Dossier: A Dossier (pronounced dossi-ay) is a set of documents required for your adoption process.. They are compiled by you and sent to our office where we get them notarized, and authenticated from the country’s embassy where you are adopting from. There are many documents that go into a dossier for a complete list, please click here. Homestudy: An assessment of if you and your environment are suitable to raise a child. Homestudies are valid for one year. If your adoption is not complete in that time frame, you may need to update your homestudy. The information needed for a homestudy include; family background, education/employment, spouse relationship, background on parenting (if any), child desired to adopt, financial and medical statement, etc. IR 3: IR stands for “immediate relative”. Your child has an IR 3 Visa if the adoption was completed overseas. Both parents must see the child prior to the adoption date in order to be issued an IR 3 visa. IR 4: If the adoption was unable to be completed overseas your child is issued an IR 4 Visa. Typically, IR 4 visas’ are issued if only one or none of the parents saw the child prior to child’s arrival. Post Placement Reports: Follow up reports given to IFI regarding your child’s adjustment after their arrival to the US. I-600 A: This form is completed before an orphan is located or has been identified for an adoption by you. This is one of the first steps taken in your adoption process. It takes approximately 60-90 days to process this application. You must send this form to the USCIS office along with these required documents: Proof of US citizenship of the prospective adoptive parents. (Copy of birth certificate, copy of citizenship papers, copy of US Passport, etc). Copy of marriage certificate (if applicable) Copy of Homestudy Two sets of fingerprints from each prospective adoptive parent, and any other adult 18 years old of above residing in your household. Check of money order payable to the Department of Homeland Security. Referral: A few months after your dossier is sent abroad, you will receive a referral of a prospective adoptive child. A referral consists of a small picture, and a brief medical history of the child. Guardianship Papers: These papers are issued to the prospective adoptive parents from the Indian courts when their child is ready to travel to the US. Along with the guardianship documents, parents receive a birth affidavit (a birth certificate), and relinquishment certificate (relinquishing the child to the custody of the adoptive parents). I-864: This form is completed to provide proof that the prospective adoptive family has adequate resources to support their adopted child. It is to verify that your household’s income falls at or above 125 percent of the national poverty lever. It is completed when your child is ready to come home.