Caution: Substantial Adoption Fraud Concerns Increase Case Processing Timeframes  

Due to systemic fraud, unreliable documentation and poor record-keeping in domestic and intercountry adoptions in Nigeria, processing times for adoption cases are significantly delayed.  If Consulate General Lagos determines that your child does not meet the orphan definition under U.S. law, our consular officers will not issue the child a visa to immigrate to the United States, even if an adoption was already completed in Nigeria.  For more information on adoption processing challenges and child welfare concerns, please read the Department of State’s March 13, 2024 adoption notice. 

Nigeria 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).  Please see more detail below in the Who Can Adopt, Who can be adopted, and How to adopt for more details on the intercountry adoption steps involving Nigeria. 

We are aware there are also prospective adoptive parents who reside abroad who wish to adopt a child from the United States.  Please see our section on Adoptions from the United States for more information on the process for adopting a child from the United States.   

Under the Intercountry Adoption Universal Accreditation Act of 2012 (UAA), which became effective on July 14, 2014, the requirement that adoption service providers be accredited or approved, and therefore meet the accreditation standards, which previously only applied in Convention cases, also applies in non-Convention (“orphan”) cases under section 101(b)(1)(F) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).  The UAA requires that an accredited or approved adoption service provider act as the primary provider in every non-Convention intercountry adoption case, and that adoption service providers providing any adoption services, as defined at 22 CFR Part 96.2, on behalf of prospective adoptive parents be accredited or approved or be a supervised or exempted provider.  See additional Department of State guidance and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) guidance for limited situations when a primary provider may not be required.  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 of the UAA on Form I-600A and Form I-600 adjudications, including the requirement that all home studies, including home study updates and amendments, comply with the home study requirements listed at 8 CFR 204.311, which differ from the orphan home study requirements that were in effect before July 14, 2014.

In addition to being found suitable and eligible to adopt by USCIS, prospective adoptive parents seeking to adopt a child from Nigeria must meet the following requirements: 

• Minimum Residency:  There is no specific minimum residence requirement to be eligible to adopt in Nigeria. However, certain Nigerian states may require prospective adoptive parents to stay in Nigeria for up to two years to bond with the child before petitioning a court to adopt.  Each state determines the length of time for the required bonding period. 

• Age of Adopting Parents:  In most Nigerian states, prospective adoptive parents must be at least 25 years of age and 21 years older than the child.  For married couples, at least one parent must meet the age requirements.  Each Nigerian state determines minimum and maximum age requirements. 

• Marriage:  Both single individuals and married couples may adopt.  Note that a single person will not be allowed to adopt a child of the opposite sex except in extraordinary circumstances.  In most Nigerian states, married couples must adopt jointly.  If married, both members of the couple must be Nigerian citizens (with the exception of Lagos and Ogun states).  In Nigerian states where joint adoption is not required and only one member of a married couple adopts the child, only the adoptive parent’s name should be listed on the Nigerian birth certificate. In these cases, Nigerian authorities generally instruct prospective adoptive parents to leave the other parent’s name blank.   

• Minimum Income: None. 

• Other requirements:
  
  • In general, prospective adoptive parents must first obtain temporary physical custody of the child for a three-month period immediately prior to petitioning the court for an adoption decree. Courts may waive or amend any or all of these provisions on a case-by-case basis if it is deemed in the best interest of the child. 
  • Same sex married couples are explicitly not allowed to adopt children in Nigeria. 

Caution: The Department of State has seen evidence of fraud, poor record-keeping, coercion, bribery, and child-selling in numerous adoption cases originating from Nigeria, including from registered orphanages.  If there is evidence of child-buying, the child cannot qualify under the orphan definition and the petition must be denied.  See 8 C.F.R. 204.3(i). Child-buying occurs if the prospective adoptive parents or a person or entity working on their behalf have given or will give money or other types of consideration either directly or indirectly to the child’s parent(s), agent(s), other individuals or entities as payment or as inducement to release the child for adoption.  Reasonable payment for necessary activities such as administrative, court, legal, translation, and/or medical services related to the adoption proceedings are permissible and should be documented. Even if there is a completed adoption by a Nigerian court, the petition will be denied if the child does not meet the orphan definition or is found ineligible due to child-buying. Consular Officers will not be able to issue the child a visa to immigrate to the United States without an approved petition.

Under the INA 101(b)(1)(F), a child can be considered an orphan because of the death or disappearance of, abandonment or desertion by, or separation or loss from both parents, or in the case where there is a sole or surviving parent who is incapable of providing the proper care and has in writing irrevocably released the child for emigration and adoption. 

In addition to qualifying as an orphan under U.S. immigration law, the child must also meet the following requirements of Nigeria: 

• Eligibility for adoption:   Before entering an adoption order, the family court must be satisfied that: (1) the parents or guardians of the child have consented to the adoption, or (2) that the child is abandoned, neglected or persistently abused and that there are compelling reasons in the interest of the child for the adoption.  

• Age of Adoptive Child: According to Nigerian’s Child’s Rights Law, a child must be under the age of 18 to be adopted.  However, the specific law governing the adoption will depend on the jurisdiction in which the adoption takes place and some states have lower age requirements.  Please note that for a child to meet the definition of an orphan under U.S. immigration law, a Form I-600, Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative, must be filed on the child’s behalf while the child is under the age of 16 (or under the age of 18 if the child is the birth sibling of another adopted child who meets the age and other requirements to immigrate based on adoption by the same adoptive parent(s)).  Please see the USCIS website and Form I-600 instructions for special rules on filing dates for children aged 15-16 or siblings aged 17-18. 

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 possible.  In such cases, the birth parent(s) have rarely relinquished their parental rights or consented to the adoption of their child(ren). 

Nigeria’s Adoption Authority

The Magistrate Court (from the state where the child resides) 

The Process

The process for adopting a child from Nigeria generally includes the following steps: 

1. Choose a U.S. Accredited or Approved Adoption Service Provider To Act as Your Primary Provider 
2. Apply to USCIS to be Found Suitable and Eligible to Adopt (Form I-600A) (or file a Form I-600 combination filing to have USCIS review both your suitability and eligibility as an adoptive parent and the child’s status as an orphan at the same time) 
3. Apply to Nigeria’s Authorities to Adopt, and to be Matched with a Child 
4. Adopt the Child in Nigeria 
5. Apply for Your Child to be Found Eligible to Immigrate to the United States as an Orphan (Form I-600)  
6. Secure a U.S. Immigrant Visa if You Intend to Reside with Your Child in the United States 
7. Obtain U.S. Citizenship for Your Child

1.  Choose a U.S. Accredited or Approved Adoption Service Provider to Act as Your Primary Provider that has been authorized by the Government of Nigeria

The accredited agency or approved person you identify as the primary provider is responsible for:  

• Ensuring that all six adoption services defined at 22 CFR 96.2 are provided consistent with applicable laws and regulations; 
• Supervising and being responsible for any supervised providers, and otherwise complying with the requirements regarding the provision of adoption services using other providers  (see 22 CFR 96.14); and  
• Developing and implementing a service plan in accordance with 22 CFR 96.44. 

Only accredited agencies, approved persons, supervised providers, exempted providers, public domestic authorities, and public foreign authorities may provide adoption services in intercountry adoption cases. 

For more information on primary providers and the UAA, please see Universal Accreditation Act of 2012.  See additional guidance for limited situations when a primary provider may not be required.  Learn more about Agency Accreditation. 

2.  Apply to USCIS to be Found Suitable and Eligible to Adopt (or file a Form I-600 combination filing to have USCIS review both your suitability and eligibility as an adoptive parent and the child’s status as an orphan at the same time)

In order to adopt a child from Nigeria, you will need to meet the requirements of the Government of Nigeria and U.S. immigration law.   

To meet U.S. immigration requirements, you may choose to file a Form I-600A, Application for Advance Processing of an Orphan Petition, with USCIS, to be found suitable and eligible to adopt. Please see the USCIS website for more information about filing options.  If you have already identified the child you wish to adopt, you may alternatively choose to file the Form I-600 petition for the child and include all the required supporting documentation for the Form I-600A application (i.e. an approved home study) so USCIS can make a determination on your suitability and eligibility to adopt before reviewing the child’s eligibility as an orphan.  Please see USCIS webpages on suitability determinations and USCIS policy guidance on adoptive parent suitability determinations.  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 who holds any license or other authorization required by the law of the jurisdiction where the home study is conducted (unless a public domestic or public foreign authority).  The home study must comply with the requirements in 22 CFR 96.47, 8 CFR 204.311 and USCIS policy. 

3.  Apply to Nigeria’s Authorities to Adopt, and be Matched with a Child

If you are found suitable and eligible to adopt under U.S. immigration law, Nigerian state laws on adoption usually require you to submit an adoption application to the Ministry of Women Affairs of Social Development in the state of Nigeria you wish to adopt a child from to be found eligible to adopt by that state. 

The adoption process varies state by state within Nigeria and can take months or even years to be completed.  The Department of State has seen cases of unscrupulous actors who will offer to speed up the adoption process or create fake documents in exchange for payment.  Prospective adoptive parents or any individual working on their behalf should not, under any circumstance, pay, offer to pay, or give any other consideration, either directly or indirectly, to a government official or any other individual as payment for a child or to induce the release of a child.  Prospective adoptive parents should be suspicious of actors who promise to expedite processes designed to safeguard children and birth parents.  

The competent adoption authority or other authorized entity in Nigeria will review your adoption dossier and, if an appropriate match is found, may provide you with a 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 ultimately adhere to the USCIS’ suitability determination (i.e. typically the Form I-600A approval notice) with respect to the number of children you are approved to adopt and the characteristics of the child(ren) (such as age, sex, nationality, and/or special need, disability, and/or impairment) that you are approved to adopt.  Learn more about Health Considerations

The child must be eligible to be adopted according to Nigeria’s requirements, as described in the Who Can Be Adopted section.  The child must also meet the definition of an orphan under U.S. immigration law.   

4.  Adopt the Child in Nigeria 

The process for finalizing the adoption in Nigeria generally includes the following: 

• Role of Adoption Authority: The adoption application originates with the social welfare office of the state of the child’s residence.  Prospective adoptive parents should not attempt to begin the adoption process through any other local officials. The government office that adjudicates local adoptions in Nigeria is the designated magistrate or family court of the state of the child’s residence.  
• Role of the Court: Once the social welfare office matches the child with prospective adoptive parents, the adoption process begins in most Nigerian states with the application for an adoption order in accordance with state requirements. The application must be submitted to the registrar of the competent court.  The court will terminate any interim care order, often with a local orphanage, and place the child in the physical custody of the prospective adoptive parents for a bonding period.  The court then assigns an officer of the court to represent the child in the adoption proceedings.  The guardian ad litem is the social welfare officer in charge of the area where the juvenile resides, or a probation officer or some other person suitably qualified in the opinion of the court of assignment.  The guardian ad litem investigates the circumstances related to the proposed adoption and files a report to the magistrate court.  The guardian ad litem represents the child's interests. 

The social welfare officer may visit the home of the prospective adoptive parents to determine whether the prospective adoptive parents are capable of caring for a child. Then, the social welfare officer submits a recommendation in writing to the court. The magistrate will meet the prospective adoptive parents in court to confirm their suitability and will issue or deny the adoption order. 

After the adoption order has been issued, adoptive parents should obtain a new birth certificate for the child listing them as the child's parents.  In some states, after the adoption has been granted, the adoptive parents must obtain the court's permission to remove the child from Nigeria, either temporarily or permanently.  In addition, the social welfare officer might be required to submit a letter to the Nigerian immigration office stating that the adoptive parents are now the legal parents of the child.  This letter permits the adopting parents to apply for a passport to take the child out of Nigeria. 
 
Note: Proxy adoptions are generally not possible in Nigeria.  One or both parents must be physically present for a court to rule on an adoption case.  However, courts may waive or amend requirements on a case-by-case basis if it is deemed in the best interest of the child. 

• Role of Accredited or Approved Adoption Service Providers: Prospective adoptive parents may wish to seek assistance from a Nigerian attorney to facilitate the adoption process.  The U.S. Consulate General maintains a list of attorneys that have identified themselves as providing legal services to U.S. citizens but cannot make any endorsements based on an assessment of the quality or the type of services the attorney provides. 

As noted above, any agency or person providing an adoption service on behalf of prospective adoptive parents in any 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, 22 CFR 96.2 Definitions:  

• Identifying a child for adoption and arranging an adoption;  
• Securing the necessary consent to termination of parental rights and to adoption;  
• Performing a background study on a child or a home study on a prospective adoptive parent(s), and reporting on such a study;  
• Making non-judicial determinations of the best interests of a child and the appropriateness of an adoptive placement for the child;  
• Monitoring a case after a child has been placed with prospective adoptive parent(s) until final adoption; or  
• When necessary because of a disruption before final adoption, assuming custody and providing (including facilitating the provision of) childcare or any other social service pending an alternative placement.  

Note: See additional guidance for limited situations when a primary provider may not be required. 

• Adoption Application:  The application is submitted to the registrar of the local Magistrate or Family court of the child’s residence. 
• Time Frame:  Adoption procedures can take anywhere from months to years depending on the child's state of origin, the length of the bonding period, and the evidence presented. 
• Adoption Fees: We encourage prospective adoptive parents to obtain detailed receipts for all fees and donations paid, either by them directly or through their U.S. adoption service provider, and to raise any concerns regarding any payment that you believe may be contrary to U.S. law, or the law of Nigeria, 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 Nigeria 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 UAA and IAA make 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 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.  Some of the fees specifically associated with adopting from Nigeria include:  

• Fees to an agency or the orphanage, attorney fees, court costs and costs to get official paperwork, such as a birth certificate, are estimated to be several hundred dollars per child. 

• Documents Required: The documentation for Nigerian adoptions is extensive and may be time-consuming to obtain.  Prospective adoptive parents may wish to consult with a Nigerian attorney about the documentation requirements of the state from which they are adopting. 

The following is a list of some of the required or often requested documents:  

• Birth certificates 
• Marriage certificates 
• Divorce decrees (where applicable) 
• Proof of Nigerian citizenship 
• Financial documentation – proof of financial assets 
• Police reports 

Note:  Additional documents may be requested. 

• Authentication of Documents:  You may be asked to provide proof that a document from the United States is authentic.  The U.S. Department of State’s Authentications Office has information on the subject. 

5.  Apply for Your Child to be Found Eligible to Immigrate to the United States as an Orphan

After you finalize the adoption in Nigeria, USCIS must determine if the child meets the definition of an orphan under U.S. immigration law in order for the child to immigrate to the United States.  You will need to file a Form I-600, Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative, on behalf of the child and unless a limited exception applies, you must identify a primary provider.  

If you have a valid Form I-600A approval, you may file your Form I-600 petition in the United States with the USCIS National Benefits Center, or at the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos, Nigeria.  Please see the USCIS website for more information about filing options. 

When a Form I-600 petition is adjudicated by USCIS in the United States, U.S. Consulate General Lagos’ consular section must complete a Form I-604, Determination on Child for Adoption (sometimes informally referred to as an orphan determination), to verify the child’s orphan status.   

When a Form I-600 petition is filed with the Consulate General’s consular section, the consular officer must complete the Form I-604, Determination on Child for Adoption, to verify the child’s orphan status.   

Conducting the Form I-604 determination is a critical part of the non-Convention adoption process.  Due to systemic fraud, poor record-keeping, coercion, bribery, and child-selling concerns, on a case-by-case basis USCIS generally requests that the U.S. Consulate General complete the Form I-604 determination in advance of petition adjudication to verify the authenticity of the information provided in the adoption decree and with the Form I-600 petition. The Consular Officers in Nigeria are often unable to rely on government-issued documents attesting to the child’s eligibility to be adopted and must independently corroborate the provided documentation, which makes it difficult to determine whether the child is an orphan under U.S. immigration law.  The Form I-604 review process may take up to six months to complete. Many adoptees have been found ineligible for an immigrant visa following the denial of the underlying orphan petition (I-600) because the child did not meet the definition of orphan under U.S. immigration law.  In cases where the immigration petition is denied, even if the adoption is completed in Nigeria, our Consular Officers in Nigeria will not be able to issue the child a visa to immigrate to the United States.

6.  Secure a U.S. Immigrant Visa if You Intend to Reside with Your Child in the United States 

Once your adoption is complete and the Form I-604 determination has been completed, finding that your child meets the legal definition of an orphan for immigration purposes, there are a few more steps to take before your child can enter the U.S.   

Your child will need an immigrant visa if you intend to reside in the United States with your child.  If instead you intend to continue residing overseas with your child but still seek naturalization of your child by application (Form N-600K), you will not need an immigrant visa, but you may need a different type of visa to complete the process.  Please discuss this with the consular officer handling your case and consult the USCIS website for more information. 

You need to obtain three documents before you secure a visa so your child can travel to the United States: 

Birth Certificate

You will need to obtain a new or updated birth certificate for your child. 

If you have finalized the adoption in Nigeria, you will first need to apply for a new birth certificate for your child with your name on it. 

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. 

Birth certificates in Nigeria are issued by the National Population Commission (NPC).  The NPC has offices co-located within most local government authority (LGA) offices throughout the country and applicants must go to the LGA office with jurisdiction in the area where the adoption occurred in order to obtain the birth certificate.  Birth certificates from NPC are documents which are normally completed by hand; therefore, it is recommended that applicants carefully check the accuracy of documents and ensure they are legible.  U.S. regulations require that the spelling and other biographical information be consistent across official documents being relied upon for visa issuance. 

Nigerian Passport

Your child is not yet a U.S. citizen, so he/she will need a travel document or passport from Nigeria. 

In some states, after the adoption has been granted, the adoptive parents must obtain the court's permission to remove the child from Nigeria, either temporarily or permanently.  In addition, the social welfare officer might be required to submit a letter to the Nigerian immigration office, stating that the adoptive parents are now the legal parents of the child.  This letter permits the adopting parents to apply for a passport to take the child out of Nigeria. 

Applicants can apply for a Nigerian passport in the Nigerian Immigration Service office of the jurisdiction in which the adoption took place or where they reside.  There is a fee for obtaining a passport.  The Nigerian passport may take a week or more to obtain depending on conditions.  At times it may take significantly longer.  Applicants should carefully check the accuracy of documents obtained in Nigeria as visa regulations require that the spelling and other biographical information be consistent across official documents. 

U.S. Immigrant Visa

After you obtain the new birth certificate and passport for your child and you have filed Form I-600, you will then need to apply for a U.S. immigrant visa for your child from U.S. Consulate General Lagos if you intend to bring your child to reside in the United States with you.  This immigrant visa allows your child to travel home with you and be admitted to the United States as your child.  Please contact U.S. Consulate General Lagos by email at LagosAdoptions@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.  Read more about the Medical Examination. 

You must complete an Electronic Immigrant Visa Application (DS-260) online at the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) after receiving a letter from the National Visa Center (NVC) confirming receipt of the approved Form I-600 petition and assignment of a case number and an invoice ID number.  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 if you have questions about completing the online DS-260 form. 

Upon receipt of the case at post, the U.S. Consulate General generally notifies the petitioner.  Visa issuance after the final interview may take up to two weeks.  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 U.S. Consulate General Lagos before making final travel arrangements.  Additional information on immigrant visa processing can be found on our website. 

Note:  Although the U.S. Embassy is in Nigeria’s capital (Abuja), immigrant visa cases are reviewed only at the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos.   

If you will reside outside the United States with your child, you should contact the adoption authority or competent authority where you reside for additional information about how to bring your child to that country.  

7. Obtain U.S. Citizenship for Your Child 

If you obtain an immigrant visa for your child, USCIS will mail your child either a permanent resident card (green card), or a Certificate of Citizenship, after your child enters the United States.  If you plan to reside outside the United States with your child (and, therefore, may not benefit from an immigrant visa for your child), please see the relevant section below.  

For adoptions finalized abroad before the child’s admission into the United States:  A child who was adopted abroad and has satisfied Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) 101(b)(1)(E), INA 101(b)(1)(F), or INA 101(b)(1)(G) requirements, who is 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 after admission if the child is under the age of 18 when these conditions are met.  

Depending on the visa your child receives, their age, and the other INA 320 requirements, you may not need to take any additional action for your child to acquire U.S. citizenship.  However, if your child does not meet the requirements of INA 320 at the time of admission into the United States, you may file a Form N-600, Application for Certificate of Citizenship, once the requirements are met.  More information is available on the USCIS website. 

For adoptions not finalized until after the child’s admission to the United States:  

If the adoption is not finalized before the child is admitted to the United States, the child’s adoptive parent(s) must complete the adoption (or re-adoption or obtain judicial recognition of the foreign adoption) in the United States before the child turns 18 for the child to automatically acquire U.S. citizenship (if the child otherwise meets the requirements of INA 320).  You may file a Form N-600, Application for Certificate of Citizenship, once the requirements are met.  More information is available on the USCIS Fact Sheet:  Securing U.S. Citizenship for Your Child. 

If you reside outside the United States with your child, you may file a Form N-600K, Application for Citizenship and Issuance of Certificate Under Section 322 with USCIS to obtain a Certificate of Citizenship for your child if your child satisfies the requirements of INA 322.  Note: If you are a military service member or U.S. government employee who chooses to seek an immigrant visa for your child versus completing the Form N-600K process, you may need to use Form N-600 to apply for a Certificate of Citizenship.  Please note, however, that USCIS cannot mail Certificates of Citizenship abroad for children who acquire citizenship under INA 320. 

Read more about INA 320 and 322 in the USCIS Policy Manual and USCIS website U.S. Citizenship for an Adopted Child. 

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 to 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 Nigeria

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 Nigeria, see the Department of State’s country page. 

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 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 U.S. Embassy about safety conditions in your destination country.  Enrollment makes it possible for the U.S. Embassy or Consulate General in Nigeria, 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 Nigeria, enrollment assists the U.S. Embassy or Consulate General in reaching you. 

Enrollment is free and can be done online via the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). 

Post-Adoption/Post-Placement Reporting Requirements

Some Nigerian states may require status updates on the child until the child’s 18^th birthday.  Parents should confirm any post-adoption requirements with their legal representatives. 

We urge you to comply with Nigeria’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 Nigeria’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. In particular you may find the pages on  Parenting After Adoption - Child Welfare Information Gateway and Post Adoption and Permanency Support Services - Child Welfare Information Gateway useful. 

COMPLAINTS

If you have concerns about your intercountry adoption process, we ask that you share this information with the Consulate General in Lagos, 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-600/A process. 

The Complaint Registry is an internet-based registry for filing complaints about U.S. accredited or approved adoption service providers.  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. Consulate General, Lagos
2 Walter Carrington Crescent
Victoria Island, Lagos
Nigeria
Tel: [234](1) 460-3400
Email: LagosAdoptions@state.gov

U.S. Embassy in Nigeria
Abuja, Nigeria
Plot 1075 Diplomatic Drive
Central Business District, Abuja, FCT
(Off Independence Avenue/Near the Ministry of Defense)
Tel: [234] (9)461-4262
Fax: [234] (9)461-4171
Email: Consularabuja@state.gov
Website: ng.usembassy.gov

Nigeria’s Adoption Authority
Magistrate Court of State of the child’s place of birth or where the child is located. 

Embassy of the Republic of Nigeria
3519 International Court, N.W.
Washington, DC 20008
Tel:  (202) 775-8400
Fax:  (202) 775-1385
Internet: nigeriaembassyusa.org 

Nigeria also has consulates in Atlanta and New York City.

Office of Children’s Issues
U.S. Department of State  
CA/OCS/CI  
SA-17, 9th Floor
Washington, DC 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 a pending Form I-600A application, Form I-600 petition or related supplements:
USCIS
Tel:  1-877-424-8374 (toll free); 1-913-275-5480 (local); Fax:1-913-214-5808
Email:  NBC.Adoptions@uscis.dhs.gov  

For other USCIS-related questions: 
USCIS Contact Center
Tel:  1-800-375-5283 (TTY 1-800-767-1833)
Internet:  uscis.gov