Many Americans adopt children from other countries for a variety of reasons. Whatever your situation, if you plan to adopt a child from another country, be prepared for a lot of paperwork and plenty of rules. These can vary based on a child’s home country.
A big question for many adoptive parents is whether their child will automatically be a U.S. citizen or what they will have to do to get them citizenship and all the benefits inspired by that status. That’s where the Child Citizenship Act of 2000 (CCA) comes in.
The Child Citizenship Act
Under the CCA, the U.S. citizenship process for foreign-born children adopted by American citizens can often be fast-tracked as long as at least one adoptive parent is a U.S. citizen (either by birth or naturalization).
Usually, when an adoption is final and the child is in the U.S., the child will benefit from lawful permanent resident status. This allows the parents to apply for a citizenship certificate for their child through the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The process is somewhat different for parents who adopt a child while they’re still living abroad. However, the child can still become a U.S. citizen in a fairly straightforward manner, as long as one or both of their parents is.
Adopting a child from abroad will change their life – and yours. You want them to have all the benefits of U.S. citizenship as early as possible. As with any type of immigration process, you can easily feel like you’re drowning in red tape. You can help things to go more smoothly and better understand the process if you seek experienced legal guidance.