I-600 Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative
The adoption petition for a child from a country that is not party to the Hague Adoption Convention. A U.S. citizen files it for a specific child who meets the statutory definition of an orphan. It is normally preceded by an approved I-600A suitability determination.
- Fee
- $920. $0 for the first I-600 filed during an approved I-600A period, and $0 for additional birth siblings; $920 for each additional non-birth sibling.
- Fee waiver
- Not available
- Who files
- U.S. citizens adopting a child from a non-Convention country.
- Where to file
- By mail to the USCIS National Benefits Center, or with a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad.
- Processing time
- 19.4 months (FY 2026 national median through June 30, 2026)
Usually filed with
Part of these processes
What changed in 2025 and 2026
- Intercountry adoption volumes have fallen sharply and processing times have roughly tripled since 2021. State collects $775 for an orphan or Convention petition filed at a consulate.
Official page. https://www.uscis.gov/i-600. Download the form there, never from a third-party site; check the edition date and fee before filing.