Adopt Abroad - International Adoption Services

In recent weeks, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) learned of a new telephone scam targeting USCIS applicants and petitioners. Scammers are using a technique called “Caller ID spoofing” to display a misleading or inaccurate phone number in a recipient’s Caller ID. The scammer poses as a USCIS official and requests personal information (such as Social Security number, passport number, or A-number), identifies supposed issues in the recipient’s immigration records, and asks for payment to correct these records.

If you receive a call like that, USCIS urges you to say “No, thank you” and hang up immediately.

USCIS never asks for any form of payment or personal information over the phone. Do not give payment or personal information over the phone to anyone who claims to be a USCIS official. In general, we encourage you to protect your personal information and not to provide details about your immigration application in any public area.

If you have been a victim of this telephone scam, please report it to the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov, or report it to an appropriate state authority. (Visit www.uscis.gov/avoidscams for information on where to report scams in your state.)

If you have a question about your immigration record, please call the National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283, or make an InfoPass appointment by visiting our website at infopass.uscis.gov.

CURRENT EVENTS AFFECTING ADOPTIONS

Intercountry Adoption Universal Accreditation Act - (IAUAA)--- Passed!

President Obama has signed into law the Intercountry Adoption Universal Accreditation Act - (IAUAA). Any entity that provides international adoption services (involving a child entering or leaving the USA) including facilitators, adoption and other adoption services MUST be accredited or working under the auspices of an accredited entity. The Council on Accrediation is the only accrediting entity recognized in the USA.
Adopt Abroad has been HAGUE ACCREDITED since 2008!

Adoption Tax Credit Passed

The adoption tax credit has now become permanent law. The credit will only apply to families that have a federal tax liability. The maximum credit will be $12,970.00. The credit will phase out for families earning $194,580.00. The creidt is valid only once the adoption is finalized. Taxpayers will have six years to use the credit. See IRS publication 8839 for further information.

Philippine Adoptive Applicant Criteria  2012

1. Applicant must have a miminum of high school diploma
2. Minimum income of $40,000.00 *will depend upon family size
3. Single applicants will be considered for children between 9-15 years only.

New Applicant Criteria for Bulgaria  06-11-12

Age: The adoptive parents should be between the ages of 25-55 years old. The maximum age approval will be 55 years older (singles age 50) than the child.

Health Status: applicants should be in generally good health with no known conditions that would impair the adoption and raising of the child.

Income: applicants should have at least average income.