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Intercountry Adoption > Country Information > Burundi Intercountry Adoption Information
Reissued with obsolete COVID-19 page links removed.
Reconsider travel to Burundi due to crime, health, and political violence. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory.
Do Not Travel to:
Country Summary: Violent crimes, such as assault, carjacking, home invasion, grenade attacks, and armed robbery, have been reported in Burundi. Criminals at times target foreigners and residents suspected of having large sums of cash. Local police lack the resources and training to respond effectively to crimes.
Medical services in Burundi fall well below U.S. standards, and there are no adequate trauma services in the country. Emergency medical and fire services are limited or non-existent in some areas of the country. Even relatively minor health problems may necessitate a medical evacuation at the traveler’s expense. Medical evacuation insurance valid for travel to Burundi is strongly recommended.
Although political unrest and instability in Burundi have diminished in recent years, the risk of potential violence remains. Police and military checkpoints are common and can restrict freedom of movement. Police have conducted weapon searches in the homes of private citizens. The borders may close without notice.
The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens throughout Burundi. U.S. Embassy personnel are subject to restrictions when traveling in certain areas of Burundi and may be subject to other constraints as security conditions warrant. These restrictions include limitations on all travel outside Bujumbura Mairie during hours of darkness (typically 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.). The U.S. government may not be able to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in the following areas: the provinces of Bubanza and Cibitoke and Kibira National Park (including the park’s southernmost part in Muramvya province)
Read the country information page for additional information on travel to Burundi.
If you decide to travel to Burundi:
The former Central Market located on Chaussee Prince Louis Rwagasore – Level 4: Do Not Travel
Violent crimes, such as grenade attacks and armed robbery, can occur.
The former Central Market located on Chaussee Prince Louis Rwagasore is off-limits to U.S. Embassy personnel at all times
Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.
Cibitoke and Bubanza provinces and Kibira National Park – Level 4: Do Not Travel
Armed actors exploit porous borders and forested areas between Burundi, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo for movement and activities. U.S. Embassy personnel are restricted from travel to the following areas without special permission: the provinces of Bubanza and Cibitoke and Kibira National Park (including the park’s southernmost part in Muramvya province).
Due to travel restrictions on U.S. Embassy personnel, the U.S. government may be unable to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in these areas.
Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.
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 Burundi’s Central Authority for its determination as to whether it considers your adoption to be subject to the Convention.
Burundi is a party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention or Convention). Intercountry adoption processing in Convention countries must be done in accordance with the requirements of the Hague Adoption Convention; the U.S. implementing legislation, the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (“IAA”); and the IAA’s implementing regulations; as well as the implementing legislation and regulations of Burundi.
To bring an adopted child to the United States from Burundi, 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.
In addition to being found suitable and eligible to adopt by USCIS, prospective adoptive parents seeking to adopt a child from Burundi must meet the following requirements imposed by Burundi:
Because Burundi is party to The Hague Adoption Convention, children from Burundi must meet the requirements of the Convention in order to be eligible for intercountry adoption. For example, the adoption may take place only if the competent authorities of Burundi have determined that placement of the child within Burundi has been given due consideration and that an intercountry adoption is in the child’s best interests.
In addition to qualifying as a Convention adoptee under U.S. immigration law, the child must also meet the following requirements imposed by Burundi:
Warning: Do not adopt or obtain legal custody of a child in Burundi before: 1) USCIS has approved your Form I-800A, Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country, 2) the Central Authority of Burundi has determined the child is available for intercountry adoption, 3) USCIS has provisionally approved your Form I-800, Petition to Classify Convention Adoptee as an Immediate Relative, and 4) a U.S. consular officer has issued an “Article 5/17 Letter” in the case. Read on for more information.
Burundi’s Central Adoption Authority
Ministry of Human Rights, Social Affairs and Gender
The Process
Because Burundi is party to The Hague Adoption Convention, adoptions from Burundi must follow a specific process designed to meet the Convention’s requirements. A brief summary of the Convention adoption process is provided below. You must complete these steps in the following order to meet all necessary legal requirements. Adoptions completed out of order may cause significant delays or result in the child not being eligible for an immigrant visa to the United States.
1. Choose a U.S. Accredited or Approved Adoption Service Provider to Act as Your Primary Provider that has been authorized by Burundi’s Central Authority to Operate in Burundi
2. Apply to USCIS to be Found Suitable and Eligible to Adopt (Form I-800A)
3. Apply to Burundi’s Authorities to Adopt and Be Matched with a Child
4. Apply to USCIS for the Child to be Found Provisionally Eligible for Immigration to the United States as a Convention Adoptee (Form I-800) and Receive U.S. Agreement to Proceed with the Adoption (Art. 5/17 letter)
5. Adopt the Child in Burundi
6. Apply for a U.S. Immigrant Visa for Your Child and Bring Your Child Home
1. Choose a U.S. Accredited or Approved Adoption Service Provider to Act as Your Primary Provider That Has Been Authorized by Burundi’s Central Authority to Operate in Burundi
The first step in adopting a child from Burundi is to select an adoption service provider in the United States that has been accredited or approved to provide intercountry adoption services to U.S. citizen and that has been authorized by the Government of Burundi. A primary provider must be identified in each Convention case, and only accredited or approved adoption service providers may act as the primary provider in your case. Unless a public domestic authority is providing all adoption services in your case, a primary provider is required in every intercountry adoption case. Your primary provider is responsible for:
Learn more about Agency Accreditation.
2. Apply to USCIS to be Found Suitable and Eligible to Adopt
In order to adopt a child from Burundi, you will need to meet the requirements of the Government of Burundi and U.S. immigration law.
After you choose an accredited or approved adoption service provider, you must be found suitable and eligible to adopt by USCIS by submitting Form I-800A, Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country. You will need to submit a home study, provide biometrics, and cooperate in a background check as part of this application. Read more about Suitability and Eligibility Requirements. Unless an exception applies, the home study must be prepared by a person who is authorized under 22 CFR 96 to prepare home studies and must comply with the requirements in 8 CFR 204.311.
3. Apply to Burundi’s Authorities to Adopt and be matched with a Child
Submit Your Dossier to the Central Authority
After USCIS determines that you are suitable and eligible to adopt and approves the Form I-800A application, your adoption service provider will provide your approval notice, home study, and any other required information to the adoption authority in Burundi as part of your adoption application. Burundi’s adoption authority will review your application to determine whether you are also suitable and eligible to adopt under Burundi’s law.
Receive a Referral for a Child from the Central Authority
If both the United States and Burundi determine that you are suitable and eligible to adopt, and Burundi’s Central Authority for Convention adoptions has determined that a child is eligible for adoption and that intercountry adoption is in that child’s best interests, the Central Authority for Convention adoptions in Burundi may provide you with a referral. The referral is a proposed match between you and a specific child based on a review of your dossier and the needs of the child. The adoption authority in Burundi will provide a background study and other information, if available, about the child to help you decide whether to accept the referral. We encourage families to consider consulting with a medical professional and their adoption service provider to understand the needs of the specific child, but you must decide for yourself whether you will be able to meet the needs of, and provide a permanent home for, a specific child. You must also adhere to the recommendations in the home study submitted to USCIS with respect to the number of children and capacity to deal with any special needs of an adoptive child. Learn more about Health Considerations. If you accept the referral, the adoption service provider communicates that to the Central Authority in Burundi. Learn more about this critical decision.
Burundian authorities encourage keeping siblings together when possible. However, no specific exceptions to adoption procedures apply to sibling groups.
4. Apply to USCIS for the Child to be Found Provisionally Eligible for Immigration to the United States as a Convention Adoptee and Receive U.S. Agreement to Proceed with the Adoption
Submit a Petition for a Determination on the Child’s Immigration Eligibility
After you accept being matched with a particular child, you will apply to USCIS for provisional approval for the child to immigrate to the United States by filing the Form I-800, Petition to Classify Convention Adoptee as an Immediate Relative. USCIS will make a provisional determination as to whether the child appears to meet the definition of a Convention adoptee and will likely be eligible to be admitted to the United States.
Submit an Immigrant Visa Application
After provisional approval of Form I-800 petition, you or your adoption service provider will submit a visa application to the consular section of the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, not Bujumbura. Please note the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi is responsible for issuing immigrant visas to children from Burundi.
You should receive a letter from the National Visa Center (“NVC”) confirming receipt of the provisionally approved Form I-800 petition and assigning a case number and an invoice ID number. Use this information to log into the Consular Electronic Application Center (“CEAC”) to file the Electronic Immigrant Visa Application (DS-260) for your child. An adoptive parent should fill out these forms in your child's name. Answer every item on the form. If information is not applicable, please write “N/A” in the block. Please review the DS-260 FAQs, our Online Immigrant Visa Forms page, or contact the NVC at NVCAdoptions@state.gov or +1-603-334-0700 if you have questions about completing the online DS-260 form. A consular officer will review the provisionally approved Form I-800 petition and the visa application and, if applicable, advise you of options for the waiver of any ineligibilities related to the visa application.
The consular officer will send a letter (referred to as an “Article 5/17 Letter”) to Burundi’s Central Authority in any intercountry adoption involving U.S. citizen parents and a child from Burundi if all Convention requirements are met and the child appears eligible to immigrate to the United States. This letter will inform Burundi’s 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 legal custody of a child in Burundi before you receive provisional approval of 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.
5. Adopt the Child in Burundi or Obtain Legal Custody
Remember: Before you adopt or obtain legal custody of a child in Burundi, you must have completed the above four steps. Only after completing these steps can you proceed to finalize the adoption.
The process for finalizing the adoption or obtaining legal custody in Burundi generally includes the following:
Unless a public domestic authority is providing all adoption services in your case, there must be a U.S. accredited or approved adoption service provider acting as the primary provider in every case. Also, any agency or person providing an adoption service on behalf of prospective adoptive parents in any Convention or non-Convention intercountry adoption case must be accredited or approved, or be a supervised or exempted provider. Adoption service means any one of the following six services:
We encourage prospective adoptive parents to obtain detailed receipts for all fees and donations paid, either by them directly or through your U.S. adoption service provider, and to raise any concerns regarding any payment that you believe may be contrary to the Convention, U.S. law, or the law of Burundi, with your adoption service provider, and, when appropriate, through the Complaint Registry. Improper payments violate applicable law or create the appearance of buying a child, and could put all future adoptions in Burundi at risk. The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, for instance, makes it unlawful to make payments to foreign government officials to assist in obtaining or retaining business. Further, the IAA makes certain actions relating to intercountry adoptions unlawful and subject to civil and criminal penalties. These include offering, giving, soliciting, or accepting inducement by way of compensation intended to influence or affect the relinquishment of parental rights, parental consent relating to adoption of a child, or a decision by an entity performing functions as a competent central authority, or to engage another person as an agent to take any such action.
In the adoption services contract that you sign at the beginning of the adoption process, your adoption service provider will itemize the fees and estimated expenses related to your adoption process.
Note: Additional documents may be requested.
6. Apply for a U.S. Immigrant Visa for Your Child and Bring Your Child Home
Once your adoption is complete, there are a few more steps to take before your child can head home. Specifically, you need to apply for three documents before your child can travel to the United States:
Birth Certificate
You will need to obtain a birth certificate for your child.
If you have finalized the adoption in Burundi, you will first need to apply for a new birth certificate for your child from the Ministry of the Interior. The application for the certificate will be made by the Burundi Central Authority. Your name will be added to the new birth certificate.
If you have been granted legal custody for the purposes of emigration and adoption of the child in the United States, the birth certificate you obtain will, in most cases, not yet include your name.
Burundi Passport
Your child is not yet a U.S. citizen, so he/she will need a travel document or passport from Burundi.
Passports can only be obtained at the government agency Police of Air, Frontiers, and Foreigners. The fee for a passport is 235,000 Burundian Francs (approximately $136 USD), and applications take approximately four days to process.
U.S. Immigrant Visa
After you obtain the new birth certificate and passport for your child you need to apply for a U.S. immigrant visa for your child from the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, where all immigrant visa processing for Burundi is done. The U.S. Embassy in Bujumbura will not be able to process your child’s U.S. immigrant visa. After the adoption is granted, visit the U.S Embassy for a final review of the case, and if applicable, the issuance of a U.S. Hague Adoption Certificate or Hague Custody Certificate, the final approval of the Form I-800 petition, and to obtain your child’s immigrant visa. This immigrant visa allows your child to travel home with you and be admitted to the United States as your child. Please contact the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi by email at ImmigrationVisaNairobi@state.gov to schedule your child’s immigrant visa appointment. As part of this process, you must provide the consular officer with the Panel Physician’s medical report on the child if you did not provide it during the Form I-800 provisional approval stage. Read more about the Medical Examination.
Before coming for your child’s immigrant visa interview, please complete an Electronic Immigrant Visa Application (“DS-260”) online at the Consular Electronic Application Center (“CEAC”), as instructed in Step 4. You should receive a letter from the National Visa Center (NVC) confirming receipt of the provisionally approved Form I-800 petition and assignment of a case number and an invoice ID number. You will need this information to log into CEAC to file the DS-260 for your child. You should fill out these forms in your child's name. Answer every item on the form. If information is not applicable, please write “N/A” in the block. Print and bring the DS-260 confirmation page to the visa interview. Review the DS-260 FAQs, our Online Immigrant Visa Forms page, or contact NVC at NVCAdoptions@state.gov or +1-603-334-0700 if you have questions about completing the online DS-260 form.
Please note that the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi processes immigrant visas for non-U.S. citizens located in Burundi. Additional information concerning immigrant visa processing at the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi can be found on the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi’s website.
Upon receipt of the case at the Embassy, the Consular Section generally notifies the petitioner. Visa issuance after the final interview generally takes 24 hours. It is not usually possible to provide the visa to adoptive parents on the same day as the immigrant visa interview. You should verify current processing times with the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi before making final travel arrangements. Additional information on immigrant visa processing can be found on our website.
Child Citizenship Act
For adoptions finalized abroad prior to the child’s admission into the United States: An adopted child residing in the United States in the legal and physical custody of the U.S. citizen parent pursuant to a lawful admission for permanent residence generally will acquire U.S. citizenship if the child otherwise meets the requirements of the Child Citizenship Act of 2000, including that the child is under the age of eighteen.
For adoptions finalized after the child’s admission into the United States: You will need to complete an adoption following your child’s admission into the United States and before the child turns eighteen for the child (if he or she otherwise meets the requirements of the Child Citizenship Act of 2000) to automatically acquire U.S. citizenship.
Read more about the Child Citizenship Act of 2000.
Applying for Your U.S. Passport
U.S. citizens are required to enter and depart the United States on a valid U.S. passport. Once your child acquires U.S. citizenship, s/he will need a U.S. passport for international travel. 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 Department of State’s Passport Application Wizard will help you determine which passport form you need, help you complete the form online, estimate your payment, and generate the form for you to print—all in one place.
Obtaining a Visa to Travel to Burundi
In addition to a U.S. passport, you may also need to obtain a visa. Where required, visas are affixed to your passport and allow you to enter a foreign nation. To find information about obtaining a visa for Burundi, see the Department of State’s Country Specific Information.
Staying Safe on Your Trip
Before you travel, it is always a good practice to investigate the local conditions, laws, political landscape, and culture of the country. The Department of State provides Country-Specific Information for every country in the world about various issues, including health conditions, crime, currency or entry requirements, and any areas of instability.
Staying in Touch on Your Trip
When traveling abroad during the adoption process, we encourage you to enroll with the Department of State through our Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (“STEP”) to receive important information from the Embassy about safety conditions in your destination country. Enrollment makes it possible for the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in Burundi, to contact you in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest, or family emergency. Whether there is a family emergency in the United States or a crisis in Burundi, enrollment assists the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in reaching you.
Enrollment is free and can be done online via the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).
Post-Adoption/Post-Placement Reporting Requirements
Burundian post-adoption procedures require adoptive parents to notify the Burundian Embassy in the United States of an adopted child’s presence in the United States and submit annual reports on the child. Children from Burundi maintain Burundian citizenship after immigrating to the United States, and the Burundian Embassy may seek to conduct periodic welfare/whereabouts visits with Burundian adoptees and their adoptive families until the children reach age 18.
We urge you to comply with Burundi’s post-adoption/post-placement requirements in a timely manner. Your adoption service provider may be able to help you with this process. Your cooperation will contribute to Burundi’s positive experiences with U.S. citizen adoptive parents.
Post-Adoption Resources
Many adoptive parents find it important to find support after the adoption. There are many public and private nonprofit post-adoption services available for children and their families. There are also numerous adoptive family support groups and adoptee organizations active in the United States that provide a network of options for adoptees who seek out other adoptees from the same country of origin. You may wish to take advantage of all the resources available to your family, whether it is another adoptive family, a support group, an advocacy organization, or your religious or community services. Your primary provider can provide or point you to post- placement/post-adoption services to help your adopted child and your family transition smoothly and deal effectively with the many adjustments required in an intercountry adoption.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services maintains a website, the Child Welfare Information Gateway, which can be a useful resource to get you started on your support group search.
COMPLAINTS
If you have concerns about your intercountry adoption process, we ask that you share this information with the Embassy in Burundi, particularly if it involves possible fraud or misconduct specific to your child’s case. The Department of State takes all allegations of fraud or misconduct seriously. Our Adoption Comment Page provides several points of contact for adoptive families to comment on their adoption service provider, their experience applying for their child’s visa, or about the Form I-800/A petition process.
The Complaint Registry is an internet-based registry for filing complaints about the compliance of U.S. accredited or approved adoption service providers with U.S. accreditation standards. If you think your provider's conduct may not have been in compliance with accreditation standards, first submit your complaint in writing directly to your provider. If the complaint is not resolved through the provider's complaint process, you may file the complaint through the Complaint Registry.
U.S. Embassy in Burundi
Address: B.P. 1720
Avenue des Etats-Unis
Kigobe
Bujumbura
Tel: +257 22- 20-7000
Fax: +257 22-24-3467
Email: BujumburaC@state.gov
Internet: bi.usembassy.gov
Burundi’s Central Adoption Authority
Ministry of Human Rights, Social Affairs and Gender
Address: B.P. 6518
Building Ex-Finance
1er Etage N 3
Tel: +257 22-24-6924
Internet: droithumains.gov.bi
Embassy of Burundi
Address: 2233 Wisconsin Ave NW
Suite 408
Washington, DC 20007
Tel: +1 202 342 2574
Fax: + 1 202 342 2578
Email: burundiembusadc@gmail.com
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
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