If I am a U.S. Citizen, Will the Child I Adopt Automatically Become a Citizen Too?

Presently, adoption of a foreign-born child does not guarantee the child's eligibility to immigrate to the United States. If the orphan petition is approved, the child is considered to be an immediate relative of a U.S. citizen and the child can get an immigrant visa right away without being put on a visa waiting list. The child still must qualify for an immigrant visa just like any other foreign-born person. For example, the child may be inadmissible if he or she has a contagious disease of public health significance.

When an orphan enters the United States with an immigrant visa, the child is considered to be a lawful permanent resident of the United States, not a U.S. citizen. However, in some situations, a child will automatically become a United States citizen immediately upon admission into the United States as a lawful permanent resident.