles various requirements while you're in-country. You will deal with your regional BCIS again when you return home and if you want to obtain a certificate of citizenship.

Certificate of US Citizenship: In the past, adoptive parents had to apply for naturalization for their foreign-born children and children did not acquire US citizenship until the Immigration and Naturalization Service (BCIS) approved the application. Under current laws your child's US citizenship status is no longer dependent on BCIS approving a naturalization application. If you completed a full and final adoption abroad, your child is automatically a US citizen on the day he/she is admitted to the US as an immigrant. If you complete the adoption/re-adopt your child after your child has been admitted to the US as an immigrant (such as when an escort is used), your child automatically becomes a citizen on the day the full and final adoption is completed in the US. BCIS does not automatically provide adoptive parents with documentation of their child's citizenship. If you want proof of your child's U.S. citizenship, you may obtain a Certificate of Citizenship from BCIS (INS) and/or a U.S. passport from the Department of State. (You do not need a BCIS Certificate of Citizenship issued by to obtain a US passport for your child.) If you want a Certificate of Citizenship for your child, file BCIS Form N-643, Application for Certificate of Citizenship in Behalf of an Adopted Child, along with the required filing fee and paperwork.

Contract Social Workers: Social workers employed on a part-time basis by adoption agencies to provide specific services (e.g. home studies and post-placement services), but who are not members of the agency's staff.

Court Hearing / Court Date: Foreign courts generally require prospective adoptive parents to submit evidence of the child's orphan status/availability for adoption or guardianship, the child's identity, the acceptability of the prospective adoptive parents, and the clearance to adopt from the government of the prospective adoptive parents. A court hearing is a hearing within your child's country in which your documents and case requesting adoption of a specific child are reviewed and approved. Countries have various requirements regarding requirements for one or both parents to attend the hearing, acceptability of Power of Attorney representation, and waiting periods in which the outcome of the hearing may be contested or before documents will be signed.

Direct and Interagency Adoptions: Direct placements involve a single agency. Interagency adoptions refer to cooperative efforts between several agencies. This latter form is particularly common in intercountry adoptions.

Disruption: The dissolution of an adoptive placement following the issuance of a final adoption decree.

Dossier: A collection of documents prepared for adoption authorities abroad. This information, which may vary from county to county, describes your background and represents you to adoption authorities abroad. These documents will require some kind of authentication (e.g. apostilles or certifications/notaries depending on specific country requirements) and will be translated.

Embassy/Consulate: The United States has an Embassy or Consulate in countries where it currently maintains diplomatic relations. An Embassy can fulfill all exit requirements/visas for an adopted child. A Consulate can handle most of the exit requirements and the adoptive family may need to travel to the country's US Embassy later to complete exit requirements. See Exit Visa/Process.

Escort: Some countries do not require parents to travel to receive their child. These countries allow adoptive parents to exercise the option of using an escort to bring their child home. An escort is an individual who supervises the transit of children from sending to receiving countries.

Exit Visa/Process: The process/paperwork required for a child who has been adopted and now needs travel and immigration documents from the source country and the US Embassy before leaving the country (passport) and entering the US (immigrant visa). As a part of the immigrant visa application/exit process the child will be examined by a US-approved foreign physician to ensure that the child does have a medical condition that the adoptive parents don't know about. Also see Visa, below

Facilitators and Intermediaries: In contrast to domestic adoptions, where these terms are used synonymously, these terms take on different meanings in the field of inter-country adoptions. Facilitators are individuals or groups working in the United States who assist in arranging inter-country adoptions. Facilitators are not licensed by state authorities, but they often make their services available to licensed agencies. Intermediaries are individuals or groups working in overseas nations who assist in arranging inter-country adoptions. They are frequently attorneys. In recent years the roles of facilitator and intermediary are sometimes combined by individuals or groups working this country and in overseas nations.

Great Seal: An authenticating seal placed on a document by the state Secretary of State where the document was issued. Certain countries only accept this type of authentication on documents which then requires further authentication at the State Department level and usually legalization from the sending country’s US located embassy.

Green Card (also called Permanent Resident Card or Form I-551): Your child will enter the US on one of two types of immigrant visas. An immigrant visa gives permission to enter the US and apply for permanent residence. The proof of permanent residence (the right to live and work in the US permanently) is called a Green Card. This should process for your child, without your intervention, upon entry into the US through airport immigration. The Green Card should arrive within 2 month's of your child's arrival in the US. BCIS form G-731 may be used if you need to check the status of your child's Green Card. You may need your child's the Green Card for various other legal purposes such as readopting, obtaining a social security card, obtaining certificate of US citizenship.

Hague Convention on Inter-country Adoption: A multinational agreement developed at the beginning of this decade designed to promote the development of institutional structures for the supervision of adoption and to open lines of communication between sending and receiving countries. The United States has now ratified this convention. Only Hague Accredited adoption agencies can send or receive children with other Hague Signatory countries. If the sending country is not a Hague Signatory country, a non-Hague Accredited agency may still operate in that country.

Home Study: People who want to adopt a child must first be approved by a social worker approved to conduct adoption home studies in your state. This may or may not be the agency facilitating your international adoption (your adoption agency). The social worker will gather documents from you, interview you, come into your home once or twice, and counsel you concerning adoption. A home study shows that you can provide the stability and home environment that a child needs. Documents you may be required to provide include information about yourself, references, health statements from your physician, criminal records clearance, and a statement of finances. The home study process may vary somewhat by state. Your social worker will assist you with the specific requirements for your state.

I-171H Letter: A form letter from the BCIS stating that they have processed and approved your Application to Advance Process Orphan Approval (I-600A form) and that they have cabled the US Embassy abroad as indicated on your I-600A. Their decision to approve is based primarily on FBI fingerprint clearances and home studies.

I-600A Form, "Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition": For most people, this is the initial BCIS application submitted to their regional office/sub-office. The I-600A can speed up the adoption process in the US by allowing the BCIS to begin the part of the immigration approval regarding your ability to provide a proper home environment and your suitability as a parent. You do not need to have a completed Home Study or have identified a child or country in order to submit the I600A - the Home Study can be sent separately when completed, as well as information regarding which country's embassy to cable the approval to once the I600A is complete. You will be required to submit photocopies of birth, marriage (current) and divorce decrees, plus the BCIS fee. The specific requirements are outlined on the form. Note that there is an additional fee that you will need to include with your filing fee to allow BCIS to fingerprint all adults residing in home over age of 17. Fingerprinting starts the FBI background checks required by the BCIS for all adults in your household.

I-600 Form: "Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative": This form is required for all international adoptions. It is utilized by the US Embassy/BCIS when you are in country/going through the exit process/interview after your completed court hearing. The form is very similar to the advanced processing form (I-600A) form most people initially submit; with the exception that it is blue in color and states you have now identified your child. This form is used by the BCIS to determine whether the child the prospective parent(s) wants to adopt, meets the BCIS definition of an "orphan." If an I-600A was not previously filed, the prospective parent(s) will also be required to submit the documentation that would normally have been submitted with the I-600A.

I-864 Form: See "Affidavit of Support" above

Immigration and Naturalization Service: See Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration above

Immigrant Visa: See Visa below

Moratorium: When a foreign country temporarily closes its international adoption program for reasons such as in order to restructure their programs.

N-643, Application for Certificate of Citizenship in Behalf of an Adopted Child: (See Certificate of US Citizenship)

Naturalization: When a child not born in the US becomes a US citizen. (See also Certificate of US citizenship, N-643).

Notary: Authentication of a signature on a legal document. When the signature on a document has been witnessed by a licensed notary of the state it is said to be notarized. The notary will attach a document/stamped notation and seal to the document which verifies that they are a licensed notary and witinessed the signature. For some countries, this is just the first step in authenticating documents that will still need further authentication by county, state, US, and/or foreign authorities.

Passport: Passports are the identification documents/booklets, issued by the US State Department, which you will need to have with you in order to travel to a foreign country. Your passport must be current if you plan to travel to your child's country. Passport applications can be obtained and processed through specific post offices, federal buildings, and BCIS facilities. Your child will be issued a passport before exiting the foreign country, allowing him or her to begin the exit process at the US Embassy and subsequently leave the country/enter the United States. Your child's passport will be issued later by his/her native country.

Police Clearance: A criminal clearance issued by your local Police or Sheriff's Dept. This clearance may be required for your home study and/or included in your Dossier. This check/clearance will be in addition to the state clearances/background checks and the BCIS background check through the FBI.

Post Placement Report: Periodic reports due to your adoption agency and perhaps to your state's home study agency (depending upon agency/state/country). These reports help monitor your child's development, health, adjustment etc after the completion of an international adoption to ensure that things are going well. The number of visits (if any) and length of post-placement supervision/reporting varies from state to state & country to country.

Power of Attorney: Your written, notarized permission for someone other than yourself to represent you. A Power of Attorney is sometimes used to allow someone in your child's country to represent you at your child's adoption hearing/court date.

Re-adopt: When a family re-adopts or adopts a child again once back in the US. Although the foreign birth certificate of your child is legal and binding within the US , and although it is not generally required (unless both parents did not travel to see the child or unless a full and final adoption was not completed in country), re-adoption will result in a birth certificate (or delayed registration of birth) from the child's state of residence. Re-adoption will take place in the jurisdiction of the county court in which you live and may prevent problems getting copies of birth certificates later.

Receiving Country: The country into which a foreign born and adopted child will take citizenship and residence.

Referral: Your adoption agency will send you information about a specific child so you can decide if the child is right for your family. This is a referral. A referral usually consists of the name and birth date of the child, a photo, and some medical information. The quantity/quality of information varies from just a few vital statistics to a full battery of laboratory test results. Sometimes a video of the child is provided in addition to the photo and medical information. The prospective parents have a specific amount of time after a referral is made to decide whether to accept or decline the referral.

Revocation of Consent Agreements: Birth parents or legal guardians are permitted to revoke their consent to adoptive placements prior to the finalization of petitions to adopt. The period of revocation varies and could extend from a matter of hours to the finalization decree.

Sending Country: The country where your adopted child resided prior to joining your family.

Special Needs Adoptions: In inter-country adoptions, the phrase special need is limited almost entirely to physical disabilities, correctable and non-correctable.Termination of Parental Rights (TPR): This phrase denotes the final and irrevocable termination of parental rights and responsibilities. The judicial procedure can be either voluntary or involuntary.

Visa: A document issued by the country (for a fee) allowing a person to enter it's borders for a specific time and reason. In order to enter the US, your child will require an immigrant visa. This may be a piece of paper or a stamp in the child's passport by the Embassy. Prior to issuing an immigrant visa for your child, a Department of State Consular Officer must conduct an investigation, called "I-604 Orphan Investigation. The purpose is: (1) to verify the orphan status of the child and (2) to ensure that the child does have a medical condition that the adoptive parents don't know about. As a part of the immigrant visa application process and I-604 Orphan Investigation, your child will be examined by a US-approved foreign physician.

Your child will enter the US on one of two kinds of IR ("Immediate Relative") Immigrant Visas:

* IR-3: the child was adopted overseas and (1) the adoptive parent (if single parent) or both parents (if married couple) saw/observed the child prior to the adoption and (2) the foreign adoption grants both adoptive parents and child the same rights, responsibilities, & privileges as would an adoption in the US. Children issued IR-3 immigrant visas do not require re-adoption in the US under federal laws.

* IR-4: the child is coming to the United States for adoption. An IR-4 is issued to a child when (1) the foreign country's laws only permit the adoptive parents to obtain guardianship of the child rather than to fully adopt the child in that country and/or (2) the prospective adoptive parent(s) did not see/observe the child prior to the foreign adoption. Children issued IR-4 immigrant visas must be adopted or readopted after they enter the US. (Also see Re-Adopt, above).