Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

February 2010Vol. 11, No. 1Home Study Resource for Intercountry Adoption

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), a division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, has developed some tips for home studies conducted for the purpose of adopting a child from a Hague Convention country. The Hague Home Study Tip Sheet for Adoption Service Providers and Prospective Adoptive Parents answers frequently asked questions concerning the home study requirements set forth by the Hague Adoption Convention. Since the Hague Convention entered into force for the United States in April 2008, parents who adopt from another Hague Convention country must follow specific home study (and other) requirements.

The tip sheet details specific components of a home study by offering supporting examples and sample wording to cover topics such as:

  • Contacts with the prospective family
  • Health, income, housing, and resources of prospective parents
  • Characteristics of the type of child the parents wish to adopt
  • Background check on the prospective parents
  • Recommendation of the professional conducting the home study

Visit the USCIS website to download the file:

www.uscis.gov/files/form/m-738.pdf (100 KB)