Tips and info on adoption and fingerprints

I have been writing about fingerprints and adoption. Adoptive parents are fingerprinted during the adoption process to do a background check and ensure that the parents are "suitable" to adopt. Most domestic adoptions now require that parents are fingerprinted, and all international adoptions require that parents are fingerprinted.

Some good news regarding the I600A and fingerprints is that things have recently gotten a little bit easier and a good amount cheaper for parents who have long adoption processes. It used to be that your USCIS fingerprints expired after 15 months, and your I600A approval, or the I171H, expired after 18 months. If you did not file your I600 (which is right before your child comes home) before those time frames, you had to redo your fingerprints and I600A (and repay the fees).

USCIS is now giving adoptive families one free renewal or extension of their I600A approval. If you're I600A has been approved and you have not been able to file an I600 because your adoption has not yet been completed within the 18 month time frame, you can send a written request to the USCIS office that you filed your I600A at and request an extension. The request must be received no earlier than 90 days before the expiration of the I600A approval, however it must be received before the approval actually expires. You should include a copy of your original approval and the expiration date of both the approval and your fingerprints.

You will not need to send in another $80 per person to have the fingerprints redone as part of this free extension. You will receive a new fingerprint appointment letter as you did the first time around. Please note that if your adoption is not completed within 18 months of the first approval extension, you will have to repay the application and fingerprinting fees.

For all adoptive parents getting fingerprinted, here are a few tips:

- Always bring the USCIS fingerprinting letter that you receive in the mail (one per person needing to be fingerprinted) if you are adopting internationally. If you are adopting domestically, bring any paperwork your agency has given you.

- Always bring at least one form of photo ID when you are being fingerprinted.

- Take care of your hands when it is getting close to your fingerprint time. Any cuts or other marks on your fingers that interfere with your prints can cause for you to have to have them redone at a later time, which will delay your adoption process.

- Get some Corn Husker's Lotion. If your hands are dry, the prints will not show up well and can cause for you to have to come back in and have them redone at another time. I use lots of lotion on my hands, and my hands were still dry for our last fingerprinting appointment. Many fingerprinting centers have Corn Husker's Lotion on hand if your hands are dry, but if your hands are very dry, they may send you home and ask you to use something on them for a few weeks and then come try again. I have heard it recommended that if you have dry hands, apply Corn Husker's lotion right before bed and then put on some gloves for a few nights before your fingerprinting appointment.

- Keep track of when you were fingerprinted for your records.

- Remember that you will have to have these fingerprints redone for each adoption. The prints are not saved in the system and so if you adopt more than once, you will have to be fingerprinted each time.

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