Questions about N-600 application for 17-year old adopted daughter

jessman1128

New Member
Hello,

I am helping my parents-in-law figure out the N-600 application for their adopted daughter from Haiti. Given the cost to file this application we want to make sure we get it right the first time around!

Their daughter was adopted in Haiti as an infant and brought into the country as a lawful permanent resident on February 12, 1994. During the years since then most of her paperwork has been lost. All they have at this time are her Haitian birth certificate and Haitian adoption decree. According to a Congressional Liaison Specialist with USCIS she became a U.S. Citizen on February 27, 2001 under the Child Citizenship Act. They need to file the N-600 form to get proof of her citizenship however.

I have several questions regarding documentation.

They are planning on including translations of her Haitian birth certificate and adoption decree. Her Haitian passport has been lost as has her green card. They will be including a letter stating those have been lost. They do have her alien registration number and will be including that on the N-600 application.

Do my parents-in-law need to include their own birth certificates and marriage certificate? The N-600 instructions are a bit confusing on this manner. They say to include those documents, but don't specifically say who they need to be included for. What about documentation proving their residence in the U.S.? (Letter K under General Requirements in the instructions.)

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me in this area!

Also, it sounds like this process may take awhile. What happens if she turns 18 while it's in process? Does that invalidate the application? Or as long as it's filed before she turns 18 will it be okay?
 
As it is stated on the N-600 instructions, she can rely on evidence already in her A-file. The parents already showed their proof of citizenship, the adoption decree, her birth certificate, etc... Since the girl is 17 going on 18 she can counter-sign the form now or just wait until they call her in to get her certificate. Today, she is still a minor and a parent must sign the form. She can wait until she turns 18 and file on her own.

Were the parents USC's at the time of her adoption? Did the parents adopt her before they immigrated? What did they file to get her greencard? I-600 or I-130? What was her greencard code? IR-2, IR-3, or IR-4 or something else? It makes a difference.

You cannot rely on the word of the Congressional person as 100% correct. USCIS cannot and does not pre-adjudicate an N-600, they can only make a "best guess" but the final decision is made at the end of the process and not at the beginning.
 
The parents were USC's at the time of the adoption, yes. They are both USC's from birth. I'm not sure what they filed to get her green card. I'll have to ask them to see if they remember. I'm also not sure of her green card code.

I had contacted their congressman's office to see if they could be of any help with tracking down her A-number. They contacted the USCIS office in Detroit, and the congressional liasion specialist wrote back with the following info:

In response to the above referenced case, I wanted to let you know that I have located the individual’s alien registration number. Our records indicate that the individual entered as lawful permanent resident (i.e., a minor child to be adopted in the United States) on February 12, 1994. Under the Child Citizenship Act (CCA), the individual became a United States citizen on February 27, 2001. The minor child’s USC parents must file N-600 application. The N-600 form can be found on our website (). In addition, the completed N-600 application, fee, and supporting documentation must be mailed to the address listed below.

I just realized it says "a minor child to be adopted in the United States". I'm hoping that's incorrect or doesn't matter, because she was adopted in Haiti. No re-adoption took place here in the U.S. Because he said "supporting documentation" must be included I thought that meant they'd have to include their birth certificates and so on. If USCIS should already have them in the file though then that will make the application process a little easier on her parents.
 
The parents were USC's at the time of the adoption, yes. They are both USC's from birth. I'm not sure what they filed to get her green card. I'll have to ask them to see if they remember. I'm also not sure of her green card code.

I had contacted their congressman's office to see if they could be of any help with tracking down her A-number. They contacted the USCIS office in Detroit, and the congressional liasion specialist wrote back with the following info:



I just realized it says "a minor child to be adopted in the United States". I'm hoping that's incorrect or doesn't matter, because she was adopted in Haiti. No re-adoption took place here in the U.S. Because he said "supporting documentation" must be included I thought that meant they'd have to include their birth certificates and so on. If USCIS should already have them in the file though then that will make the application process a little easier on her parents.

The "to be adopted" category is IR-4 and further action was required after entry into the U.S. in order for the child to obtain citizenship.

IR-4/IH-4 Children

If your child was admitted to the United States on an IR-4/IH-4 visa, your child will receive a permanent resident card (green card)

Once you have taken any final steps that you need to take to complete the adoption process in the United States, you should file a Form N-600. Refer to the form instructions for information about where to file [The adoption had to be completed before the child reached age 16 in order to get automatic citizenship. If not she will have wait until she is 18 and file an N-400 to naturalize.]

USCIS will issue a Certificate of Citizenship if your child meets the requirements for automatic citizenship (if your child is over 14 years old the child will take the oath of allegiance before obtaining the certificate)
 
Is it possible that the Congressional Liaison Specialist mis-read the file regarding the IR code? I'm just confused as to why she would have been admitted under the "to be adopted" category if she was already adopted in Haiti. I know she was adopted in Haiti because I have the Haitian adoption decree sitting in front of me. It sounds like this makes a huge difference as to what steps need to be taken next, so I want to make sure they take the right steps since these applications are rather pricey. Do you think they should contact the congressman's office again, ask him to contract the Detroit office and verify that the information they sent regarding her status is correct?
 
Is it possible that the Congressional Liaison Specialist mis-read the file regarding the IR code? I'm just confused as to why she would have been admitted under the "to be adopted" category if she was already adopted in Haiti. I know she was adopted in Haiti because I have the Haitian adoption decree sitting in front of me. It sounds like this makes a huge difference as to what steps need to be taken next, so I want to make sure they take the right steps since these applications are rather pricey. Do you think they should contact the congressman's office again, ask him to contract the Detroit office and verify that the information they sent regarding her status is correct?

Some foreign adoptions are not valid under U.S. laws at the state level and/or the federal (INA) level and are only recognized as to a "legal guardian" status rather than as an "adoptive parent" status.

Congressional liaisons are NOT adjudicators trained in the law, they are glorified clerks.
 
She ended up filing the N600 herself after turning 18. Finally received notice in the mail today of an upcoming appointment that she needs to attend on Feb 28. The letter says to bring with her: "This letter, Your Alien Registration Card(s) and proof of identity. (Identification issued by non-government entities will not be considered. Acceptable forms of photo identification include: Passport; Driver's License; National ID; State-issued photo ID"


She has neither her alien registration card (lost by her parents years ago - she notified USCIS of this when she filed the N600) or any photo identification. The only identification papers she has of any kind are her Haitian birth certificate and adoption decree. If she shows up at the hearing with only the letter and her Haitian documents will they still approve the N600?
 
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