(a) Findings Congress recognizes- (1) the international character of the Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (done at The Hague on May 29, 1993); and (2) the need for uniform interpretation and implementation of the Convention in the United States and abroad, and therefore finds that enactment of a Federal law governing adoptions and prospective adoptions subject to the Convention involving United States residents is essential. (b) Purposes The

Subject to Article 24 of the Convention, adoptions concluded between two other Convention countries that meet the requirements of Article 23 of the Convention and that became final before the date of entry into force of the Convention for the United States shall be recognized thereafter in the United States and given full effect. Such recognition shall include the specific effects described in Article 26 of the Convention. 42 U.S.C. § 14951 Pub. L. 106-279, title V, §501, Oct. 6, 2000, 114 Stat.

(a)U.S. Citizens. For purposes of this subpart, a U.S. citizen who is seeking to have an alien classified as the U.S. citizen's child under section 101(b)(1)(G) of the Act is deemed to be habitually resident in the United States if the individual: (1) Has his or her domicile in the United States, even if he or she is living temporarily abroad; or (2) Is not domiciled in the United States but establishes by a preponderance of the evidence that: (i) The citizen will have established a domicile in the

(a)Convention adoptees. This subpart governs the adjudication of a Form I-800A or Form I-800 for a Convention adoptee under section 101(b)(1)(G) of the Act. The provisions of this subpart enter into force on the Convention effective date, as defined in 8 CFR 204.301 . (b)Orphan cases. On or after the Convention effective date, no Form I-600A or I-600 may be filed under section 101(b)(1)(F) of the Act and 8 CFR 204.3 in relation to the adoption of a child who is habitually resident in a Convention

The Convention entered into force for the United States on April 1, 2008. As of that date, the regulations in subpart C of this part govern Convention adoptions between the United States and Convention countries, and require agencies or persons providing adoption services on behalf of prospective adoptive parent(s) to comply with § 96.12 and applicable Federal regulations. The Secretary maintains for the public a current listing of Convention countries. The effective date of the UAA is July 14, 2014

(a)Form I-800A. A USCIS officer must deny a Form I-800A if: (1) The applicant or any additional adult member of the household failed to disclose to the home study preparer or to USCIS, or concealed or misrepresented, any fact(s) about the applicant or any additional member of the household concerning the arrest, conviction, or history of substance abuse, sexual abuse, child abuse, and/or family violence, or any other criminal history as an offender; the fact that an arrest or conviction or other

(a)Completing and filing the Form. A United States citizen seeking to be determined eligible and suitable as the adoptive parent of a Convention adoptee must: (1) Complete Form I-800A, including a Form I-800A Supplement 1 for each additional adult member of the household, in accordance with the instructions that accompany the Form I-800A. (2) Sign the Form I-800A personally. One spouse cannot sign for the other, even under a power of attorney or similar agency arrangement. (3) File the Form I-800A

(a) Unless 8 CFR 204.309 requires the denial of a Form I-800A or Form I-800, a child is eligible for classification as an immediate relative, as defined in section 201(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Act, on the basis of a Convention adoption, if the U.S. citizen who seeks to adopt the child establishes that: (1) The United States citizen is (or, if married, the United States citizen and the United States citizen's spouse are) eligible and suitable to adopt; and (2) The child is a Convention adoptee. (b) A U