On September 1, 2021, the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-Operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Convention) entered into force for Niger. Please be advised that the Department of State has determined it will not be able to process intercountry adoptions from Niger initiated on or after September 1, 2021 (see below regarding “transition cases”). Niger does not yet have implementing legislation giving authority to the designated Central Authority to carry out its responsibilities under the Convention. As a result, consular officers will be unable to issue Hague Adoption Certificates or Custody Certificates, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) cannot approve Form I-800, Petitions to Classify Convention Adoptees as an Immediate Relative, for a child from Niger. 

Families interested in adopting from Niger may not file the Form I-800, Petition to Classify Convention Adoptee as an Immediate Relative, for a child from Niger until such time as the Department determines Hague Certificates may be approved on a case-by-case basis. Until then, USCIS will reject any Form I-800 petitions filed on behalf of a child from Niger. The Department of State will notify USCIS and the public if a determination is made that Convention adoption processing with Niger may proceed.

Transition cases: We are seeking to confirm whether Niger will continue to process cases in which a U.S. citizen filed a Form I-600A, Application for Advance Processing of an Orphan Petition, or a Form I-600, Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative, prior to September 1, 2021, or in which a final adoption was completed prior to September 1, 2021. Once we are able to confirm this information, we will post an updated notice on our website at adoption.state.gov. With the exception of any cases treated as “transition cases,” as of September 1, 2021, families should not file, and USCIS will not process, a Form I-600 for a child from Niger or a Form I-600A that indicates Niger as the intended country for adoption.

We are in the process of updating our Country Information Sheet for Niger. Please continue to monitor adoption.state.gov for updated information as it becomes available. If you have any questions about this notice, please contact the Office of Children’s Issues at adoption@state.gov.