I-600

Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative

Agency
USCIS
Revision
Edition 01/20/25
Fillable fields
436
Pages
16
Official source
USCIS form page
Checked
October 20, 2026
Fill I-600 online
Page 1 of form I-600

Form I-600: Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative

Form I-600, Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative, is the form a U.S. citizen uses to ask USCIS to classify an orphan as an immediate relative. The USCIS page says the U.S. citizen adoptive parent or legal custodian files it to finalize the immigration process of a child who is not habitually resident in a Hague Convention country.

The instructions say USCIS uses it to decide whether a child who has been or will be adopted by a U.S. citizen (and spouse, if married) can be classified as an orphan for an immediate relative immigrant visa. The child has to qualify as an orphan under INA section 101(b)(1)(F), and the petition is filed before the child's 16th birthday, or before the 18th birthday in some sibling cases.

A petitioner who already filed Form I-600A for advance processing files Form I-600 once a child is identified. Without a valid Form I-600A approval, the instructions describe a combination filing, where USCIS decides suitability to adopt and the child's eligibility at the same time. The form is 16 pages long.

Top of page 1 of Form I-600: Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative, as printed by USCIS

What's on Form I-600

Part 1: Basis of filing

Whether you filed Form I-600A or are making a combination filing, whether the petition is for one child, birth siblings or other multiple children, and any change in marital status since filing.

Part 2: Information about you

Name, addresses, how you got U.S. citizenship, marital history, your spouse's details, adults and children in the household, earlier adoption history, and questions on criminal history and child welfare investigations.

Part 3: The orphan beneficiary

Name at birth and current name, birth details, why the child is an orphan, whether the child was adopted abroad and seen in person before or during the adoption, and the pre-adoption requirements of the state where the child will live.

Parts 4 and 5: Home study, provider and payments

Where your home study was submitted, your primary adoption service provider, a table of all fees, expenses and in-kind payments made or expected, and whether anything was given to induce the child's release.

Parts 6 and 7: Affidavit of support and accommodations

Whether the child is exempt from an Affidavit of Support (Form I-864 or I-864EZ) or one will go to the State Department, and any disability accommodation request.

Parts 8 to 12: Certifications and signatures

The petitioner's and spouse's certifications, duty of disclosure and signatures, the interpreter and preparer sections, and additional information space.

How to fill out Form I-600

  1. 1

    Pick the filing basis in Part 1

    Select whether you have a pending or approved and valid Form I-600A or are asking for a suitability and eligibility decision as part of this petition, then the option for one child or multiple children.

  2. 2

    Select one home study box in Part 4

    The instructions say to select only one of Items 1.a. to 1.e. and attach the matching Form I-600A approval or receipt notice, or the home study itself. If a state authority sends it to USCIS directly, wait to file until it is ready.

  3. 3

    List every payment in Part 5

    The table covers all fees, expenses, in-kind contributions and other compensation paid by you, your spouse or anyone on your behalf as of the date you sign, plus those you expect to pay.

  4. 4

    Choose an affidavit of support option

    Part 6 has two exemptions, 40 qualifying quarters of work or automatic citizenship under INA section 320, or Item 2, which means Form I-864 or I-864EZ goes with the visa application to the State Department.

  5. 5

    Add the supplements that apply

    Supplement 1 for each adult member of the household, Supplement 2 if you consent to USCIS sharing case details with your adoption service provider or others, and Supplement 3 to request action after approval.

  6. 6

    Sign Parts 8 and 9

    The petitioner signs Part 8 and a married petitioner's spouse signs Part 9. A stamped or typewritten name is not accepted. This page lets you fill the form online free, then print it for signature.

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Where to file, evidence and fees

Where to file

The USCIS page says to see the Form I-600 filing instructions for where to file, and the instructions point to uscis.gov/i-600 for the most current information.

Fee

The fee for Form I-600 and its supplements is on the USCIS Fee Schedule page, and the instructions point to Form G-1055. Fees can change, so check it on the day you file.

Evidence the instructions list

Proof of your U.S. citizenship and of your marriage if married (unless already sent with Form I-600A), proof of the child's age and identity, death certificates of the parents if they apply, the adoption or custody decree with a certified translation, evidence the child is an orphan, and proof of state pre-adoption compliance.

Home study

A home study with original signatures goes with Form I-600 if it was not already sent with Form I-600A. The instructions say it cannot be more than six months old when submitted, and one not conducted by an accredited agency or a public authority is reviewed and approved by an accredited agency first.

Duty of disclosure

The instructions say you, your spouse and adult household members have an ongoing duty to disclose arrests, criminal history and child abuse or neglect history, even if expunged or sealed, and that USCIS will deny the petition for concealing such facts.

Common mistakes

The USCIS page says it rejects the form if the petitioner's family name, U.S. mailing address, petitioner's signature or spouse's signature is missing, or if all 16 pages are not submitted.

Related forms

Who files Form I-600?

  • U.S. citizen adoptive parents

    The instructions say the petitioner is a U.S. citizen and, if unmarried, at least 25 years old. A spouse does not need to be a citizen, but the instructions ask for proof of lawful status for a spouse living in the United States.

  • For a child who qualifies as an orphan

    The instructions define an orphan as a child with no parents because of death, disappearance, abandonment, desertion, or separation or loss from both parents, or with a sole or surviving parent who cannot provide proper care and has irrevocably released the child in writing.

  • Before the child turns 16

    The instructions allow filing up to the 18th birthday for a birth sibling of a child adopted by the same parents, and treat a Form I-600A filed after the 15th birthday as the filing date if Form I-600 follows within 180 days of approval.

  • Not for Hague Convention adoptions

    The instructions say a child habitually resident in a Hague Adoption Convention country generally goes through Form I-800A and Form I-800 instead, with three listed exceptions, such as an adoption completed before the Convention took effect in that country.

  • When Form I-600 cannot be filed

    The instructions say it cannot be filed for a child already in the United States unless the child is a parolee not yet adopted here, or for a child who is not an orphan. Such a child may qualify through Form I-130 instead.

  • Adult members of the household

    The USCIS page says Form I-600A/I-600, Supplement 1 is completed for each adult member of the household, other than the petitioner and spouse.

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Questions about Form I-600

What is the difference between Form I-600 and Form I-800?

Form I-600 is for a child who is not habitually resident in a Hague Convention country. The instructions say a Hague Convention adoption generally goes through Form I-800A and Form I-800 instead.

Can I file Form I-600 without Form I-600A?

Yes, as a combination filing. The instructions say you file Form I-600 for a specific child with the Form I-600A supporting documents, and USCIS decides your suitability and the child's eligibility together.

Is there an age limit for the child?

The instructions say to file before the child's 16th birthday. A birth sibling of a child adopted by the same parents may be filed for before the 18th birthday.

Does my spouse have to be a U.S. citizen?

No. The instructions say the spouse does not need to be a U.S. citizen, but a spouse living in the United States needs proof of lawful status there.

What is Form I-604?

The instructions describe Form I-604, Determination on Child for Adoption, as an internal orphan determination an officer completes in every orphan case before a final decision. It is an internal document.

What is the Form I-600 filing fee?

USCIS fees change, so this page does not list one. The I-600 page points to the USCIS Fee Schedule for the form and its supplements, and the instructions point to Form G-1055.