Adoption from Jamaica

[mirrorjranch 0]

Hello,

My husband and I are adopting a child from Jamaica. I know there was a previous thread on this, but in this case the child is not related to us. Her mother is a friend through church association and requested we adopt her. We started the paperwork with the CDA in Trelawney. We already had international adoption paperwork completed because we were trying to adopt from Vietnam, which in the meantime has fallen through. So it is just a matter of getting things switched over (I-600A orphan petition) to Jamaica.

My questions are:

1. The caseworker in the Trelawney office said I would NOT need to get my paperwork authenticated. Does this sound right? We had to go through so much authentication for Vietnam adoption. Should I go ahead and do the authentication just in case? Will the U.S. Embassy ask for it in Kingston?

2. Would it be better to file the I-600 in our local office (San Antonio) which processed our I-600A, or would it be better to send it directly to the U.S. Embassy in Kingston? Our U.S. Representative said his office would help us with getting things processed faster, and I wonder if that would work better with the San Antonio office than with Kingston.

Thank you very much for your responses.

Janice

[Boiler 45,945]

I thought the I 600 was for orphans. Just seen that you said that.

Is the child an orphan?, the way you worded it suggests not.

Edited September 11, 2008 by Boiler

[*JG* 2]

I would get it authenticated.

I would go through the US office. The Jamaican embassy can be very unhelpful most of the time.

[mirrorjranch 0]

I thought the I 600 was for orphans. Just seen that you said that.

Is the child an orphan?, the way you worded it suggests not.

The child is not literally an orphan, as mother and father are both living. Mother will sign over her rights. The CDA told us the father does not have to, he is denying the child. The I-600 is the only petition I know of for an international adoption. USCIS will investigate to see if the child meets the definition of orphan.

FYI our I-600A has already been approved, we have the I-171H (notice of favorable determination) and are in the process of switching the issuing country from Vietnam to Jamaica.

According to http://travel.state.gov/family/adoption/info/info_449.html ~

"WHAT IS AN ORPHAN?

If an adopted child has not resided with and been in the legal custody of the adopting parent for at least two years (or if the child has not yet even been adopted) the child must qualify as an orphan under section 101....of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act in order to apply for an immigrant visa. The main requirements of this section are as follows:

The child must be under the age of 16* at the time an I-600 Petition is filed with the USCIS or a consular officer on his or her behalf;

The child meets the U.S. immigration law definition of “orphan” because:

The child has no parents due to the death or disappearance of, abandonment or desertion by, or separation from or loss of both parents; or

The sole or surviving parent is incapable of providing proper care and has, in writing, irrevocably released the child for emigration and adoption**;

The adopting parents must have completed a full and final adoption of the child or must have legal custody of the child for purposes of emigration and adoption in the U.S.; and

The child has been or will be adopted by a married U.S. citizen and spouse jointly, or by an unmarried U.S. citizen at least 25 years of age, with the intent of forming a bona fide parent/child relationship......"

I guess the birth mother is considered the "sole or surviving parent"? We have records that she cannot provide proper care; her church has been furnishing her with milk & diapers for the child.

Edited September 11, 2008 by mirrorjranch

[mirrorjranch 0]

I would get it authenticated.

I would go through the US office. The Jamaican embassy can be very unhelpful most of the time.

Thank you!

[mirrorjranch 0]

I would get it authenticated.

I would go through the US office. The Jamaican embassy can be very unhelpful most of the time.

Do you think authentication from the Texas Secretary of State is enough, or should I also go through the US authentication office and the Jamaican Embassy? Do you think I can go through the Honorary Consul in Houston, Texas, which is closer to my home, or should I go to the "official" Consulate in Miami for authentication? I'm so confused.

How helpful is the Embassy in Kingston when you finally get there for the visa? Should I be prepared to be grilled? Should the birth mother go with us?

I appreciate any suggestions.

Janice

[Boiler 45,945]

The sole or surviving parent is incapable of providing proper care and has, in writing, irrevocably released the child for emigration and adoption

Sounds like you need a lawyer who is familiar with the above, and with how the US Consulate views this.

The first part of the sentence to me seems factual, the second subjective.

[*JG* 2]

The sole or surviving parent is incapable of providing proper care and has, in writing, irrevocably released the child for emigration and adoption

Sounds like you need a lawyer who is familiar with the above, and with how the US Consulate views this.

The first part of the sentence to me seems factual, the second subjective.

It is really not as difficult as you think in JA. I think she's fine.

[*JG* 2]

I would get it authenticated.

I would go through the US office. The Jamaican embassy can be very unhelpful most of the time.

Do you think authentication from the Texas Secretary of State is enough, or should I also go through the US authentication office and the Jamaican Embassy? Do you think I can go through the Honorary Consul in Houston, Texas, which is closer to my home, or should I go to the "official" Consulate in Miami for authentication? I'm so confused.

How helpful is the Embassy in Kingston when you finally get there for the visa? Should I be prepared to be grilled? Should the birth mother go with us?

I appreciate any suggestions.

Janice

First of all, take a breath.....I can hear you hyperventilating while you type. It's going to be okay.

I think you can stick to the Texas offices. If they need more, they will tell you way ahead of time. Your home state should be just fine though.

Not so much grilled.....they will be nice once you finally get there. But, yes, be prepared to answer a lot of questions. Make extra sure everything is neatly put together and readily available should you need to make a point by using some paperwork. I always suggest 2 copies....one for you to refer to and one for them to have if they need it and for their reference.

I would definately ask the mother to come along. Reason being in the visa process, the JA embassy seems to be really hell bent on having everyone involved in front of them at the embassy for any reason right now. They may not want to see her or talk to her; but it will make things a lot easier if they know she is there and maybe if they want to ask her some questions. It absolutely cannot hurt for them to know she supports your adoption.

[mirrorjranch 0]

I would get it authenticated.

I would go through the US office. The Jamaican embassy can be very unhelpful most of the time.

Do you think authentication from the Texas Secretary of State is enough,....

First of all, take a breath.....I can hear you hyperventilating while you type. It's going to be okay.

I think you can stick to the Texas offices. ...

...be prepared to answer a lot of questions. Make extra sure everything is neatly put together and readily available should you need to make a point by using some paperwork. I always suggest 2 copies....one for you to refer to and one for them to have if they need it and for their reference.

I would definately ask the mother to come along. ....

You have been very helpful and I appreciate it! It seems the requirements are so much stricter for Vietnam but I want to make sure I don't miss a thing. We had already talked to the birthmom about coming to Kingston with us at the end, because it may be our last time to see her for a while (until I can recover from the expenses of the adoption ). It will be fun to see the city with her and her older daughter while we wrap things up.

Referring to the other point, regarding orphan status: the CDA seems to consider mother's consent for the adoption as equivalent to an irrevocable relinquishment of rights. I will make sure to get a copy of everything!

Again, thank you!

Edited September 12, 2008 by mirrorjranch