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Notice for Guatemala “hogar” adoption cases

On September 17, 2009, the State Department Issued an Alert informing of the suspension of adoptions in Sierra Leone. The Government of Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children's Affairs suspended adoptions on May 29, 2009 due to concerns on the legality of adoptions and the welfare of adoptees.&

The U.S. Department of State is cautioning American citizens against filing an application to adopt a child from Liberia while the moratorium on adoption remains in effect. The U.S. Embassy remains in frequent contact with adoption officials, but there is no indication when the moratorium might be lifted.

On September 30, 2009 the U.S. State Department issued an Adoption notice informing the following: Kenya is party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention).  As such, all adoptions between Kenya and the United States initiated after April 1, 2008, must meet the requirements of both the Convention and U.S.

On September 29, 2009, the U.S.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that filing location of forms relating to the adoption of a foreign child under the Hague Adoption Convention has changed.  Beginning today, U.S.

Agency successfully meets 60-day implementation date

On December 9, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Help Haitian Adoptees Immediately to Integrate Act of 2010 (Help HAITI Act of 2010). This new law will make it possible for certain Haitian orphans paroled into the United States to become lawful permanent residents (LPR) of the United States and get green cards. Applications to get a green card under this law may be filed at any time on or before December 9, 2013.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today announced that it has published new versions of the Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative, Form I-600 and the Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition, Form I-600A .  The new date on the bottom of both forms is “12/30/09 N.” Due to the changes on the forms, previous versions will no longer be accepted after a 60 day transition period. 

The Department's Office of Foreign Labor Certification has established a mailbox for questions regarding LCA policies.  Those seeking policy guidance should submit a question to LCA.Regulation@dol.gov. Questions will be answered in the form of FAQs. The interested public should continue to direct all general inquiries regarding the H-1B program to the Chicago National Processing Center at LCA.Chicago@dol.gov.

Please check the attachment for "Minutes Of Asylum Division Quarterly Stakeholder Meeting".

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.

Release Date 

03/15/2023

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced today a fourth extension to a temporary final rule (TFR) requiring use of a USCIS interpreter at certain affirmative asylum interviews. This TFR extends the requirement through Sept. 12, 2023. After that date, affirmative asylum applicants who cannot proceed with the interview in English must provide their own interpreters.

Release Date 

04/21/2023

Effective immediately, USCIS is updating Volumes 5 and 12 of the USCIS Policy Manual to clarify how U.S. citizenship and naturalization provisions apply to adopted children.

This policy manual update consolidates and clarifies existing information in Volume 5 and supplements policy in Volume 12 of the Policy Manual on citizenship and naturalization. The updated guidance:

Release Date 

01/23/2023

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced that certain asylum applicants can now file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, online.

Effective immediately, applicants for employment authorization under category (c)(8), Pending Asylum and Withholding of Removal Applicants and Applicants for Pending Asylum under the ABC Settlement Agreement, may file Form I-765 online.

Media Note Office of the Spokesperson

Washington, DC
November 18, 2011

The Department of State is pleased to announce the release of the 2011 Annual Adoption Report to Congress, which coincides with National Adoption Month. This year, we welcomed Kazakhstan and Ireland as new parties to the Hague Adoption Convention. The Convention provides the best framework for ethical, transparent intercountry adoptions and ensures that adoptions are conducted in the best interest of children.

USCIS Ombudsman’s recommendations on how to improve the asylum clock. Topics include clearly defining the agency roles, improving communication, providing notice to applicants, and more.

Please check the attached memo.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced it cannot approve a Form I-800, Petition to Classify Convention Adoptee as an Immediate Relative, filed on behalf of a child to be adopted from Vietnam. The Department of State (DOS) has determined that Vietnam has not proven capable of meeting its obligations under The Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention).

Please check the attachment.

Release Date 

06/14/2024

Effective June 14, 2024, USCIS has updated the USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 5, Part D, to clarify how prospective adoptive parents can adopt a child under the Hague Adoption Convention.

This update (PDF, 324.66 KB) consolidates and clarifies existing guidance to provide clear requirements for the Hague process. The update: