How will the Hague Convention affect an adoption that is already in process?
The I-600a (or Application for Advanced Processing of Orphan Petition) has been the form filed with USCIS to begin an international adoption. Any adoptions where either the I-600a or I-600 has been filed before April 1, 2008 will not be affected by the new regulations in the United States. The adoption will be processed under the regulations in effect at the time the I-600 or I-600a is filed. Regardless of the US implementation policies, each foreign country has the option of requiring US adoptions to immediately conform to the requirements of the foreign country under the Hague Adoption Convention. Adoptions with non-Hague countries will continue unchanged under the existing process.
