Fingerprints

The actual fingerprinting process, and the forms that must go with them, have very specific rules about how they must be filled out, and who may do them. The fingerprints have proven to be somewhat of a headache for some people. Therefore, for the sake of clarity, here is a more complete description of the process.

If you'd like to see the actual INS wording, you can take a look at the INS web site

You will submit the I-600A with the required documents, including the $155.00 fee (which will become $405.00 as of October 13, 1998). However, you will NOT submit the fingerprint cards with the I-600A. And, in addition to the $155.00 fee, you must include a fee of $25.00 for each set of fingerprints required. This fingerprint fee of $25 per person applies to every adult living in your house between the ages of 18-75. So, if your parents are living with you, and/or any children over the age of 18, or anyone else in that age range, they will have to have their fingerprints done as well.

After receiving your I-600A request, INS will notify you of both the time and the location of your appointment to have your fingerprints taken.

According to the INS, all fingerprint appointments are scheduled during a week-long window during which you can appear for fingerprinting. If you aren't available during this appointment week, you can still get fingerprinted at your originally scheduled location on a walk-in basis on Wednesdays - or you can re-schedule your appointment.

The INS has also indicated that the location will be within a 120 mile radius of where you live. The prints will be taken by a designated Law Enforcement Agency (of which only about 40 will remain) or at an INS Applicant Support Center (only about 40 of these, as well). INS will tell you where you have to go. The locations of the new designated LEAs have not been released. As soon as they are we will make that list available.

According to the INS, they are opening additional offices throughout the country to help support this process, and, in areas where there is no easily accessible office or LEA, they will provide mobile fingerprinting service. However, we do not know the specifics of how and when this will go into affect. The INS could not provide an estimated time between the receipt of the I-600A, and the actual appointment date. However, they did say that adoption requests are given a higher priority.

The INS Fingerprint Hotline can be reached at(304) 625-2406 or (304) 625-5590. We strongly suggest that you call your local INS office and verify all of this information with them. You should be able to get the number of the local office from the hot line numbers above.

Please contact World Child, specifically Jane Palestini if you have any questions.

An image a fingerprint card is displayed below.

Some information must be filled out differently on the fingerprint forms for international adoptions than fingerprints for other purposes. The office that does your fingerprints should be well aware of these requirements. These requirements, as we know them, are listed below. Please keep in mind that because this process has underwent significant changes recently, it is possible that some of these requirements may change as well, so verify with the office that does your fingerprints if there are any questions.

In the block marked "ORI:":

NBINSORPZ, USINS, Lincoln, Nebraska

In the block marked "OCA":

The three-letter alpha code of the INS office that will be approving the I-600A followed by the last four digits of your social security number. Below is a partial list of these offices. Again, please verify this with the office that does your fingerprints that the correct INS office code is used.

NYC = New York City
BUF = Buffalo
CLE = Cleveland
PHL = Philadelphia
BOS = Boston
MIA = Miami
SFR = San Francisco
LOS = Los Angeles
NEW = Newark
CHI = Chicago
DET = Detroit
SEA = Seattle

The block marked "Reason Fingerprinted":

This MUST state in GREEN INK ONLY "I-600A ORPHAN".

Some of the requirements, especially the part about filling out the "Reason Fingerprinted" section in Green Ink seems a bit arbitrary, but, "if this it what I must do to adopt my child, then this is what I'll do!!!".

Bottom line is call your local INS office and verify all the necessary requirements; location, correct numbers, ink color, etc. before you have them done.