Post Placement/Post Adoption Information
Welcome Home!
Congratulations on the arrival (or upcoming arrival) or your son or daughter. We know this is an exciting time for your family. The pages in this section of our website are meant to familiarize you with the steps in the post placement or post adoption process.
We recommend navigating through each section listed below so that you have a complete picture — sometimes the order of steps is a bit different for each individual situation. We are certainly happy to help provide case specific guidance when you have questions.
If you have additional questions about any of these topics, please feel free to contact us:
For families who adopted from the US or the Philippines
Jessica Ellison
Email: je******@wh**.org
Phone: 781-419-0397
For families who adopted from all other countries:
Christina Cetrone
Email: cc******@wh**.org
Phone: 781-419-0314
Post placement/post adoption visits, reports, and support
Medical Form (please submit one to WHFC within your first few months home)
US Decree and Birth Certificate: Advised for most, a necessity for IR-4 and IH-4 visa
Establishing or Proving Citizenship: Are there additional steps you need to take?
Social Security Number
Health Insurance
IMPORTANT: Your Child’s Visa Type
In order to understand your plan to fulfill these steps, your first step is to look at your child’s visa.
Children who are adopted internationally arrive home on one of four types of visas. Visas granted based on an approved I600 begin with an IR. Visas granted based on an approved I800 begin with an IH. For each (IR and IH), the letters are followed by a 3 or a 4. Please look in your child’s passport to confirm the type of visa that was granted.
IR-3 and IH-3 visas are granted when all adopting parents have seen a child prior to the overseas adoption being complete or when certain Hague regulations are met (in the case of an IH-3). IR-4 and IH-4 visas are granted when children arrive under guardianship (as Philippines or when all adopting parents have not seen a child prior to the foreign adoption decree being issued in non Hague cases).
IF YOUR CHILD ARRIVED ON AN IR-4 or IH-4 VISA, YOUR CHILD WILL NOT BE A U.S. CITIZEN UNTIL YOU FINALIZE THE ADOPTION IN YOUR STATE OR FOLLOW THE APPROPRIATE STATE PROCEDURE TO VALIDATE THE FOREIGN ADOPTION IN YOUR STATE.
DISCLAIMER
Wide Horizons For Children, Inc. provides information regarding procedures for obtaining proof of citizenship, social security numbers, tax identification numbers etc. The intent of providing you with this information is to direct you to the appropriate Government offices to obtain the identification your child will need. It is not intended to substitute for instructions found in Government publications or the policies of individual Government offices. While every attempt has been made to be as accurate as possible, there may be case by case differences. Occasionally, branches of our government update their policies without updating their publications. This can lead to confusion. The tax dependency requirements are complex; you will need to consult a tax professional or the IRS for information on when you may be able to claim your adopted child as a dependent.
