United States•North America3-6 months
2,285 USD
Indefinite
No
Not Required
Not Specified
Available
Not Required
Orphan coming to the U.S. to be adopted by a U.S. citizen. Adoption not yet finalized abroad.
The IR-4 is a US immigrant visa for orphaned children whose adoption by a US citizen was not fully finalized abroad, or where neither adoptive parent observed the child before adoption proceedings. It uses Form I-600 and applies only to children from non-Hague Convention countries.
The child must be under 16 at petition (under 18 if a sibling of a child already adopted). Unmarried petitioners must be at least 25. The child enters as a Lawful Permanent Resident; the adoption must be finalized in a US state court after arrival. Citizenship follows automatically under INA §320.
This visa is ideal for US citizens adopting from non-Hague countries where the adoption cannot be completed abroad, and who plan to finalize the process in US courts.
Form I-600 Petition (Orphan) | 920 USD |
Form I-600A Advance Processing (optional) | 920 USD |
DS-260 Immigrant Visa Application fee | 325 USD |
Affidavit of Support review fee | 120 USD |
| USCIS petition only (I-600) | 3 months – 6 months |
| End-to-end (petition + consular processing) | 6 months – 1.5 years |
| Status type | Permanent / indefinite |
Petitioner must be a U.S. citizen
If unmarried, petitioner must be at least 25 years old when filing I-600
Child must be under 16 at time of petition (or under 18 if sibling of child adopted by same parents)
Child must qualify as an orphan under INA §101(b)(1)(F): no parents, or sole/surviving parent unable to care for child who has irrevocably released child for emigration and adoption
Child must not be habitually resident in a Hague Convention country (those use IH-4/Form I-800)
Approved home study completed by accredited agency/provider
IR-4 applies when adoption was not finalized abroad or petitioner did not see and observe child prior to adoption proceedings
Education
none or higher
Child's original birth certificate (or written explanation plus secondary age/identity evidence if unavailable)
Evidence of orphan status: death certificates, abandonment documentation, court orders
Evidence sole/surviving parent is unable to care for child and has irrevocably released child for emigration and adoption
Proof of legal custody or guardianship obtained in child's country
Approved home study with original signature
Proof of petitioner's U.S. citizenship (passport, birth certificate, naturalization certificate)
Marriage certificate if married; proof all prior marriages were legally terminated
Proof of spouse's identity if spouse is not a U.S. resident (if applicable)
Certified English translations of all foreign-language documents
| I-600A Application for Advance Processing of an Orphan Petition | Fill online |
| I-600 Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative | Fill online |
| I-604 Determination on Child for Adoption (completed by USCIS/State Dept overseas officer) | — |
| DS-260 Immigrant Visa Electronic Application | Fill online |
| Application Steps | Optionally file Form I-600A (Advance Processing) with USCIS, including home study and biometrics; Ad… | uscis.gov |
| Fee Breakdown | Form I-600 Petition (Orphan): 920 USD; Form I-600A Advance Processing (optional): 920 USD; DS-260 Im… | uscis.gov |
| Fees | $920 Form I-600 petition fee + $325 immigrant visa application fee (DS-260) + $120 affidavit of supp… | uscis.gov |
| Forms | Form I-600A — Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition (optional); Form I-600 — Petitio… | uscis.gov |
| Forms · DS-260 · description | Immigrant Visa Electronic Application | travel.state.gov |
| Forms · I-600A · description | Application for Advance Processing of an Orphan Petition | uscis.gov |
| Forms · I-600A · url | https://www.uscis.gov/i-600a | uscis.gov |
| Forms · I-600 · description | Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative | uscis.gov |
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