International Adoptions - Paraguay

DISCLAIMER: The information in this circular relating to the legal requirements of specific foreign countries is provided for general information only. Questions involving interpretation of specific foreign laws should be addressed to foreign legal counsel.

Prospective adoptive parents are advised to fully research any adoption agency or facilitator they plan to use for adoption services. For U.S. based agencies, it is suggested that prospective adoptive parents contact the Better Business Bureau and licensing office of the Department of Health and Family Services in the state where the agency is located.

  Want to Adopt? Pregnant? Free Services click here

PLEASE NOTE: The Government of Paraguay has informed the American Embassy in Asuncion, Paraguay, that no new cases of international adoptions of Paraguayan orphans will occur until the Paraguayan Government opens its Center for Adoptions. In addition, the Government of Paraguay has indicated that even after the Center for Adoptions is opened, Paraguay will only deal with prospective adoptive parents who are citizens of countries which have ratified the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption.

The State Department's Office of Children's Issues recommends that Americans not attempt to initiate adoptions of Paraguayan orphans at this time.

GENERAL: The following is a guide for U.S. citizens who are interested in adopting a child in Paraguay and applying for an immigrant visa for the child to come to the United States. This process involves complex Paraguayan and U.S. legal requirements. U.S. consular officers give each petition careful consideration on a case-by-case basis to ensure that the legal requirements of both countries have been met, for the protection of the prospective adoptive parent(s), the biological parents(s) and the child. Interested U.S. citizens are strongly encouraged to contact U.S. consular officials in Paraguay before formalizing an adoption agreement to ensure that appropriate procedures have been followed which will make it possible for the Embassy to issue a U.S. immigrant visa for the child.

AVAILABILITY OF CHILDREN FOR ADOPTION: Recent U.S. immigrant visa statistics reflect the following pattern for visa issuance to orphans:

FY-1996: IR-3 immigrant visas issued to Paraguay orphans adopted abroad - 255
IR-4 immigrant visas issued to Paraguay orphans adopted in the U.S. - 3
FY-1997: IR-3 visas - 33, IR-4 visas - 0
FY-1998: IR-3 visas - 7, IR-4 visas - 0
FY-1999: IR-3 visas - 6, IR-4 visas - 0
FY-2000: IR-3 visas - 1, IR-4 visas - 0

U.S. IMMIGRATION REQUIREMENTS

A Paraguay child adopted by an U.S. 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 U.S. citizens.

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. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) having jurisdiction over their place of residence. Upon approval of the I-130 petition, the parents may apply for an immigrant visa for the child at the U.S. Embassy in Paraguay. U.S. citizens who believe this category may apply to their adopted child should contact the U.S. Embassy in Paraguay for more information.

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:

The adoptive or prospective adoptive parent must be an U.S. citizen;
The child must be under the age of 16 at the time an I-600 Petition is filed with the INS on his or her behalf;

If the adoptive or prospective adoptive parent is married, his or her spouse must also be a party to the adoption;

If the adoptive or prospective adoptive parent is single, he or she must be at least 25 years of age;

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 U.S. Citizen. The Department of State encourages U.S. 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 INS can be found on INS's web site at http://www.ins.usdoj.gov.

1 A child adopted at age 16 or 17 will also qualify, provided he or she was adopted together with a natural sibling who was under age 16.

U.S. IMMIGRATION PROCEDURES FOR ORPHANS

I. The Petition.

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. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) 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.

A prospective adoptive parent may file Form I-600A Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition with the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) 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 Paraguay.

2. If a married couple is adopting the child and only one of the parents will travel to Paraguay, that parent must be an American citizen. REMEMBER both parents must still sign the original I-600.

Detailed information about filing these forms can be found on INS's web site at http://www.ins.usdoj.gov. U.S. who have adopted or hope to adopt a child from Paraguay should request, at the time they file these forms, that INS notify the U.S. Embassy in Paraguay 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 INS office in the US.

II. The Orphan Investigation

One part of the petition process that INS 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. A consular officer performs this investigation at the time of the child's immigrant visa interview.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Prospective adoptive parents are strongly encouraged to consult INS publication M-249, The Immigration of Adopted and Prospective Adoptive Children, as well as the Department of State publication, International Adoptions.

QUESTIONS: Specific questions regarding adoption in Paraguay may be addressed to the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in Paraguay. You may also contact the Office of Children's Issues, U.S. Department of State, Room L-127, SA-1, 2401 E Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20522, Tel (202) 736-7000 with specific questions.

Information is also available 24 hours a day from several sources:

Telephone

Office of Children's Issues - Recorded information regarding changes in adoption procedures and general information, (202) 736-7000.

State Department Visa Office - Recorded information concerning immigrant visas for adoptive children, (202) 663-1225.

Immigration and Naturalization Service - Recorded information for requesting immigrant visa application forms, 1-800-870-FORM (3676).

Automated Fax

Contains the full text of the office's international adoption information flyers and general information brochure, International Adoptions. From the telephone on your fax machine, call (202) 647-3000.

Internet

The Consular Affairs web site at http://travel.state.gov contains international adoption information flyers and the International Adoptions brochure.

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. The information is available 24 hours a day by calling the State Department's Office of Overseas Citizens Services at (202) 647-5225. The recordings are updated as new information becomes available, and are also accessible through the automated fax machine and the web site.

© September 2001