How to Adopt a child in Pakistan to bring to the USA?

[knightryda1 0]

After several attempts at our pregnancy, we couldn't have a child of our own. My wife's (green card holder) niece in Pakistan which she wants to adopt and bring her to USA. The family from which we want to adopt is struggling to survive financially with 4 kids. We aren't familiar with the process of adopting a child from Pakistan so any information we could get may b ed beneficial for us.

 

I'm a US citizen. My wife is a GC holder but has applied for citizenship. Her niece is 8 years old.

 

[Crazy Cat 41,806]

This subject has come up several times over the last year. Although you have good intent, it will be virtually impossible for you to do this.  Supporting her in her own country would be a better option.

 

EDIT:  Per my understanding, If the parents are living, it will be impossible...

Edited January 1, 2019 by missileman

[Boiler 45,442]

Wait until she is a USC, move to PAkistan, adopt the child and after 2 years in her custody she will be able to sponsor the child to move to the US.

[Unlockable 7,314]

This question comes up a lot. It is not as easy as it seems. Immigration has extremely strict rules for adoption for immigrantion benefits. This is because too many people in thee past used adoption as a form to bypass immigration rules or traffic minors.

 

Basically, the child would either be an orphan or the parents are extremely unfit. Struggling financially does not mean a person is unfit.

 

Another requirement is the child must be under 16 years of age at the time of adoption.

 

Also, the adopting parent would need to reside in the child’s country for 2 years prior to adopting for immigrating them. This is to ensure the adoptive parents are commmitted.

 

To adopt a child of a relative who has living parents is an uphill battle. A question can be asked, “why not adopt a child who has no parentss in the US that does not have to deal with the perils of immigrant?”

[Going through 5,671]

I'm sorry to hear about your struggles with conception.  @NuestraUnion summed up the criteria that would need to be met for you to be able to bring your niece to the States through adoption.  @Boiler gave a good suggestion as an alternative.

 

Have you considered adopting a child already living in the US?  It is near impossible to be able to adopt the child and bring her to live in the US with one or both of her parents still living unless you can prove that the parent is unfit and unable to care for the child by Pakistan standards (standard of living in the US is not relevant or considered in determining the birth parents being financially unfit).

 

In the interim, perhaps your wife can help out her sister/brother financially to assist in making the kids lives better?

Edited January 1, 2019 by Going through

[JFH 12,190]

I faced similar problems and was not able to have children. Deciding to adopt is a huge decision and I commend you for wanting to love a child that was not born to you. I was a foster parent and it was very rewarding. 

 

It will be much easier to adopt a child already here in the USA. There are plenty of children waiting for families. To help your family in Pakistan, you can send financial aid or pay for the mother of the child to go to college to improve her job prospects. 

[pm5k 129]

Based on my understanding, ever since the Universal Accreditation Act of 2012 was passed, all adoptions from non-Hague countries (including Pakistan) would need to be done through some type of Adoption Agency in the US.  Because of Pakistan's complicated laws, there are very few that deal with Pakistani cases.  

 

In Pakistan, the western concept of adoption does not exist (just stating as a fact).  Instead, the concept of guardianship exists, which makes things somewhat more complicated.  A rough outline of the process is as follows:  You will have to obtain guardianship of the child via the Guardians and Wards Act, 1890.  This is done through Family Court in Pakistan.  The court will have to rule that the parents have completely relinquished the rights of their child, that the child has been granted guardianship by you two, and that the child has been cleared to be adopted in the USA.  After that, you will have to obtain various documents (child registration certificates, Pakistani passport, etc) for the child.  This can be a lengthy and complicated process, especially since many authorities (NADRA, etc) do not see adoption cases often.  Simply going to an orphanage and registering the child as your own (which is commonly done in Pakistan), or obtaining a stamp paper saying that you have been given this child for adoption (also common) are not acceptable ways to adopt a child in Pakistan, and will not be recognized for US immigration purposes. 

 

There are a few websites and blogs that have discussed adoptions from Pakistan, but the vast majority (actually, pretty much all of them) have dealt with adoption actual orphans from orphanages (children who have been abandoned).  Adopting a child who has living parents will be very difficult.  If you want to adopt a child from Pakistan, I suspect you will have to go to an orphanage (EDHI, CHIPPA, among others).  It will be very difficult for one to prove the child is truly in need of adoption if not through an orphanage.  

 

Best of luck to you.  As others have mentioned, adoption in the US is certainly an option as well.  

Edited January 1, 2019 by pm5k
Additional clarification

[Boiler 45,442]

25 minutes ago, pm5k said:

Based on my understanding, ever since the Universal Accreditation Act of 2012 was passed, all adoptions from non-Hague countries (including Pakistan) would need to be done through some type of Adoption Agency in the US.  Because of Pakistan's complicated laws, there are very few that deal with Pakistani cases.  

 

In Pakistan, the western concept of adoption does not exist (just stating as a fact).  Instead, the concept of guardianship exists, which makes things somewhat more complicated.  A rough outline of the process is as follows:  You will have to obtain guardianship of the child via the Guardians and Wards Act, 1890.  This is done through Family Court in Pakistan.  The court will have to rule that the parents have completely relinquished the rights of their child, that the child has been granted guardianship by you two, and that the child has been cleared to be adopted in the USA.  After that, you will have to obtain various documents (child registration certificates, Pakistani passport, etc) for the child.  This can be a lengthy and complicated process, especially since many authorities (NADRA, etc) do not see adoption cases often.  Simply going to an orphanage and registering the child as your own (which is commonly done in Pakistan), or obtaining a stamp paper saying that you have been given this child for adoption (also common) are not acceptable ways to adopt a child in Pakistan, and will not be recognized for US immigration purposes. 

 

There are a few websites and blogs that have discussed adoptions from Pakistan, but the vast majority (actually, pretty much all of them) have dealt with adoption actual orphans from orphanages (children who have been abandoned).  Adopting a child who has living parents will be very difficult.  If you want to adopt a child from Pakistan, I suspect you will have to go to an orphanage (EDHI, CHIPPA, among others).  It will be very difficult for one to prove the child is truly in need of adoption if not through an orphanage.  

 

Best of luck to you.  As others have mentioned, adoption in the US is certainly an option as well.  

I had read something similar but certainly did not remember the details well enough to put it as well as you did.

 

The adoption process is one thing, does not necessarily result in an immigration option, well without a lot more hoops to jump through.

[pm5k 129]

On 1/1/2019 at 11:32 AM, Boiler said:

I had read something similar but certainly did not remember the details well enough to put it as well as you did.

 

The adoption process is one thing, does not necessarily result in an immigration option, well without a lot more hoops to jump through.

Agreed.  This is definitely something that one needs do their homework on before pursuing.  There are very few people in Pakistan who actually know about the correct procedure, and even fewer who follow it, unfortunately.    

[danish240 0]

I want know the process about a child visa.. i appoint my brother as a gurdian of my child and i want to know the visa process of child from Pakistan to USA. My brother is US national.

[Crazy Cat 41,806]

8 minutes ago, danish240 said:

i appoint my brother as a gurdian of my child and i want to know the visa process of child from Pakistan to USA

No visa of that type exists.

[Ontarkie 14,214]

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