Warsaw, Poland : The Immigration of Adopted and Prospective Adoptive Children to the United States
The U.S. Embassy in Warsaw processes immigrant visas for children adopted in Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine. There are immigrant visa procedures for children adopted in each of those countries that must be completed before you travel to Warsaw to apply for a U.S. immigrant visa for your adopted child or children. If you do not complete all the procedures required by the source country before arriving in Warsaw, the Embassy cannot process your child's immigrant visa and you will have to return to the source country to finish these requirements.
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It is important that you contact the U.S. Embassy upon your arrival in the country where you plan to adopt your child or children to register, if appropriate, and to learn of any last-minute changes in requirements. Hours of operation vary at each Embassy.
Belarus:
U.S. Embassy-Minsk, Consular Section
Department of State, Washington, D.C. 20521-7010
Telephone: 375/17/210-1283; Fax: 234-78-53
Local address: ul. Starovilenskaya 46, Minsk 220002
Web site: http://www.usis.minsk.by/html/adoption_procedures.html
Latvia:
U.S. Embassy-Riga, Consular Section
Department of State, Washington, D.C. 20521-4520
Telephone: 371/703-6200, or -0006; Fax: 781-4088
Local address: Raina Bulvaris 7, Riga LV-1050
Web site: http://www.usis.bkc.lv/embassy/adoption.htm
Lithuania:
U.S. Embassy-Vilnius, Consular Section
Department of State, Washington, D.C. 20521-4510
Telephone: 370/2/223-031; Fax: 312-819
Local address: Akmenu 6, Vilnius 2600
Web site: http://www.usis.lt/Consular.html
Ukraine:
U.S. Embassy-Kiev, Consular Section
Department of State, Washington, D.C. 20521-5850
Telephone: 380/44/490-4000; Fax: 236-4892
Local address: Vul. Pymonenko 6, Kiev
Web site: http://www.usemb.kiev.ua/consular/Adoptions.html
Introduction
A child adopted by an American citizen or citizens (including a child who will be re-adopted in the United States) needs an immigrant visa to enter the United States. * (*A child adopted by an American who resides, and intends to continue to reside abroad, may face difficulties in obtaining an immigrant visa. U.S. immigration law provides a special option for children in these unusual circumstances. Please contact the Consul directly for further details.) This visa can only be issued after the Embassy has received preliminary approval from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, and the additional requirements discussed in the following pages have been met.
U.S. law requires either a final adoption decree or a legal decree granting custody for adoption abroad in order to obtain a U.S. immigrant visa for the child. This decree must be from a court in the country of the child's citizenship or habitual residence. Polish law mandates that Polish children must be adopted in Poland; therefore, a final Polish adoption decree is required before a U.S. immigrant visa can be issued to a Polish orphan.
In addition, there are several other important requirements that must be met before an immigrant visa can be issued. The fact that a court has approved an adoption is not enough to qualify an adopted child for a U.S. immigrant visa. In Ukraine, for example, certain documents used in the adoption, including the court decree and the child's new birth certificate, must be authenticated at the U.S. Embassy in Kiev. Failure to complete this requirement of Ukrainian law means that the Embassy in Warsaw cannot process the child's visa.
The Embassy in Warsaw has made every effort to ensure that this guide is complete and accurate. Individual cases vary, however. In addition, the Embassy in Warsaw cannot advise parents on adoption laws in Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania or Ukraine, which may change without prior notice. It is therefore crucial to plan for contingencies, delays and unexpected new requirements.
Terminology used in this guide:
Petitioner: the U.S. citizen parent who files a petition through the Embassy or INS on behalf of an adopted child, asking that the child be granted an immigrant visa to the U.S.
Beneficiary: the foreign citizen, in this case, the orphan, who will come to the U.S. as a result of a petition being approved on his/her behalf.
INS: the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service.
Naturalization: the legal process by which an alien becomes a U.S. citizen.
Affidavit of Support
A properly executed Affidavit of Support (Form I-864) must be submitted for all family-based immigrant visas, including orphan visas. This affidavit is a legally binding contact and is required by law. The form can be obtained at http://www.travel.state.gov . Please review the instructions very carefully and note the following:
The petitioner must include all the required supporting documents, such as federal tax returns for the three most recent tax years. The I-864 must be signed and notarized. If the petitioner is married and filed a joint tax return, the I-864 must be executed by the party whose income is being used to meet the financial support requirement. It must either be accompanied by the W-2 of the executing party or by an I-864A cosponsor form executed by the joint filer. A separate signed and notarized I-864 is required for each child.
Inclusion of the I-864 and its supporting documentation are congressionally mandated and the Embassy does not have the authority to waive this requirement. No visa can be issued without a properly executed I-864.
Vaccinations
U.S. immigration law requires certain vaccinations prior to the issuance of an immigrant visa for an adopted child. This vaccination requirement can be postponed if the child is under the age of ten; however, the adopting parent must sign an affidavit before the child's arrival in the United States attesting that, within 30 days of the child's admission to the U.S., or at the earliest time that is medically appropriate, the child will receive the required vaccinations. This affidavit is in a prescribed form; a copy is attached or can be obtained at http://travel.state.gov. Since many orphans adopted in this region already have a record showing they have received a standard series of vaccinations, the vaccination requirement can be satisfied in many cases by bringing this record to the medical examination so that the Embassy panel physician can certify it. Please see the information on Affidavit Concerning Exemption from Immigrant Vaccination Requirements for a Foreign Adopted Child.
Citizenship of an Adopted Child
As a result of a change in U.S. law, any orphan adopted by an American citizen who enters or has already entered the U.S. holding an immigrant visa automatically become a U.S. citizen and no longer needs to file for naturalization with INS. Citizenship is conferred by operation of law, without any further action required on the part of the child's new parents. This change in U.S. law has no effect on the immigrant visa issuance process. As before, the child must have a passport issued by his/her native country, as well as a U.S. visa, to enter the U.S. for the first time. In order to document the child's automatic U.S. citizenship, which in most cases means issuance of a U.S. passport, the adoptive parent(s) should stay in close touch with INS regarding procedures to follow.
Despite the automatic conferral of U.S. citizenship, the child also may remain a citizen of his/her native country, depending on the laws of that country.
Under the law, the Child Citizenship Act of 2000, children adopted from abroad by U.S. citizens receive the same treatment as children born abroad to U.S. citizens. A child whose adoption is completed abroad becomes a citizen immediately upon entering the U.S. as a lawful permanent resident. In cases where the child is coming to the U.S. for purposes of adoption (but has not yet been adopted, the IR-4 category), that child becomes a citizen (having previously entered the U.S. as a lawful permanent resident) the moment the adoption becomes final. Automatic citizenship is conferred on any child who meets the conditions mentioned above, regardless of the date of the child's adoption or entry into the U.S.
In those cases in which the parents have already applied for naturalization and the application is pending with INS, the child becomes a citizen on Feb. 27, 2001 and no longer needs to be naturalized.
A child adopted by a U.S. citizen, or being taken to the U.S. for purposes of being adopted, usually does not qualify for a visitor's visa to the United States. The only exception is a child adopted by Americans who are residing abroad on a long-term basis and who will be returning with that child to their overseas home after a short visit in the United States.
How to Get Started:
Form I-600A
The I-600A, Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition, is the form that allows prospective adoptive parents to receive advance approval to adopt abroad before a specific child has been located.
The prospective parents file form I-600A with the INS office having jurisdiction over their place of residence. They may file this application before they have identified a particular child or children to adopt. If the parents have indicated they hope to adopt a child/children from Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, or Belarus, INS will send a formal notice of approval to the Embassy in Warsaw. This formal notice may be sent from INS by telegram or fax, or the original application itself may be forwarded to the Embassy. The official notice procedures may take several weeks. At around the same time, a second approval notice (Form I-171H) is sent to the adoptive parent(s). The Embassy, however, cannot process a visa solely on the basis of the I-171H approval notice.
An approved I-600A is valid for 18 months from date of approval, provided the prospective parents' circumstances do not change. (Alterations in the parents' circumstances - marriage, divorce, change of residence, change of employment, additional dependent, etc. - requires an amendment to the home study and a revalidation of the I-600A.) The adoptive parents must apply for an extension of the petition with the INS office that approved the original application if they wish to adopt a child abroad after their I-600A has expired.
The INS approves prospective parents to adopt a specified number of children, based on the home study. The INS informs the Embassy of the number of children the prospective parents may adopt, as well as any limitations on those children (i.e., ages, health conditions.) The Embassy can only issue immigrant visas to the number of children for which the adopting parents have been pre-approved. If adopting parents wish to adopt more children than noted in their I-600A, they must contact the INS office in the U.S. where they filed their I-600A to obtain approval for additional children. In some cases, it may be necessary for the adopting parents to submit an updated home study in order to receive approval to adopt additional children. We recommend that prospective adoptive parents confirm they have INS approval for the number of children they wish to adopt before they leave the United States.
If prospective adoptive parents are residing outside the United States, their I-600A application should be filed with the appropriate overseas INS office. The Embassy can provide prospective adoptive parents with information on how this is done.
Form I-600
Once the adoptive parents have identified a particular child or children they wish to adopt, they must file a form I-600, Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative, on behalf of each child they wish to adopt. The I-600 is a petition to certify that the child is an orphan eligible to apply for a U.S. immigrant visa. A visa cannot be issued unless a valid, signed I-600 has been submitted on behalf of the child.
If the adoptive parents have an approved I-600A on file at the Embassy in Warsaw, they may file the I-600 in person at the Embassy. (If the adoptive parents do not travel to Warsaw or if they do not have an approved I-600A, however, the I-600 must be filed with INS.) There is no charge for one I-600 if the prospective parents have already filed an I-600A. In cases where I-600's are filed for multiple children who are not siblings, however, the fee is $460* (*This charge, as all other fees associated with immigration, is subject to change.) for each additional (non-sibling) child. (The first I-600 is free.)
Each adopting parent must sign the I-600 personally. If one parent remains in the U.S. during the adoption process, that parent must complete and sign the I-600 after the child has been identified. One parent cannot sign the I-600 for another parent, even with a Power of Attorney. An I-600 that was signed before a particular child was identified is invalid and cannot be accepted.
Approval of the I-600
The INS has primary responsibility and authority to approve the I-600 petition. The INS has delegated to the Embassy the authority to approve I-600 petitions only when the INS has already approved the petitioners' I-600A and the I-600 petition is clearly approvable. If the petition is not clearly approvable, the Embassy must refer it to the regional INS office in Vienna for adjudication. (For example, a petition is not clearly approvable if there is any question as to whether the child meets the definition of orphan under U.S. immigration law, as explained in Determining that the Child is an 'Orphan' below.)
The fact that the Embassy cannot approve a child's immigrant petition does not mean that the petition has been rejected. Only the INS can deny petitions. Prospective adoptive parents should be aware that it may take several weeks to several months for the INS to adjudicate an I-600.
Determining that the Child is an "Orphan"
In order to qualify for an immigrant visa as an adopted child of an American citizen, the child must be under the age of 16 at the time of the filing of the I-600 and meet the definition of "orphan" in the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, as amended. The only exception to the age criterion is for a child under age 18 who otherwise meets the definition of orphan and who was/will be adopted together with a sibling who is under age16.
Under this law, an "orphan" is a child who has no parents because of the death or disappearance of, abandonment or desertion by, or separation or loss from both parents. An orphan is also a child whose sole or surviving parent has forever and irrevocably released him or her for adoption and emigration because that parent cannot properly care for the child.
An "orphan" is a child who has no parents because of any combination of the following:
The natural parent has died. In this case, the death certificate should be presented at the time of the immigrant visa interview.
The parent has been permanently deprived of his/her parental rights by court decree for cause and the child has become a ward of the State. The parent must have been properly notified and granted the opportunity to contest such action. In this case, the court record of the permanent termination of the parent's rights is required.
The parent abandoned or deserted the child. This means the parent has willfully forsaken all parental rights and claims to the child without transferring (or even intending to transfer) those rights to any specific person. The State has stepped in and assumed custody of the child (i.e.: placed the child in an orphanage.) In this case, the court record of the permanent termination of the parent's rights is required.
The parent has unaccountably or inexplicably disappeared, his/her whereabouts are unknown, there is no reasonable hope of his/her reappearance, and the appropriate local authorities have made a reasonable, but unsuccessful, effort to locate him/her. In this case, a copy of the court's determination that the parent cannot be located is required.
An "orphan" may also be a child who meets one of the following descriptions:
The child has only one surviving parent and has no stepparents. This surviving parent is unable to provide care and support for the child according to local standards and has irrevocably and in writing relinquished his/her parental rights. In this case, the court documents regarding the relinquishment of the birth parent's rights are required, as well as proof that the parent cannot provide proper care for the child.
The child has a sole parent. The child was born out of wedlock, has no step-parents, has not been legitimated, and the natural father (a) is unknown, (b) has disappeared or abandoned the child (see above definitions), or (c) has in writing irrevocably renounced his parental rights and released the child for emigration and adoption. The natural mother is unable (i.e.: financially, emotionally, etc.) to provide proper care for the child. In this case, the following are required: legal documentation of the status of the father; evidence of the mother's inability to provide care, and court approval of her relinquishment of parental rights. (Please note: If the child has never been recognized by his/her biological father, the adopting parents must submit a court declaration stating that under local law, an unestablished biological father has no parental rights.)
"Direct"or "Private" Adoptions
In a "direct" or "private" adoption, the child is never placed in an orphanage, but is entrusted directly to the adopting parents or their representatives by the birth parent(s). Polish law generally prohibits such adoptions. Other countries, including Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania and Ukraine, may have similar laws. INS does not consider the parental decision to place the child with a specific family to be "abandonment." A child "directly" adopted, therefore, will only meet the U.S. definition of an orphan and be eligible for a U.S. immigrant visa if he/she meets the definition of orphan due to having been relinquished by a sole or surviving parent as described in the previous section. Before considering "direct" adoptions in any country, but particularly in Poland, Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania or Ukraine, please contact the State Department's Office of Children's Issues.
The Embassy often cannot approve the I-600's of "directly adopted" children and must forward them to INS Vienna for adjudication. If the INS determines that an adopted child does not qualify for immigration as an orphan to the U.S., the adoptive parents can appeal that decision through an INS administrative appeals process. As an alternative, one or both parents can reside outside the U.S. with the adopted child for a total of two years. The adopted child would then be eligible to emigrate to the U.S. under a different immigrant visa category.
IR-3 and IR-4 Immigrant Visas
A different type of immigrant visa is issued depending on whether the orphan has already been adopted abroad or will be adopted (or re-adopted) in the United States. U.S. immigration law does not recognize a foreign adoption as final unless the adoptive parents have physically seen the child prior to or during the foreign adoption proceedings.
If both parents have met the child before the foreign adoption was finalized, the child can be issued an IR-3 visa. Parents are required to establish that they met the child prior to adoption. In Ukraine, for example, the final court decree authorizing adoption typically contains this information, and this matter is addressed during the final immigrant visa interview at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw. A child who enters the U.S. on an IR-3 visa does not need to be re-adopted in the United States. The typical first step for parents arriving in the U.S. with a child on an IR-3 visa is to contact the local INS office regarding expedited naturalization of an orphan adopted overseas.
If only one or neither of the adoptive parents has met the child before the foreign adoption was finalized, the child must be re-adopted in the United States. In such a case, the child is issued an IR-4 visa. The prospective parents must submit all the documents required for an IR-3 visa, plus an approved home study and proof that the pre-adoption requirements of their state of residence, if any, have been met. The parent who has not met the child must submit to the Embassy an original, notarized declaration of willingness to re-adopt the child in the United States. One parent cannot sign such a declaration on behalf of the other parent. If the adoptive parents have not satisfied all these requirements, the orphan petition must be forwarded to the INS for adjudication.
The Embassy Visa Interview
U.S. law requires that the adopted child, regardless of age, be brought to the Embassy for a personal appearance before a consular officer at the time of the interview for the immigrant visa.
The adopting parents may set a date for the formal immigrant visa interview after the adoption has been finalized and all the necessary documents have been obtained. In Poland and Latvia, for example, an adoption generally becomes final 21 days after the adoption hearing. This period varies, depending on the country of adoption. In Ukraine there is usually a 10-day waiting period after the completion of the court hearing before the adoption is considered final. In some cases, the judge may waive this 10-day waiting period.
While we appreciate that adopting parents are usually eager to return to the U.S. as quickly as possible, parents should realize that an immigrant visa cannot, under any circumstances, be issued until all necessary documents have been obtained. Since some required documents are not available until after the adoption is final, no immigrant visa can be issued until the adoption is final. In most cases in Poland, parents or their helpers are able to obtain all the necessary documents and translations five to seven working days after the adoption is final. This means that it typically takes between four to six weeks from the time of the adoption hearing to the time of immigrant visa issuance.
PARENTS ARE ASKED TO CONTACT THE CONSULAR SECTION AT THE EMBASSY IN WARSAW, 48/22/628-3041, TO SCHEDULE THE FINAL VISA INTERVIEW AT LEAST TWO WORKING DAYS BEFORE THEIR PLANNED DEPARTURE FROM POLAND IN ORDER TO ALLOW EXTRA TIME IN CASE PROBLEMS ARISE IN THE VISA PROCESSING. PLEASE INDICATE THAT YOU ARE CALLING ABOUT AN APPOINTMENT DATE FOR AN ADOPTED CHILD OR CHILDREN TO OBTAIN AN IMMIGRANT VISA.
Visa appointments are scheduled between 9 and 11 a.m. -- to allow enough time to prepare the visa for pick-up at approximately 3 p.m. that same day. Under no circumstances can a visa be issued outside of working hours.
At the final interview, the documents listed in "Required Documents for IR-3 and IR-4 Visas" must be submitted, AND the child must be present. If the I-600 has not been signed, then both parents must sign the form at the final interview. The adoptive parent or his/her designated representative must also sign the immigrant visa application form on behalf of the child. In order to comply with local legal requirements in Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania and Ukraine, the "Overseas Orphan Investigation" (Form I-604) must be completed by the consular officer at the U.S. Embassy in the country in which the adoption was done. The I-604 has two purposes: to verify that the child is an "orphan," and to identify any significant medical condition not shown on the petition.
If neither parent is staying in Poland until visa issuance, the visa can be issued to the parents' attorney or to another person they designate. If neither parent can pick up the visa, both parents must sign a release authorizing the Embassy to release their child's visa to a specific person, including that person's passport or ID number.
If everything is in order, the child's immigrant visa is issued at about 3 p.m. on the day of the final interview. Adopting parents can plan to depart from Warsaw after the visa has been issued.
Length of Visa Validity
The immigrant visa is valid for 180 days from date of issuance. Do NOT open the sealed envelope that comes with the visa, or detach the cover page. Documents submitted to the Embassy are in the visa packet. They are not returned. The Embassy does not keep copies of any documents you submit, nor are those documents available from the INS once you return to the United States. Therefore, adopting parents should obtain extra originals or certified copies of the adoption decree and the child's new birth certificate for their personal use in the future. The visa package should be in your carry-on luggage and must be presented intact to the INS at the port of entry.
Required Documents for IR-3 and IR-4 Visas
1. Confirmation from the INS of an approved and valid I-600A;
2. Completed I-600 with original signatures by both adoptive parents;
3. Immigrant visa application form (OF-230, Parts I and II, available from the Embassy), signed by one parent on behalf of the child in the presence of a consular officer;
4. Three color photographs of the size used for Polish passports, showing the child's right 3/4 profile;
5. Results of the child's immigrant visa physical exam, including a vaccination report. A signed and notarized affidavit regarding deferral of vaccinations must be presented if there is no vaccination report in the medical exam results;
6. Immigrant visa fee of U.S. $325 cash or the zloty equivalent at the Embassy's exchange rate; the Embassy can only accept clean, unmarked dollars in payment of fees, no personal checks or credit cards. Traveler's checks drawn on U.S. dollars only are accepted, provided the person paying has some form of picture ID. If any change is required, it is paid only in dollars;
7. Affidavit of Support form I-864 together with all required supporting documentation, such as copies of tax returns from the three most recent tax years. The Affidavit of Support should be signed and notarized by an American notary before coming to the Embassy. If this is impossible, a consular officer can act as a notary. A separate, complete, signed I-864 with a complete set of tax returns is required for each child who will receive a visa. Please review the I-864 carefully to make sure you have the required supporting documents.
Originals of the following documents with original certified English translations (For children adopted in Ukraine, these documents must be authenticated at the U.S. Embassy in Kiev. Please check with the Embassy in Kiev for procedural details, hours of operation, etc.):
1. The final adoption decree, declaring that the court has ordered the child's complete and unconditional adoption, or a court decree granting legal custody for emigration and adoption abroad;
2. The child's complete original birth certificate;
3. The child's new birth certificate, listing the adopting parents as parents;
4. Court records pertaining to the disposition of the birth parents' rights, including the fact that an unacknowledged father has no parental rights;
5. If applicable, records of the child's stay in an orphanage.
Additional requirements for an IR-4 visa:
1. Certified copy of the approved home study;
2. Evidence that the pre-adoption requirements of the adopting parents' state of residence have been met;
3. Evidence that re-adoption is legally possible in the parents' state of residence, if applicable;
4. Notarized statement from any parent who has not met the child that the parent intends to adopt the child in the United States.
SOME DOCUMENTS MUST BEAR THE ORIGINAL SIGNATURE OF BOTH PARENTS. PLEASE ENSURE THAT IF YOU ARE APPLYING FOR AN IR-4 VISA, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE ALL SUCH DOCUMENTS.
If an adopted child has any kind of defect, disability or disease, however minor, U.S. law requires that both adopting parents sign acknowledgments that they are aware of the child's health problem and are nevertheless willing to adopt the child. Faxed forms are not accepted. Each adoptive parent must sign his/her own acknowledgment; one parent cannot sign for another, even with a Power of Attorney.
By law, judges are allowed to request any documentation they deem necessary to confirm that the adoptive parents can provide a financially and emotionally stable environment. Adoptive families may want to bring copies of tax returns, property deeds or other documents that they believe will demonstrate their financial situation to the court at the time of the hearing. The Embassy suggests that families also bring a copy of the adoption laws of their state. Some judges desire to confirm that adoptive families have met all the requirements of the state in which they reside. The INS I-600A approval may not be considered adequate proof.
Medical Examinations for Adopted Children
Every adopted child must be examined by an Embassy panel physician before an immigrant visa can be issued. Parents are responsible for making an appointment with one of the physicians listed. The physical examination required for children is not exhaustive. If you wish your child to have a specialized examination or testing, you may ask the Embassy panel physician for a referral to a specialist. The fee, which has been established in agreement with the Embassy in Warsaw, is paid directly to the physician.
The medical examination process must be completed before the immigrant visa appointment. The medical examination and laboratory tests may only be done at the addresses given. Each applicant will be required to show his/her passport as identification at each step of the medical examination process. Medical examinations from other than the listed Embassy panel physicians are not accepted.
All applicants 15 years or older must have a full chest X-ray taken at one of the authorized laboratories, and a blood test for syphilis and HIV infection. Before leaving the X-ray lab, please make sure that the following information is imprinted on the X-ray itself: first and last name, passport number, date the X-ray was taken and the name of the X-ray lab. The chest X-ray must be taken to the U.S. Immigrant visa applicants under 15 do not need a chest X-ray or blood tests.
Applicants 15 years or older must bring the chest X-ray and the results of the blood tests with them to the doctor. In the case of children adopted in Poland, please bring the child's "Ksiazeczka Zdrowia Dziecka" (Child's Health Book) to the physical examination, along with a color passport-sized photograph of the child, and, if possible, the child's passport.
Results of the medical examination are valid for one year. All children aged 14 or younger must be accompanied by an adoptive parent or guardian. The panel physicians have the necessary forms in their offices. At the conclusion of the examination, the doctor completes a form and hands it to the parents in a sealed envelope to be delivered to the Embassy at the time of the final interview. For details on which labs are authorized to perform the X-ray and blood tests, please contact the Embassy.
Vaccination Requirements
U.S. law requires immigrant visa applicants to obtain certain vaccinations (listed below) prior to the issuance of an immigrant visa.
Panel physicians who conduct medical examinations on behalf of immigrant visa applicants must verify that immigrant visa applicants have met the vaccination requirement, or that it is medically inappropriate for the visa applicant to receive one or more of these vaccinations:
Mumps, Measles, Rubella, Polio, Tetanus and Diphtheria Toxoids, Pertussis, Influenzae Type B (HIB), Hepatitis B, Varicella, Pneumococcal, and Influenza.
To assist the panel physician, and to avoid processing delays, immigrant visa applicants should have their vaccination records available for the panel physician's review during the medical exam. Visa applicants should consult with their regular health care provider to obtain a copy of their immunization record, if one is available. If you do not have a vaccination record for your newly adopted child, the panel physician will work with you to determine which vaccinations the child may need to meet the requirement. Certain waivers of the vaccination requirement are available upon the panel physician's recommendation. Only a physician can determine which of the listed vaccinations are medically appropriate, given the age, medical history and current medical condition of the visa applicant.
The vaccination requirement can be postponed for children 10 and younger if an adopting parent signs an affidavit prior to the child's arrival in the United States attesting that, within 30 days of the child's admission to the U.S., or at the earliest time that is medically appropriate, the child will receive the required vaccinations. This affidavit must be done on the attached Department of State form, and must be notarized. The consular officer can notarize the document during the visa interview in Warsaw.
PHYSICIANS
The per-person fee for a physical exam in Poland is 130 zloty. An extra 20 zloty, which does not include the actual vaccine fee, may be charged for the vaccination requirement. Prices are subject to change. Contact a physician on this list directly for an appointment. Exam results are valid for one year.
Warsaw, Poland
1. Dr. Wanda Korulska, Warsaw (Mokotów), ul. Mi¹czyñska 41 (corner of ul. Spartañska). From Dworzec Centralny (Central Railway Station) - bus # 511. By car: from ul. Woronicza to ul. Spartañska and then turn right into ul. Mi¹czyñska. Appointment should be arranged by phone - tel. 844-02-77 - every day, 8:00-20:00.
2. Dr. Ewa Swoboda-Kopeæ, "Sylfium" Clinic, Warsaw (Wola), ul. Okopowa 25A, flat # 7. From Dworzec Centralny - tram # 22. Please call for an appointment - tel. 632-15-24. Examinations done Monday through Friday, 10:00-19:00, Saturday, 10:00-13:00. All required vaccinations can be done at this office.
3. Dr. Ewa Kruk, Private Consulting Room, Warsaw (Saska Kêpa), ul. Wandy 10A, flat # 26 (off ul. Zwyciêzców), tel. 617-15-73. From Dworzec Centralny - Bus # 501. From Dworzec Wschodni (Eastern Railway Station ) - Bus #123. Examinations done Monday through Friday, 10:30-18:00. Other appointments arranged by phone - tel. 613-59-49 (home) or cellular phone - tel. 0-601-306-939 - between 8:00-22:00. All required vaccinations can be done at this office.
4. Dr. Marek Kruk, specialist in internal medicine, Warsaw (Saska Kêpa), ul. Katowicka 31, tel. 617-30-21, Monday - Thursday, 8:00-17:00. After 17:00 and on Saturdays and holidays - tel. 0-601-214-672 or 615-27-75. Consulting room open Monday through Thursday, 8:00-17:00, Friday, 8:00-15:00 (lunch break 13:00-14:00). All required vaccinations can be done at this office.
Kraków, Poland
Dr. Jacek Markiewicz, Dr. Piotr Pieni¹¿ek, Dr. Wies³aw Piotrowski, Dr. Janusz Otfinowski.
Centrum Kardiologiczne "Amicor", Kraków, ul. OboŸna 31, tel. 633-91-73 or 633-59-06
Appointments must be arranged in advance. Registration open Monday through Thursday, 9:00-19:00, Saturday - 9:00-12:00. Blood samples taken Monday through Thursday: registration, 11:00-14:00, examination, 14:00-16:00.
Poznañ, Poland
1. Dr. Aleksander Piechowski, tel. 823-0508, Poznan, ul. Przybyszewskiego 49
Information and registration open Monday through Friday, 8:00-13:00 - tel. 869-1281 or 869-1287 - obligatory for X-ray, blood test and general physical examination.
2. Dr. Teresa Gertig, Poznanska Agencja Medyczna "HELP!" (Poznan Medical Agency "HELP!", ul. Strusia 11, tel. 865-2643. One tram stop - each tram from Dworzec PKP Zachodni (West Railway Station) in the direction of Gorczyn. Registration is open between 8:00-20:00.
Kiev, Ukraine
1. Clinic of the Oil Industry of Ukraine; 9, Protasiv Yar Spusk, Kiev 110, Tel.: 380/44/277-4181, 244-8941
2. American Medical Center (AMC); 1, Berdychivska St. Kiev, Tel.: 380/44/211-6555/56/57
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