Ask the Consul
What are the new changes to the adoption process?
The Hague Convention provides
safeguards for children and families involved in inter-country adoption. The
Hague Convention took effect on April 1, 2008; therefore, new adoptive parents
will have to use the new process.
Cases filed before April 1st,
2008, however, will continue to be processed under the former procedures. The
new forms I-800A and I-800 have replaced the I-600A and I-600 forms. The visa
categories IH3 and IH4 will replace categories IR3 and IR4. In the Dominican
Republic, CONANI is the central agency handling adoptions and can provide the
following services available under the Hague Convention: identifying a child
for adoption and arranging an adoption; securing the necessary consent to
termination of parental rights and to adoption, performing background studies;
monitoring cases after placement; and facilitating provisional child care if
there are hindrances to the final adoption. You can call CONANI at 809-567-2233
or visit their web site:
http://www.conani.gov.do/.
For more information, potential
adoptive parents should check our website or contact U.S. Citizenship and
Immigration Services via their website: www.uscis.gov.
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