Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS)

It is necessary to file the I-600 A (Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition) with the CIS/Immigration in your state of residence.

Your local CIS office can be found under Federal Government in the blue pages of your phone book or visit their website at www.USCIS.gov, select “Field Office” option to find an office. Children’s Hope will send you an I-600A application, if needed, with packet received after application approval. With your I-600A application include:

• Notarized copy of home study with a copy of agency license. CIS will not accept a home study over 6 months of age.

• PHOTO COPIES of birth certificates

• PHOTO COPY of marriage certificate

• PHOTO COPY of divorce decree(s), if applicable

Note: The above documents (except for Home Study) do not need to be notarized.

• I-600A application fee of $670

• $80 for each person to be fingerprinted in addition to the application fee. All adults living in the home and children above the age of 18 are required to be fingerprinted.

• Send by certified mail so you will know when they receive it.

Form I-600A Block I - This section is self-explanatory. If only one parent plans to travel to pick up the child, they should be the primary petitioner and fill in items #1-7. The non-traveling spouse will be listed in #8. The petitioner must be a U.S. citizen.

Block II (back page) should be filled out as shown below:
*If only one parent is traveling, some of the following questions may be answered differently.

All adults living in the home and children above the age of 18 are required to be fingerprinted. Include PHOTO COPIES of birth certificates, marriage certificate, and divorce decree(s), if applicable. (Note: These documents need not be notarized. Send by certified mail so you will know when they receive it.) Submit an original home study with your I-600A application (some offices will accept the application prior to the home study being completed but most offices require the home study with the application.

Submit $80 for each person to be fingerprinted in addition to the application fee of $670.00, payable to Department of Homeland Security with your application. (New CIS fees as of 7/31/07)

After CIS receives your application, they will send you an appointment letter with the time and location of your fingerprinting appointment at the nearest CIS Application Support Center.

Receive CIS I-171-H pre-processing approval. (Approx. 90 days after application.) Notify us as soon as you receive your I-171 approval.

Keep one copy and take it with you to Vietnam. Another fully documented, copy of the I-171H must be included in your dossier.