A bill to establish and Office of Intercountry Adoptions within the Department of State, and to reform United States laws governing intercountry adoptions.
Intercountry Adoption Reform Act of 2003 or ICARE Act - Establishes an Office of Intercountry Adoptions within the Department of State (DOS). Requires the President to appoint an Ambassador at Large to head the Office.
Transfers to the Office all immigration functions with respect to intercountry adoptions currently performed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to grant automatic U.S. citizenship to internationally adopted children upon entry of a full and final adoption decree (thus dispensing with the need for such children to obtain visas).
Creates a new W nonimmigrant visa category for children traveling to the United States to be adopted by U.S. citizens.
Allows adopted children age 18 or under to claim an exception to immunization requirements for purposes of admissibility (currently limited to those age 10 or under).
Redefines the term "adoptable child."
Requires U.S. citizen adoptive parents to obtain approval of an adoption petition prior to issuance of a W visa or a full and final adoption decree. Provides that such petitions are subject to the terms applicable to orphan petitions. Directs the Ambassador to issue regulations: (1) establishing an expedited reapproval process for families whose prior approvals to adopt have expired; and (2) governing the appeal of petition denials.
Requires the Office to determine whether a child is an adoptable child, pursuant to specified procedures, as a prerequisite to the issuance of a W visa or a full and final adoption decree.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S11901-11905)
Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims.
Introduced in Senate
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S15647-15648)
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S15648-15651)
checking server…
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line