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EmailINTERCOUNTRY ADOPTION
JORDAN
January 2007
Disclaimer: The following is intended as a very general guide to assist U.S. citizens who plan to adopt a child from a foreign country and apply for an immigrant visa for the child to come to the United States. Two sets of laws are particularly relevant: 1) the laws of the child’s country of birth govern all activity in that country including the adoptability of individual children as well as the adoption of children in country in general; and 2) U.S. Federal immigration law governs the immigration of the child to the United States.
The information in this flyer relating to the legal requirements of specific foreign countries is based on public sources and our current understanding. It does not necessarily reflect the actual state of the laws of a child’s country of birth and is provided for general information only. Moreover, U.S. immigration law, including regulations and interpretation, changes from time to time. This flyer reflects our current understanding of the law as of this date and is not legally authoritative. Questions involving foreign and U.S. immigration laws and legal interpretation should be addressed respectively to qualified foreign or U.S. legal counsel.
PLEASE NOTE: Jordanian law stipulates that all prospective adopting parents MUST be Muslim, married for five or more years and certified as infertile in order to adopt in Jordan.
In addition, Jordanian law does not allow for full adoptions of Jordanian children. Americans considering adoption of Jordanian children must obtain guardianship from a Jordanian court and subsequently adopt the child in the United States. Prospective American guardians may also want to review our Shari'a Adoption Flyer on Guardianship in Islamic Countries .
PATTERNS OF IMMIGRATION OF ADOPTED ORPHANS TO THE U.S.: Recent U.S. immigrant visa statistics reflect the following pattern for visa issuance to Jordanian orphans:
Fiscal Year Number of Immigrant Visas Issued
FY 2006 3
FY 2005 4
FY 2004 3
FY 2003 6
FY 2002 2
JORDANIAN ADOPTION AUTHORITY: "Adoption" in Jordan falls under the purview of the Ministry of Social Development (MSD).
Ministry of Social Development (MSD)
Family and Childhood Section/Fostering Program
P.O. Box 925379
Jabal Al Hussein
Amman, Jordan
Fax 962-6-569-4953 or 962-6-569-4346
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR ADOPTIVE PARENTS: By law, all adoptive parents must be Muslim and married for five or more years. The husband must be between 35 and 55 years of age and the wife must be between 30 and 50 years of age. Parents must be medically certified as infertile. They may have up to two children total, including adopted children. If the parents have one child already, then the adopted Jordanian child must be of the same sex. Parents who have previously adopted in Jordan must wait a minimum of two years before adopting another child of the same sex from Jordan. Single people cannot "adopt" children in Jordan.
RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS: There are no Jordanian residency requirements for prospective adoptive parents.
TIME FRAME: The MSD reports that adoptive parents can expect to wait an average of three months from the time they initiate contact with the MSD to when they are given custody of a child.
ADOPTION AGENCIES AND ATTORNEYS: Prospective adoptive parents are advised to fully research any adoption agency or facilitator they plan to use for adoption services. For U.S.-based agencies, it is suggested that prospective adoptive parents contact the Better Business Bureau and/or the licensing office of the appropriate state government agency in the U.S. state where the agency is located or licensed.
Please see Important Notice Regarding Adoption Agents and Facilitators at the Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs web site travel.state.gov.
There are no adoption agencies in Jordan. The Embassy maintains a list of numerous attorneys practicing in Jordan, which can be found at http://amman.usembassy.gov/Int_Dev/docs/List_lawyers_May_2006.pdf
ADOPTION FEES: MSD does not charge any fees. However, adoptive parents can expect to pay fees for the baby’s birth certificate, passport, and family book issuance. (A “Family Book” is a document issued by the Jordanian government to families, which contains biographical information about each member of the family.)
The fees for obtaining a Jordanian passport for children (under 16) is 10 JD; for the birth certificate is 1 JD; and, for the Jordanian family book is 2 JD. More details about current fees and required documents can be found at the MSD website at www.cspd.gov.jo. (Please note that this website is currently only in Arabic)
JORDANIAN ADOPTION PROCEDURES: Regardless of nationality, all couples are required to apply to the MSD to qualify to become foster parents. The pre-qualification process is similar to those in most U.S. states. To begin this process, prospective adoptive parents are asked to submit a fostering request to the MSD. Requests should be sent by fax or letter to:
Ministry of Social Development
Family and Childhood Section / Fostering Program
P.O. Box 925379
Jabal Al Hussein
Amman, Jordan
Fax: 962-6-569-4953 or 962-6-569-4346
This request should include the following information: name, age, profession, and religion of both parents. Contact information, including full mailing address, must be provided. Once the MSD has received and processed the request, it will direct the Jordanian Embassy in Washington (through the Foreign Ministry) to request additional documentation from the prospective foster parents.
Parents must submit the following documents as part of their request to “adopt”: a copy of the marriage certificate, a copy of each parent’s valid passport, and a “social study” (forms will be provided through the Jordanian Embassy). The parents’ employer(s) must provide detailed information about their income, employment status, etc. Original doctor’s reports about the health of the parents must also be provided, including medical proof of the parents’ infertility. If either or both of the parents are converts to Islam, a copy of the conversion certificate must be provided. All of these documents must be translated into Arabic and certified by the Jordanian Embassy in Washington, which will forward them to the MSD (through the Foreign Ministry).
Once received, an MSD committee reviews the request to foster a child. If all conditions are met, the Minister of Social Development issues his/her approval or denial. Foster parents are notified by mail that they are approved and invited to travel to Jordan to locate a child. Couples who are approved will then be escorted to a government-run orphanage to choose from children whose parents are unknown.
There are no court proceedings involved with adoption in Jordan. MSD is the only entity that grants “adoption.” According to the precepts of Islam and the laws of Jordan governing the "adoption" of infants of unknown parentage, the “adoptive” parents are permitted to choose the first name of the child. The Ministry of Interior, Department of Civil Status chooses fictitious names for the unknown mother and father, which along with the child's first name are placed on the Jordanian birth certificate. These fictitious parents' names, which are chosen at random and do not identify with any common Jordanian family or tribal names, are required for issuance of a Jordanian birth certificate. The child, per Jordanian law, will carry the names of the fictitious father. Once a birth certificate has been issued, the child is also issued a Jordanian "Family Book" and a Jordanian passport. At this point, the “adoptive” parents may petition for an immigrant visa for their child at the U.S. Embassy in Amman, Jordan (see below).
After the child has immigrated to the United States, adoptive parents are required to inform the nearest Jordanian embassy or consulate of any change in address. This facilitates the follow up that the MSD performs for all adopted Jordanian children abroad.
DOCUMENTARY REQUIREMENTS FOR JORDANIAN ADOPTION: The following documents are required:
- Copies of the marriage certificate;
- Copies of each parent’s valid passport;
- “Social study” (forms will be provided through the Jordanian Embassy);
- Employment letters;
- Original health reports of both parents, including medical proof of the parents’ infertility ; and
- If applicable, copy of the conversion certificate to Islam.
All of these documents must be translated into Arabic and certified by the Jordanian Embassy in Washington, which will forward them to the MSD (through the Foreign Ministry).
If an American Citizen is resident in Jordan, then these documents should be translated into Arabic and certified directly with the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ (MFA) Authentication Department located in Jabal Amman, 3rd Circle, Amman. The current fee for certifying documents is between 1-5 JD.
AUTHENTICATION PROCESS: The language describing the process of authenticating U.S. documents to be used abroad is currently under review. Please click on the following link for more information until the new language is finalized: http://www.travel.state.gov/law/info/judicial/judicial_701.html.
JORDANIAN EMBASSY IN THE U.S:
Embassy of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Washington, D.C.
3504 International Drive, NW
Washington, D.C. 20008
Phone: (202) 966- 2664
Fax: (202) 966-3110
E-mail: HKJConsular@jordanembassyus.org
Website: http://www.jordanembassyus.org/new/index.shtml
U.S. IMMIGRATION REQUIREMENTS: Prospective adoptive parents are strongly encouraged to consult USCIS publication M-249, The Immigration Of Adopted And Prospective Adoptive Children, as well as the Department of State Publication, International Adoptions. The USCIS publication is available at the USCIS web site. The Department of State Publication International Adoptions can be found on the Bureau of Consular Affairs web site, travel.state.gov, under “Intercountry Adoption.”
Before completing an adoption abroad, prospective adoptive parents are strongly encouraged to read the requirements for filing Form I-600, Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative. Please see the flyer “How Can Adopted Children Come to the United States” at the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs web site travel.state.gov.
U.S. EMBASSY IN JORDAN: Americans living or traveling abroad are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department’s travel registration website, https://travelregistration.state.gov/, and to obtain updated information on travel and security within the country of travel. Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency. The Consular Section is located at:
Embassy of the United States, Amman, Jordan
P.O. Box 354
Amman 11118 Jordan
Phone: 962-6-590-6000
Fax: 962-6-592-4102
E-mail: Amman-IV@state.gov
Internet: http://amman.usembassy.gov/
Prospective adoptive parents are advised to read the Travel Alert for the Middle East and North Africa before traveling to Jordan.
APPLYING FOR A VISA AT THE U.S. EMBASSY IN JORDAN: Once a child has been identified the U.S. Embassy can process an IR-4 immigrant visa for the child. [Note: As MSD fostering authorization is not the legal equivalent of a U.S. adoption, an IR-3 category visa cannot be issued. An IR-4 category immigrant visa issued by the Embassy enables the parents to take the child to the U.S., where they can complete the legal adoption process in a state court.] Once the MSD grants guardianship, the Embassy makes an effort to work with the adoptive parents to complete all of the required steps for the issuance of an IR-4 immigrant visa within a week’s time.
After the I-600 petition is approved, adoptive parents must contact the Immigrant Visa Unit of the U.S. Embassy to schedule a visa interview. Parents should not make final, non-refundable travel plans until they have their child’s visa in hand. A consular officer is required to review an adoption case carefully and make an independent determination of the child’s eligibility for a visa. This includes another review of the orphan status of your child, the child’s medical information. The child must be present at the Embassy for the immigrant visa interview. Adoptive parents should bring the child and the following items to the Embassy to complete the first step:
- The MSD fostering decree
- The child’s birth certificate
- The child’s and the parents’ passports
- Parents’ marriage certificate
- Copy of the home study
- Two identical photographs (for photo requirements please refer to http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1320.html
- $380 for IR-4 visa processing fees (payable in cash only, U.S. or Jordanian currency).
- Form I-864, Affidavit of Support, with copies of current year’s tax returns.
The Panel Physician's examination is designed to comply with specific visa regulations, and is not intended to be a fully inclusive physical examination. If adoptive parents wish to consult a pediatrician for a more complete physical exam, or for any health problems, the Embassy can provide a current list of doctors and sources for medicines.
Post makes every attempt to process adoption cases as soon as possible. If everything is in order same day issuance may be possible.
NOTE: After the IR-4 immigrant visa interview is completed and if all the required documents are in order, generally the Embassy can issue and pass back the IR-4 immigrant visa within three working days.
ACQUIRING U.S. CITIZENSHIP: The language describing the acquisition of U.S. citizenship for adopted children is currently under review. Until the new language is finalized, please click on the following link for further information: http://travel.state.gov/family/adoption/info/info_457.html.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Specific questions about adoption in Jordan may be addressed to the U.S. Embassy in Amman. General questions regarding intercountry adoption may be addressed to the Office of Children’s Issues, U.S. Department of State, CA/OCS/CI, SA-29, 4th Floor, 2201 C Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20520-4818, toll-free Tel: 1-888-407-4747.
Useful information is also available from several other sources:
Telephone:
• Toll Free - For information on intercountry adoption and international parental child abduction, call Overseas Citizens Services at 1-888-407-4747. This number is available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). Callers who are unable to use toll-free numbers, such as those calling from overseas, may obtain information and assistance during these hours by calling 1-202-501-4444.
• U.S. Department of State Visa Office - recorded information concerning immigrant visas for adopting children, (202) 663-1225.
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services - recorded information for requesting immigrant visa application forms, 1-800-870-FORM (3676).
Internet:
• Adoption Information Flyers: The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs web site at: http://travel.state.gov/ contains intercountry adoption information flyers like this one and the International Adoptions brochure.
• Country Specific Information: The State Department has general information about hiring a foreign attorney and authenticating documents that may supplement the country-specific information provided in this flyer. In addition, the State Department publishes Country Specific Information for every country in the world, providing information such as location of the U.S. Embassy, health conditions, political situations, and crime reports. If the situation in a country poses a specific threat to the safety and security of American citizens that is not addressed in the CSI for that country, the State Department may issue a Travel Alert alerting U.S. citizens to local security situations. If conditions in a country are sufficiently serious, the State Department may issue a Travel Warning recommending that U.S. citizens avoid traveling to that country. These documents are available on the Internet at: http://travel.state.gov/ or by calling the State Department's Office of Overseas Citizen Services Toll Free at 1-888-407-4747. This number is available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). Callers who are unable to use toll-free numbers, such as those calling from overseas, may obtain information and assistance during these hours by calling 1-202-501-4444.
• USCIS web site - http://uscis.gov/.
