Adoption certificate translation for USCIS: everything you need to know (2026)

• Final Adoption Decree or Court Order — The primary legal document establishing the adoption
• Original Birth Certificate of the Adopted Child — Required before and after adoption finalization
• Amended Birth Certificate — Issued after adoption with the adoptive parents’ names
• Consent and Relinquishment Documents — Biological parent’s legal release of parental rights
• Home Study Reports — If conducted abroad or involving foreign agency documentation
• Foreign Adoption Agency Authorization — Official approval from the foreign country’s authority
• Child’s Passport and Identity Documents — All foreign-language pages
• Medical Records of the Adopted Child — For the immigration medical exam

Hague Convention vs. non-Hague adoptions

The type of adoption process — Hague or non-Hague — affects which documents are required and how they must be presented.

Hague Convention Adoptions

Applies to adoptions between countries that are both signatories to the Convention. The foreign country’s Central Authority issues an Article 23 Certificate confirming Hague compliance — this certificate must also be certified-translated if in a foreign language.

Non-Hague Adoptions

Documentation requirements differ by country. Our team is familiar with the specific requirements for each country’s adoption process and can advise on what needs to be translated.