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U.S. DEPARTMENT of STATE — BUREAU of CONSULAR AFFAIRS

Intercountry Adoption

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Country Information

Anguilla

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Anguilla
Exercise normal precautions in Anguilla.

Reissued after periodic review with minor edits.

Exercise normal precautions in Anguilla. 

Read the country information page for additional information on travel to Anguilla. 

If you decide to travel to Anguilla:

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Hague Convention Participation

Hague Adoption Convention Country?
No
Are Intercountry Adoptions between this country and the United States possible?
Both adoptions to the United States from Anguilla and from the United States to Anguilla are possible.

Hague Convention Information

Anguilla is not a party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention or Convention). Under the Intercountry Adoption Universal Accreditation Act of 2012 (UAA), which became effective on July 14, 2014, the accreditation requirement and standards, which previously only applied in Convention cases, now also apply in non-Convention (“orphan”) cases under section 101(b)(1)(F) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The UAA requires that an accredited or approved adoption service provider acts as a primary provider in every case, and that adoption service providers providing adoption services on behalf of prospective adoptive parents be accredited or approved, or be a supervised or exempted provider. Adoption service providers and prospective adoptive parents should review the State Department’s Universal Accreditation Act of 2012 webpage for further information. Intercountry adoptions of children from non-Convention countries continue to be processed under the Orphan Process with the filing of the Forms I-600A and I-600. However, adoption service providers should be aware of the information on the USCIS website on the impact on Form I-600A and Form I-600 adjudications under the UAA, including the requirement that all home studies, including home study updates and amendments, comply with the Convention home study requirements, which differ from the orphan home study requirements that were in effect before July 14, 2014.

Anguilla is not generally a country of origin for intercountry adoption. While adoption is legally possible, children from Anguilla are not generally placed for intercountry adoption. No child from Anguilla has received a U.S. adoption immigrant visa relating to an intercountry adoption in the past five fiscal years.  The information provided is intended primarily to assist in extremely rare adoption cases from Anguilla, including adoptions of Anguilla’s children by relatives in the United States, as well as adoptions from third countries by U.S. citizens living in Anguilla.

The Registrar General (also the Senior Magistrate) in Anguilla handles the administrative aspects of adoptions and the process involves a lawyer making an application before a judge. U.S. citizens interested in adopting children from Anguilla should contact an attorney in Anguilla or the Court Registry to inquire about applicable laws and procedures. U.S. citizen prospective adoptive parents living in Anguilla who would like to adopt a child from the United States or from a third country should also contact Anguilla’s adoption authority. See contact information below.

Caution: Prospective adoptive parents should be aware that not all children in orphanages or children’s homes are eligible for adoption. In many countries, birth parents place their child(ren) temporarily in an orphanage or children’s home due to financial or other hardship, intending that the child return home when this becomes possible. In such cases, the birth parent(s) have rarely relinquished their parental rights or consented to the adoption of their child(ren).

Please visit the Department of State’s Anguilla Specific Information for more information on travelling to Anguilla and the U.S. Embassy Bridgetown’s website for information on consular services.

U.S. Immigration Requirements

To bring an adopted child to the United States from [Country], 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 an orphan under U.S. immigration law in order to be eligible to immigrate to the United States with an IR-3 or IR-4 immigrant visa.

Contact Information

Anguilla has no designated adoption authority, however, adoption inquiries can be directed to the Court Registry at (264) 497-2377/3347 or via email, c/o Ms. Nadia Ruan, nadia.ruan@gov.ai.

U.S. Embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados, Anguilla
Wildey Business Park
Wildey
St. Michael, BB 14006
Barbados, W.I.
Tel: (246) 227-4000
Fax: (246) 431-0179
Email: BridgetownACS@state.gov
Internet: https://bb.usembassy.gov/

Embassy of Anguilla in the United States
3100 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20008
Tel: 1-202-588-6500
Tel: 1-202-588-7800
Tel: 1-202-588-7830
Tel: 1-202-588-7870
Fax: 1- 202-588-7850
Email:britishembassyenquiries@gmail.com
Internet: British Embassy, Washington

Office of Children’s Issues
U.S. Department of State
CA/OCS/CI
SA-17, 9th Floor
Washington, D.C. 20522-1709
Tel: 1-888-407-4747
Email: Adoption@state.gov
Internet: 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 Contact Center
Tel: 1-800-375-5283 (TTY 1-800-767-1833)
Internet: uscis.gov

Last Updated: July 27, 2016

Assistance for U.S. Citizens

U.S. Embassy Bridgetown
Wildey Business Park
Wildey
St. Michael BB 14006
Barbados, W.I.
Telephone
+(246) 227-4399
Emergency
+(246) 227-4000
Fax
+(246) 431-0179

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