Because American Adoptions is a private domestic adoption agency, we cannot help our clients to complete international adoptions in Hawaii. However, as an adoption professional, it’s important to us that everyone has access to reliable information about adoption — whether that’s private adoption, foster adoption or international adoption in Hawaii. If you think adopting internationally may be the right move for you and your family, we hope you’ll use the following information as a guide to help you get started.

If you want more information about private domestic infant adoption, you can reach out to us today through our free online form.

The Hawaii International Adoption Process

While every adoption in Hawaii scenario is differently — particularly in international adoptions — it can be helpful to have a general idea of how to adopt a child from another country before beginning the international adoption process in Hawaii:

Step 1: Choose between the different countries to adopt from. Because different international adoption agencies in Hawaii work with different countries, the first step is to narrow down the list of your preferred countries to adopt from. It’s important to keep in mind that different countries have different requirements, as well as different costs, when you make this decision. 

Step 2: Choose an intercountry adoption professional to help you complete the Hawaii international adoption process. Once you have settled on the country you’d like to adopt from, it’ll be time to choose an adoption professional to help you get started. We recommend only working with agencies that are Hague-accredited, or in compliance with the Hague Adoption Convention, as dictated by the International Adoption Universal Accreditation Act of 2012. After you’ve selected an international adoption agency in Hawaii (or elsewhere in the U.S.), you’ll sit down with your social worker to determine the next steps in the Hawaii international adoption process.

Step 3: Apply for your adoption eligibility. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services must deem you eligible to adopt before you can do so. If you adopt from a Hague country, you’ll file Form I-800A. If the country you choose to adopt from is not a part of the Hague Convention, you’ll file Form I-600A.

Step 4: Find an adoption match. After the United States grants your adoption eligibility — in addition to the country you choose to adopt from — it’ll be time for you to match with a child. This may happen before you travel to your child’s home country or after, depending on where you choose to adopt.

Step 5: Apply for your child’s adoption eligibility. Before you can bring your child back to the United States, you’ll need to apply for their immigration eligibility. Depending on the form you previously filed for your own adoption eligibility, you’ll file either Form I-800 or Form I-600. After that form has been approved, you can apply for your child’s visa with Form DS-260

Step 6: Receive your child’s immigrant visa. Depending on a few factors, you’ll receive one of two visas for your child:

1. The IH-3 (Hague) or the IR-3 (non-Hague) visa. You’ll receive this if you and your spouse were both present for the child’s adoption in the foreign country and the adoption was finalized.

2. The IH-4 or IR-4 visa. This is the visa you’ll receive if one parent was not present or the adoption was not finalized in the foreign country. If this is the type of visa you received, your child’s adoption must be finalized upon return to the United States.

What is re-adoption, and when should families pursue it?

Re-adoption is the practice of finalizing your child’s adoption again upon return to the United States. If you received an IH-4 or IR-4 visa, you will be required to complete this step. However, we recommend always re-adopting your child in the United States, regardless of which type of visa you received. This is a process called international re-adoption and makes sure your child receives the same rights and privileges as any other citizen of the United States.

Hawaii International Adoption Agencies

To learn more about the international adoption process in Hawaii or to get started on adopting internationally, contact any of the following Hawaii international adoption agencies:

• Hawaii International Child

• Adopt International

• Holt International

Disclaimer
Information available through these links is the sole property of the companies and organizations listed therein. American Adoptions provides this information as a courtesy and is in no way responsible for its content or accuracy.