I-600, Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative
U.S. citizens use this form to request that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) classify an orphan as an immediate relative. The U.S. citizen adoptive parent or legal custodian files the petition to finalize the immigration process of a child who is not habitually resident in a Hague Convention country.
Form Details
Dates are listed in mm/dd/yy format.
If you complete and print this form to mail it, make sure that the form edition date and page numbers are visible at the bottom of all pages and that all pages are from the same form edition. If any of the form’s pages are missing or are from a different form edition, we may reject your form.
If you need help downloading and printing forms, read our instructions.
See the Form I-600 filing instructions for information on where to file.
You can find the filing fee for Form I-600 and supplements by visiting our Fee Schedule page.
You can pay the fee with a money order, personal check, cashier’s check or pay by credit card or debit card using Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions. If you pay by check, you must make your check payable to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
When you send a payment, you agree to pay for a government service. Filing fees are final and non-refundable, regardless of any action we take on your application, petition, or request, or if you withdraw your request. If you pay by credit card or debit card, you cannot later dispute the payment. Use our Fee Calculator to help determine your fee.
If you are submitting multiple forms, pay each filing fee separately. We are transitioning to electronically processing immigration benefit requests, which requires us to use multiple systems to process your package. We may reject your entire package if you submit a single, combined payment for multiple forms.
Please do not submit this checklist with your Form I-600. The checklist is an optional tool to use as you prepare your form, but does not replace statutory, regulatory, and form instruction requirements. We recommend that you review these requirements before completing and submitting your form. Do not send original documents unless specifically requested in the form instructions or applicable regulations.
If you submit any documents (copies or original documents, if requested) in a foreign language, you must include a full English translation along with a certification from the translator verifying that the translation is complete and accurate, and that the translator is competent to translate from the foreign language into English.
Did you provide the following?
- Proof of your Form I-600A approval (if applicable);
- Proof of the child’s age and identity;
- Evidence the child is an orphan as defined in INA section 101(b)(1)(F) and 8 CFR 204.3(b);
- Copies of the death certificates of child’s prior legal parents (if applicable);
- Certified copy of adoption or legal custody decree and certified translation; and
- Proof you have complied with pre-adoption requirements in the state of the child’s proposed residence (if applicable).
If you are filing concurrently because you did not file Form I-600A and instead are requesting a suitability and eligibility determination as part of your Form I-600 filing, did you also provide the following?
- Proof of your U.S. citizenship;
- Proof of your spouse’s name, identity, and citizenship, if not a resident of the United States (if applicable);
- A copy of your marriage certificate (if applicable);
- Proof you and your spouse terminated any previous marriages (if applicable); and
- A home study with original signature(s).
You must submit Form I-864 (or Form I-864EZ) with your visa application to the U.S. Department of State if your child will not automatically acquire U.S. citizenship under INA section 320 after being admitted into the United States.
Filing Tips for Form I-600
Complete all sections of the form. We will reject the form if these items are missing:
- Part 2 – Information About You (Petitioner)
- Family Name
- U.S. Mailing Address
- Part 8 – Petitioner’s Certification, Duty of Disclosure, and Signature
- Petitioner’s Signature
- Part 9 – Your Spouse’s Certification, Duty of Disclosure, and Signature
- Spouse’s Signature
- If you do not submit all 16 pages of your application
Filing Tips: Review our Tips for Filing Forms by Mail page for information on how to help ensure we will accept your form.
Don’t forget to sign your form. We will reject any unsigned form.
You must submit a home study with original signature(s) with your Form I-600 if you did not previously submit one with your Form I-600A. Please visit our pages on Suitability and Home Study Information and the Universal Accreditation Act (UAA) for more information.
You must complete Form I-600A/Form I-600, Supplement 1, Listing of Adult Member of the Household, for each adult member of your household. You do not need to complete one for yourself or your spouse (if married).
You may submit Form I-600A/Form I-600, Supplement 2, Consent to Disclose Information, if you want to allow us to disclose information about your case to your primary adoption service provider, home study preparer, or any other individual or entity (other than your attorney or accredited representative). We generally may not disclose information to other people, such as your adoption service provider, without your consent.
You must submit Form I-600A/I-600, Supplement 3, Request for Action on Approved Form I-600A/I-600, to request an extension, change of country, or other action after we have approved your Form I-600A/I-600. For more information about when you must notify us of significant changes, see our Updated Home Studies and Significant Changes page.
Please see the Form I-600 Instructions for more details.
Taiwan and Ethiopia Adoptions: For information on differences in these countries’ processes, please see the corresponding links in the Related Links section.