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Aid/Community |
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INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION |
PHILIPPINES |
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The U.S. Embassy maintains current lists of doctors and sources for medicines, should either you or your child experience health problems while in Philippines. |
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Home study conducted by a licensed and accredited social worker of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, social service office of the local government unit or accredited child-placing agency
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Birth certificate of adoptive parent(s)
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Marriage contract or divorce, annulment, declaration of nullity, or legal separation documents for the adoptive parent(s)
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Written consent to the adoption by all children over the age of ten who are living with the petitioner
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Physical and medical evaluation by a duly-licensed physician
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Philippine National Bureau of Investigation police clearance
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Latest income tax return or other documents showing financial capability
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Three character references, namely from the local church/minister, the employer, and a non-relative member of the immediate community who have known the applicant for at least three years
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3X5-sized pictures taken within the last three years of the petitioner and his/her immediate family
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Certificate of attendance of pre-adoption forums or seminars
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Please note that U.S. citizens residing in the Philippines and adopting children while living in the Philippines are subject to additional requirements. These documents need to be authenticated: |
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Generally, U.S. civil records, such as birth, death, and marriage certificates must bear the seal of the issuing office. Then it must be authenticated by the state''s Secretary of State in your state capital, then by the U.S. Department of State Authentication''s office and then by the Philippine Embassy or Consulate in the United States. Check with the Philippine Consulate in the U.S. with jurisdiction over your state to see what seals and signatures the Consulate can authenticate. It may be possible to eliminate some of the steps if the Consulate has the seal of the local issuing authority on file. |
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Tax returns, medical reports and police clearances should likewise be authenticated, beginning with the seal of notary public in the United States or some appropriate issuing office. The notary''s seal should be authenticated by the county clerk where the notary is licensed or some similar authority. The document should then be authenticated by the state Secretary of State; (in your state capital) the U.S. Department of State Authentication''s Office, and the Philippine Embassy or Consulate. |
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A U.S. citizen interested in adopting a Filipino child while they are living in the Philippines must meet the following requirements: |
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Be resident in the Philippines for at least three years prior to the filing of the adoption petition and maintain such residence until the adoption decree is entered by a Philippine court |
Possess a certification of legal capacity to adopt issued by a diplomatic or consular office or any appropriate government agency. |
To fulfill the requirement for a certification of legal capacity to adopt, the Philippine government will generally accept an approved I-130 Petition for Alien Relative, I-600A Application for Advance Processing of an Orphan, or I-600 Petition to Classify an Orphan as an Immediate Relative. |
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The government may waive these requirements in the following cases:
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Be resident in the Philippines for at least three years prior to the filing of the adoption petition and maintain such residence until the adoption decree is entered by a Philippine court
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Possess a certification of legal capacity to adopt issued by a diplomatic or consular office or any appropriate government agency.
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To fulfill the requirement for a certification of legal capacity to adopt, the Philippine government will generally accept an approved I-130 Petition for Alien Relative, I-600A Application for Advance Processing of an Orphan, or I-600 Petition to Classify an Orphan as an Immediate Relative.
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The government may waive these requirements in the following cases:
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A former Filipino citizen who seeks to adopt a relative within the fourth degree of consanguinity, as defined under Philippine law
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A person who seeks to adopt the legitimate son/daughter of his/her Filipino spouse; or A person who is married to a Filipino and who seeks to adopt jointly with his/her spouse a relative within the fourth degree of consanguinity, as defined under Philippine law.
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U.S. citizens who are not resident in the Philippines and who are not eligible for a waiver of the above requirements may adopt orphan children only through the inter-country adoption process. Questions relating to inter-country adoption should be directed to: |
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The Philippine Inter-Country Adoption Board (ICAB)
P.O. Box 1622
#2 Chicago Corner, Ermin Garcia Streets
Barangay Pinagkaisahan, Cubao, Quezon City
The Philippines
Tel: 632-726-4568
Fax: 632-727-2026
E-mail: icaba@skyinet.net |
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A Filipino child adopted by an American citizen must obtain an immigrant visa before he or she can enter the U.S. as a lawful permanent resident. There are two distinct categories of immigrant visas available to children adopted by American citizens. |
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A Previously Adopted Child. Section 101(b)(1)(E) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act defines an "adopted child" as one who was adopted under the age of 16 and who has already resided with, and in the legal custody of, the adoptive parent for at least two years. Parents who can demonstrate that their adopted child meets this requirement may file an I-130 petition with the U.S. Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services in the Department of Homeland Security (BCIS) having jurisdiction over their place of residence in the United States. Upon approval of the I-130 petition, the parents may apply for an immigrant visa for the child at the U.S. Embassy in Manila. American citizens who believe this category may apply to their adopted child should contact the U.S. Embassy in Manila for more information. |
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An Orphan. If an adopted child has not resided with the adoptive parent for two years (or if the child has not yet even been adopted) the child must qualify under section 101(b)(1)(F) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act in order to apply for an immigrant visa. The main requirements of this section are as follows: |
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The adoptive or prospective adoptive parent must be an American citizen;
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The child must be under the age of 16 at the time an I-600 Petition is filed with the BCIS on his or her behalf;
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If the adoptive or prospective adoptive parent is married, his or her spouse must also be a party to the adoption;
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If the adoptive or prospective adoptive parent is single, he or she must be at least 25 years of age
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The child must be an orphan, as defined by U.S. regulations. Although the definition of an orphan found in many dictionaries is "A child whose parents are dead," U.S. immigration law and regulations provide for a somewhat broader definition. Children who do not qualify under this definition, however, may not immigrate to the U.S. as an orphan even if legally adopted by an American Citizen. The Department of State encourages Americans to consider if a particular child is an orphan according to U.S. immigration law and regulations before proceeding with an adoption. A detailed description of the orphan definition used by BCIS can be found on BCIS's web site at http://www.uscis.gov .
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I. The Petition. |
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Adoptive and prospective adoptive parents must obtain approval of a Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative (Form I-600) from the U.S. Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services in the Department of Homeland Security (BCIS) before they can apply for an immigrant visa on behalf of an orphan. The adjudication of such petitions can be very time-consuming and parents are encouraged to begin the process well in advance. |
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A prospective adoptive parent may file Form I-600A Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition with the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services in the Department of Homeland Security (BCIS) office having jurisdiction over their place of residence. This form allows the most time-consuming part of the process to be completed in advance, even before the parent has located a child to adopt. In addition, a parent who has an approved I-600A may file an I-600 in person at the U.S. Embassy in Manila . |
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Detailed information about filing these forms can be found on BCIS's web site at http://www.uscis.gov . Americans who have adopted or hope to adopt a child from Philippines should request, at the time they file these forms, that BCIS notify the U.S. Embassy in Manila as soon as the form is approved. Upon receipt of such notification, the Embassy will contact the parents and provide additional instructions on the immigration process. U.S. consular officers may not begin processing an orphan adoption case until they have received formal notification of approval from an BCIS office in the US. |
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| II. The Orphan Investigation |
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One part of the petition process that BCIS cannot complete in advance is the "orphan investigation". An orphan investigation Form I-604 Report on Overseas Orphan Investigation) is required in all orphan adoption cases - even if an I-600 has already been approved - and serves to verify that the child is an orphan as defined by US immigration law. This investigation is performed by a consular officer at the time of the child''s immigrant visa interview. |
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For Domestic Adoption-U.S. citizen adoptive parents residing in the Philippines will be sent the necessary visa information once the Immigrant Visa Unit receives an approved I-600 (Petition to classify an orphan as an immediate relative) from the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services in the Department of Homeland Security in Manila. For Inter-Country Adoption- please note that ICAB serves as a proxy for the adoptive parents during the entire inter-country adoption process (including the immigrant visa interview). In addition, the Inter-Country Adoption Act specifically prohibits contact between the child and the prospective adoptive parents until the ICAB has completed the matching process. ICAB strongly discourages adoptive parents from traveling to the Philippines until ICAB has received an immigrant visa packet on the child''s behalf. This policy reduces the potential emotional stress placed on the child or the adoptive parents. |
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Embassy of the Philippines
1600 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20086
Tel: 202-467-9300
202-467-9382
Fax: 202-328-7614
202-467-9417
E-mail: washpe@aol.com |
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Philippines also has Consulates in Los Angeles, California; New York, New York; San Francisco, California; Saipan, MP; Tamuning, Guam; Chicago, Illinois, and Honolulu, Hawaii. |
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Americans living or traveling abroad are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department’s travel registration website, https://travelregistration.state.gov/, and to obtain updated information on travel and security within the country of travel. Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency. The Consular Section is located at:
U.S. Embassy Manila
1201 Roxas Blvd.
Ermita, Manila
Philippines
Tel: 632-523-1001
Fax: 632-522-4361
Web site : http://www.usembassy.state.gov/manila |
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Note: Visa issuance after the final interview now generally takes 24 hours and it will not normally be possible to provide the visa to adoptive parents on the day of the interview. |
The U.S. also has a consular agent in Cebu. |
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Prospective adoptive parents are strongly encouraged to consult BCIS publication M-249, The Immigration of Adopted and Prospective Adoptive Children, as well as the Department of State publication, International Adoptions. |
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Specific questions regarding adoption in Philippines may be addressed to the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in Manila. You may also contact the Office of Children''s Issues, SA-29, 2201 C Street, NW, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC 20520-2818, Tel: 1-888-407-4747 with specific questions |
Information is also available 24 hours a day from several sources: |
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Telephone - Office of Children''s Issues - recorded information regarding changes in adoption procedures and general information, 1-888-407-4747.- State Department Visa Office - recorded information concerning immigrant visas for adoptive children, (202) 663-1225.- Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services in the Department of Homeland Security - recorded information for requesting immigrant visa application forms, 1-800-870-FORM (3676). |
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Internet - the Consular Affairs web site , at: http://travel.state.gov contains international adoption information flyers and the International Adoptions brochure. |
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Other information:
Consular Information Sheets - published by the State Department and available for every country in the world, providing information such as the location of the U.S. Embassy, health conditions, political situations, and crime reports.
from travel.state.gov bureau of consular affairs |
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