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The Adoption Process at Kentucky Adoption Services

This is a general guide for adopting through Kentucky Adoption Services. The details will vary according to each country. This online guide will help familiarize you with the adoption process and requirements in general terms.

1. Complete the KAS Preliminary Adoption Application and return it to KAS, along with a $50 check. Please note: All potential applicants must also be approved by the U.S. government and overseas entity for international adoption, upon approval of the family home study and supporting documents. 

2. When your KAS Preliminary Application is approved, you will receive a Formal Adoption Application packet. Please complete the Formal Application and return it to KAS along with the $100 Formal Application Fee

3. When KAS has received your Formal Adoption Application, you will receive a KAS Agency Agreement/Homestudy packet. This packet contains a list of documents that need to be returned to KAS to satisfy many state and federal regulations. Kentucky residents utilizing KAS for Home Study services will receive a Home Study Information section with this packet. If you reside outside of Kentucky, KAS will assist you in locating a home study provider in your state, and will send the necessary homestudy guidelines to your chosen home study provider. Please sign the agreement and return with ½ of your agency fee if you are utilizing KAS for your placement agency and the requested documents. If the Formal Application reveals a concern that will not allow KAS to work with your family for an adoptive placement the paid portion of your agency fee will be refunded.

4. At this time you may also submit your I-600A application to your local Citizenship and Immigration Office (USCIS, formerly INS), when adopting from countries not considered a part of the Hague Treaty.Families adopting from a Hague country will fill out different goverment forms later in the process (I-800A). Please consult with KAS for additional guidance. We will assist you with filling this out properly, please contact KAS for a Sample Immigration Form - I-600A.

5. When your Agency Agreement is received, you will receive a country specific Dossier Packet, which will have step by step instructions for completing your dossier, including specific home study instructions. We realize these are overwhelming. Please know that we will help you with each step and we are available to answer questions and offer professional guidance! You may even choose to utilize our dossier preparation service.

6. You must be fingerprinted by USCIS. Most offices will send you a letter with a fingerprinting date after you have filed your I-600A or I-800A. Some offices permit walk-ins. Some offices require that your home study be submitted prior to being fingerprinted. Other offices require that your home study accompany your I-600A. When filing the I-800A the homestudy must be submitted along  with the I-800A application. We will assist you with answering these questions depending upon your state of residence or your local home study provider can provide these answers.

7. All families must complete the required Adopting Parent Education training.  If you are using KAS for home study services only, this training may be completed with your child placing agency; please refer to the corresponding Adopting Parent Education section.

8. When your home study is complete, you have received USCIS approval (171-H), and your dossier is complete, you will receive a referral of a child, or we will submit your dossier to the country of your choice and begin the wait for the referral of your child(ren) or the invitation to travel. (The time for referral or travel varies depending on country, gender and age of child requested).

9. When you receive and accept the referral of child(ren), you will submit acceptance papers.

10. When the legal steps are complete and/or your adoption is completed in country, you will be given specific travel instructions, and travel to your child's country to receive your child and/or complete the adoption. KAS representatives/ facilitators will assist you while in the foreign country. PLEASE NOTE - Escorts are available for some countries.

11. You then proceed with the steps required in your state to complete the re-adoption procedures. This is necessary in most states for your child to obtain a U.S. Birth Certificate (or Record of Foreign Birth).

12. You will need to have your child declared a U.S. citizen by following USCIS instructions. If your child enters the U.S. on an IR-3 Visa they are automatically considered a U.S. citizen.