[DENNIS]

DOES ANYBODY OUT THERE KNOW HOW YOU GO ABOUT ADOPTING A CHILD FROM THAILAND WHO IS A NON-ORPHAN (MY WIFE'S NEPHEWS DAUGHTER)? DO I NEED TO FILE AN I-600A FIRST? I AM TOTALLY LOST AND NEED HELP? ALSO, I WILL BE TRYING TO DO AS MUCH OF THE PAPERWORK BY MYSELF AS POSSIBLE, SO ANY SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED. THANKS

[smithjustsmith]

Dennis,

We facing similar situation. The I600A/I600 are used for orphans only, US immigration laws have very specific criteria for who can be classified as an orphan.

In general, I've learned that orphan status is granted if: 1) both parents are deceased; or 2) one parent is deceased but surviving parent cannot provide care and has formally relinquished rights to child; or 3) child has been abandoned to an orphanage.

Read about US immigration laws at: http://www.bcis.gov/graphics/services/index2.htm#app

To find out what Thailand needs in order to allow you to adopt child, go to:
http://travel.state.gov/adoption_thailand.html

Good luck,

-Loc