Prospective adoptive parents who are considering an international adoption always have questions about the visa process. There are two main types of visas for bringing a foreign adoptive child into the United States, the IR-3, and the IR-4. There are some differences between the IR-3 visa, and the IR-4 visa. The legal processes are also different. We frequently review these two visas with clients who are in the international adoption process.
If you are considering bringing a child into your life, you will need an experienced adoption attorney. This is particularly true if you are adopting a foreign child, which is a very complex legal process. Hiring our Kansas adoption attorney will help you avoid tremendous heartache and headaches later. Call McDowell Chartered at (316)-269-0746 to discuss you situation.
The Two Types of Adoption Visas
As previously, there are two types of visas when you adopt a child internationally.
IR-3 Visas
An IR-3 visa, your adopted child becomes a U.S. citizen automatically when they enter the United States. IR-3 visas are typically issued when the adoptive parents go to the child’s home country and go through the adoption process in the child’s home country. The Certificate of Citizenship will then be issued as your child enters the U.S. and a copy is mailed to the parents months later. The advantage of the IR-3 visa is the registration/adoption/re-adoption process to attain citizenship is bypassed.
IR-4 Visas
The difference between an IR-3 visa and an IR-4 visa is that the IR-4 visa will not instantly and automatically grant citizenship to your child as they enter the U.S. These visas are typically used when only one parent goes to the child’s home country or if neither parent go to the the child’s home country, and the adoption process happens through a proxy or power of attorney.
When the child enters the United States, the adoptive parents must register/adopt/re-adopt the child in accordance with Kansas’s adoption laws for the child to attain U.S. citizenship. This is a straightforward legal process that may be handled quickly when everyone is home. After the registration/adoption/re-adoption process has been completed, the adoptive parents then apply for a Certificate of Citizenship.
What Should I Do If I am Considering an International Adoption in Kansas?
Our Kansas International Adoption attorney helps you successfully navigate the international adoption process. Call us today at (316)-269-0746 to schedule an appointment to discuss any one of many types of adoption with a full-service adoption firm.