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Intercountry Adoption > Country Information > France Intercountry Adoption Information
Reissued with obsolete COVID-19 page links removed.
Exercise increased caution in France due to terrorism and civil unrest.
Country Summary: Terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in France. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, local government facilities, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, parks, major sporting and cultural events, educational institutions, airports, and other public areas.
Incidents such as pickpocketing and phone snatchings occur frequently and can happen anywhere, especially in crowded areas such as airports, train stations, subway and train cars, and near tourist attractions.
Peaceful demonstrations and strikes in Paris and other cities throughout France occur regularly and can disrupt transportation. On rare occasions, demonstrations have included violence and property damage and police have responded with water cannons and tear gas.
Read the country information page for additional information on travel to France.
If you decide to travel to France:
Please see our section on Adoptions from the United States for more information on the process for adopting a child from the United States. We urge prospective adoptive parents residing abroad who are considering adoption of a child from the United States to consult with France’s Central Authority, Mission de l'Adoption Internationale, for its determination as to whether it considers your adoption to be subject to the Convention.
France is a party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Convention). Intercountry adoption processing in Convention countries must be done in accordance with the Convention; the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (IAA); the IAA’s implementing regulations; and all applicable legislation and regulations of France.
France is not considered a country of origin for intercountry adoption at this time. While adoption is legally possible, children from France are not generally placed for intercountry adoption. No children from France have received a U.S. immigrant visa based on an intercountry adoption in the past five fiscal years. The information provided is intended primarily to assist in extremely rare adoption cases from France, including adoptions of children from France by relatives in the United States, as well as adoptions from third countries by U.S. citizens living in France.
Prospective adoptive parents who are stationed overseas on U.S. military orders, posted overseas on U.S. government orders, or are private citizens living abroad are cautioned that the Convention may apply to an adoption completed in the United States, in the host country, and/or involving a child from a third country. We also strongly encourage such prospective adoptive parents to consult with the Central Authority of the country where they are physically residing, and/or where the child is residing, to determine whether the Convention applies to a proposed adoption.
Below is the limited adoption information the Department has obtained from the adoption authority of France. U.S. citizens interested in adopting children from France should contact the Central Authority of France to inquire about applicable laws and procedures. U.S. citizen prospective adoptive parents living in France who would like to adopt a child from the United States or from a third country should also contact France’s Central Authority. See contact information below.
Please visit the Department of State’s country page for more information on traveling to France and the U.S. Embassy in Paris’ website for information on consular services.
The consular officer will send a letter (referred to as an “Article 5/17 Letter”) to France’s Central Authority in any intercountry adoption involving U.S. citizen adoptive parents and a child from France if all Convention requirements are met and the child appears eligible to immigrate to the United States. This letter will inform the French Central Authority that the parents are suitable and eligible to adopt, that the child appears eligible to enter and reside permanently in the United States, and that the U.S. Central Authority agrees that the adoption may proceed.
Warning: Do not attempt to adopt or obtain custody of a child in France before USICS has provisionally approved your Form I-800 petition AND a U.S. consular officer issues the “Article 5/17 Letter” for your adoption case.
Remember: The consular officer will make a final decision about a child’s eligibility for an immigrant visa later in the adoption process.
To bring an adopted child to the United States from France, you must meet certain suitability and eligibility requirements. USCIS determines who is suitable and eligible to adopt a child from another country and bring that child to live in the United States under U.S. immigration law.
Additionally, a child must meet the definition of a Convention adoptee under U.S. immigration law in order to be eligible to immigrate to the United States with an IH-3 or IH-4 immigrant visa.
Adoption between the United States and France is governed by the Hague Adoption Convention. Therefore to adopt from France, you must first be found eligible to adopt by the U.S. Government. The U.S. Government agency responsible for making this determination is the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Read more on Who Can Adopt.
In addition to these U.S. requirements for prospective adoptive parents, France also has the following requirements for prospective adoptive parents:
Because France is party to the Hague Adoption Convention, children from France must meet the requirements of the Convention in order to be eligible for adoption. For example, the Convention requires that France attempt to place a child with a family in France before determining that a child is eligible for intercountry adoption. In addition to France's requirements, a child must meet the definition of a Convention adoptee for you to bring him or her back to the United States.
WARNING: France is party to the Hague Adoption Convention. Do not adopt or obtain legal custody of a child in France before a U.S. consular officer issues an "Article 5 Letter." Read on for more information.
France's Central Authority
Since January 2009, the Central Authority for adoptions in France is the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.
Because France is party to the Hague Adoption Convention, adopting from France must follow a specific process designed to meet the Convention's requirements. A brief summary of the Convention adoption process is given below. You must complete these steps in the following order so that your adoption meets all necessary legal requirements.
NOTE: The information provided is intended primarily to assist in rare adoption cases from France, including adoptions of French children by relatives in the United States, as well as adoptions from third countries by Americans living in France.
After you choose an accredited adoption service provider, you apply to be found eligible to adopt (Form I-800A) by the U.S. Government, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Eligibility Requirements.
Once the U.S. government determines that you are "eligible" and "suitable" to adopt, you or your agency will forward your information to the adoption authority in France. France's adoption authority will review your application to determine whether you are also eligible to adopt under France's law.
If both the United States and France determine that you are eligible to adopt, and a child is available for intercountry adoption, the central adoption authority in France may provide you with a referral for a child. Each family must decide for itself whether or not it will be able to meet the needs of the particular child and provide a permanent family placement for the referred child.
After you accept a match with a child, you will apply to the U.S. Government, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for provisional approval to adopt that particular child (Form I-800). USCIS will determine whether the child is eligible under U.S. law to be adopted and enter the United States.
After this, your adoption service provider or you will submit a visa application to a Consular Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Paris. The Consular Officer will review the child's information and evaluate the child for possible visa ineligibilities.
If the consular officer determines that the child appears eligible to immigrate to the United States, he or she will send a letter (an "Article 5 Letter") to the French Central Authority. Do not adopt or obtain custody of a child in France before a U.S. consular officer issues the Article 5 Letter.
Remember: The Consular Officer will make a final decision about the immigrant visa later in the adoption process.
Remember: Before you adopt (or gain legal custody of) a child in France, you must have completed the above four steps. Only after completing these steps can you proceed to finalize the adoption or grant of custody for the purposes of adoption in France.
The process for finalizing the adoption (or gaining legal custody) in France generally includes the following:
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED: American citizens interested in or considering adopting a child in France or bringing a child to be adopted elsewhere to reside with them in France should consult the French government internet site provide above under Adoption Authority in France for information concerning documentary requirements.
IMPORTANT VISA REQUIREMENTS IN ADOPTIONS FROM THIRD COUNTRIES: Americans who are legally resident in France but are considering adopting a child from a different country should first consult the country-specific information on adoption for that country. It is critical to remember, however, that in addition to meeting U.S. legal requirements, such children adopted from a third country must also have a French visa to enter and reside in France. Adopted children of a number of Americans have been denied entry into France because they did not have the appropriate French visas. Once in France, they will need to obtain a U.S. visa, if they choose to bring their child to the United States at a later time.
NOTE: Additional documents may be requested. If you are asked to provide proof that a document from the United States is authentic, we can help. Read more on Traveling Abroad to learn about Authenticating U.S. Documents.
Once your adoption is complete (or you have obtained legal custody of the child), there are a few more steps to take before you can head home. Specifically, you need to apply for three documents for your child before he or she can travel to the United States:
Birth Certificate
You will first need to apply for a new birth certificate for your child, so that you can later apply for a passport. Your name will be added to the new birth certificate.
The city hall of the adoptee's place of birth will issue a birth certificate with the names of the adoptive parents.
French Passport
Your child is not yet a U.S. citizen, so he/she will need a travel document or Passport from France. You can request a passport for your child at the city hall in Paris (Mairies d'Arrondissement) or at the prefectures and sous-préfectures outside Paris.
U.S. Immigrant Visa
After you obtain the new birth certificate and passport for your child, you also need to apply for a U.S. visa from the United States Embassy for your child. After the adoption (or custody for purpose of adoption) is granted, visit the U.S. Embassy for final review and approval of the child's I-800 petition and to obtain a visa for the child. This immigrant visa allows your child to travel home with you. As part of this process, the Consular Officer must be provided the "Panel Physician's" medical report on the child. Read more about the Medical Examination.
For adoptions finalized abroad: The Child Citizenship Act of 2000 allows your child to acquire American citizenship when he or she enters the United States as a lawful permanent resident.
For adoptions to be finalized in the United States: The Child Citizenship Act of 2000 allows your child to typically acquire American citizenship when the U.S. state court issues the final adoption decree. We urge your family to finalize the adoption in a U.S. State court as quickly as possible.
*Please be aware that if your child did not qualify to become a citizen upon entry to the United States, it is very important that you take the steps necessary so that your child does qualify as soon as possible. Failure to obtain citizenship for your child can impact many areas of his/her life including family travel, eligibility for education and education grants, and voting.
Read more about the Child Citizenship Act of 2000.
A valid U.S. passport is required to enter and leave France. Only the U.S. Department of State has the authority to grant, issue, or verify U.S. passports.
Getting or renewing a passport is easy. The Passport Application Wizard will help you determine which passport form you need, help you to complete the form online, estimate your payment, and generate the form for you to print-all in one place.
In addition to a U.S. passport, you may also need to obtain a visa. A visa is an official document issued by a foreign France that formally allows you to visit. Where required, visas are attached to your passport and allow you to enter a foreign nation.
To find information about obtaining a visa for France, see the Department of State's Country Specific Information.
Before you travel, it's always a good practice to investigate the local conditions, laws, political landscape, and culture of the country. The State Department is a good place to start.
The Department of State provides Country Specific Information for every country of the world about various issues, including the health conditions, crime, unusual currency or entry requirements, and any areas of instability.
When traveling during the adoption process, we encourage you to register your trip with the Department of State. Travel registration makes it possible to contact you if necessary. Whether there's a family emergency in the United States, or a crisis in France, registration assists the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in reaching you.
Registration is free and can be done online.
What does France require of the adoptive parents after the adoption?
France has no requirements of the adoptive parents after the adoption.
What resources are available to assist families after the adoption?
Many adoptive parents find it important to find support after the adoption. Take advantage of all the resources available to your family -- whether it's another adoptive family, a support group, an advocacy organization, or your religious or community services.
Here are some good places to start your support group search:
Note: Inclusion of non-U.S. Government links does not imply endorsement of contents.
FRANCE’S ADOPTION AUTHORITY:
Mission de l'Adoption Internationale (MAI), Autorité Centrale
Ministère de l’Europe et des Affaires Etrangères
57 boulevard des Invalides
75007 Paris, France 07 SP
Tel: +33 (1) 5369 3172
Fax:+33 (1) 5369 3364
Email: courrier.fae-mai@diplomatie.gouv.fr
Internet: diplomatie.gouv.fr / www.adoption.gouv.fr
U.S. Embassy in Paris, France
2 avenue Gabriel
75008 Paris, France
Tel: +33 (1) 43 13 22 22
Alt Phone: +33 (1) 42 66 97 83
Fax: +33 (1) 42 66 97 83
Website : https://fr.usembassy.gov/
Office of Children’s Issues
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
SA-17
Washington, DC 20520
Tel: 1-888-407-4747
E-mail: Adoption@state.gov
http://adoption.state.gov
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
For questions about filing a Form I-800A application or a Form I-800 petition:
USCIS National Benefits Center (NBC)
Tel: 1-877-424-8374 (toll free); 1- 913-275-5480 (local); Fax:1- 913-214-5808
Email: NBC.Adoptions@uscis.dhs.gov
For general questions about immigration procedures:
USCIS National Customer Service Center (NCSC)
1-800-375-5283 (TTY 1-800-767-1833)
Internet: uscis.gov
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