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CIS Ombudsman recommends USCIS to strengthen the Special Immigrant Juveniles (SIJ) program by standardizing practices, stop RFEs on state court determinations of dependency, and issue guidance regarding adequate evidence.

Please check the attachment to see the CIS Ombudsman Recommendation.

Media Note

 Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
July 2, 2012

Special Advisor for Children’s Issues Ambassador Susan Jacobs is visiting Guatemala from July 1-3 as part of a Congressional Delegation led by Senator Mary Landrieu. The delegation, which includes officials from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), is meeting with Guatemalan officials to discuss progress in resolving the remaining intercountry adoption transition cases.

On July 1, 2012, Montenegro became a party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention). However, the Department of State (DOS) has determined that Montenegro does not yet have a fully functional Convention process in place. DOS consular officers are unable to certify that adoption decrees or custody orders obtained in Montenegro for a child habitually resident in Montenegro have been issued in compliance with the Hague Adoption Convention. Without this certification, U.S.

USCIS interim policy memo for comment on amending the Adjudicator's Field Manual to provide further guidance on whether an “adoption” is valid for immigration purposes.