Adopt from Canada

Canada is a country in North America, located at the top of the continent and bordered by the United States to the south, the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Arctic Ocean to the north:
Canada is the world's second-largest country by total area, and has the world's longest coastline and longest international land border with the United States. Canada's geography is diverse, with mountain ranges, plateaus, lowlands, plains, prairies, and hundreds of islands in the Arctic. The country is home to about 20% of the world's fresh water in its lakes and rivers. Canada's capital city is Ottawa, and other major cities include Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Quebec City, and Winnipeg.

Canada is party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention). Therefore, all intercountry adoptions between Canada and the United States must meet the requirements of the Convention and U.S. law implementing the Convention. Each Canadian Province has its own Central Authority, addressing Inter-Country adoption. Canadian adoptions are conducted through a collaborative effort of a Hague accredited adoption agency in the U.S. and by the local Provincial Central Authority.

• Relatives
• Meet the legal orphan definition

• Dependent on the requirements of the Canadian Province
• Applicants must be at least 25 years of age
• At least 18 years’ age difference between prospective adoptive parents and the adopted child.

1. Complete the NCA online application and Orientation with the NCA CA office.
2. Begin your Home Study
3. After your Home Study is complete, submit an I-800A form to USCIS with the assistance of the California NCA office.
4. Nightlight will work with the Central Authority in your region of Canada. Your Home Study will be submitted to the Canadian Authorities for review and approval to proceed with the adoption process.
5. During the bonding period, the Canadian Adoption Authority will verify the match with the child and prepare the Article 16 Report that provides information about the child for submission with the I-800 petition to USCIS for provisional approval for the child to immigrate to the U.S.
6. The Canadian Authority will provide the referral to the family along with Nightlight as the Primary Provider Agency.
7. Nightlight Clinical staff will review the Child referral, medical, social and psychological reports with the adoptive family, with the understanding that the family has provided these documents to the staff member.
8. Although an attorney is not required, if you are considering working with an attorney in Canada, please discuss this with your program coordinator at Nightlight prior to engaging that attorney. If you are using an attorney in Canada, that in-country attorney will need to provide verification of license and good standing in their country. They will be required to sign documents with Nightlight verifying ethical standards.
9. Begin work on your dossier – the documents required for the adoption in Canada. Canada requires a six-month minimum bonding period for the child or children to live with the prospective adoptive family.
10. After provisional approval of the I-800A, the provincial authority will submit a visa application to the US Consulate General in Canada that is responsible for issuing visas. They will apply for a B2 visa (family member).
11. The Bonding Period is conducted under the supervision of the Canadian Provincial Authority and Nightlight as the Primary Provider, with the local Home Study Provider completing Post Placement Visits throughout the required six-month Bonding Period. The first visit must be conducted within 24 hours of placement. The following visits are conducted at 1 week, 30 days and monthly (or as determined by the Canadian Local Authority following through the finalization of the adoption in the U.S. state where the family resides.
12. Once the immigration documents are provisionally approved, Nightlight staff will guide you on obtaining the necessary documents for and the process of filing the I-800 petition with USCIS.
13. Nightlight will instruct you in filing the I-800 with USCIS.
14. The Consular Officer will send the Article 5 letter to the Provincial Central Authority in Canada verifying that all Convention requirements are met and the Consular Officer has determined that the child appears eligible to immigrate to the U.S. The letter informs the Provincial Central Authority in Canada that the prospective parents are eligible and suited to adopt, and the U.S. Central Authority agrees that adoption may proceed.
15. Do not attempt to obtain custody of a child or finalize the adoption prior to the U.S. Consular Officer issuing the Article 5 letter.
16. After the approval from U.S. Immigration, the parents will finalize the adoption in the U.S. state of residence.
17. Upon finalizing the adoption in the US state of residence, or Canada, the family will complete the visa process at the US Embassy in Canada. A medical exam will be required by a US Embassy approved facility. Then the visa interview will happen and you will obtain an IR3 visa for your child. Once you arrive home the child will have automatic citizenship.
18. Once you arrive home, you will notify Nightlight and provide all adoption documents to Nightlight.

• Canada may require a ‘pre-screening’ evaluation, including a visit to the Province to meet with the Authorities overseeing the adoption process. This may be completed prior to the U.S. home study being completed.
• Once the home study has been completed, finalized, and approved and the I-800A has been approved, the family will be required to travel to Canada to transition the child into their care over a period of a few weeks to a month. Arrangements will be made in conjunction with the Provincial Authority. While in Canada, the family will be assisted and monitored by the local authorities involved with this adoption.
• Following the finalization of the adoption process, the family will travel to the U.S. Embassy in Montreal, Canada for the VISA interview process. Nightlight will advise on this process.