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Klobuchar, Landrieu Introduce Legislation to Streamline Process for International Adoptees

March 9, 2010

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Mary Landrieu (D-LA) introduced legislation to streamline and simplify the international adoption process for American families.  The Adoption Fairness Act will ensure that all international adoptees receive their certificate of U.S. citizenship in a timely manner at no cost to the adoptive family.

“International adoptions should be as straightforward and affordable as possible for American families,” said Klobuchar. “The certificate of U.S. citizenship is an essential part an adopted child’s life in this country.  This bill will not only help reduce the bureaucratic obstacles in the adoption process but it will also eliminate the high fee inconsistently imposed on adopting families.”

“Most families wait more than two years to finalize their international adoptions and bring home their children,” said Landrieu. “This bill will minimize the additional red tape that families, who have already endured a lengthy adoption process, have to cut through after they have been united.”

Currently, children whose international adoptions are finalized in their home countries automatically receive their U.S. citizenship certificate free of charge when their adoptions are finalized.  However, children whose adoptions are finalized after arriving in the United States must apply for the citizenship certificate and pay a $470 fee.  This certificate is the only permanent and irrefutable proof of citizenship issued by the U.S. government. 

Due to the expensive fee and complicated paperwork process, many children, who are full American citizens under law, never obtain their certificate of citizenship.  Without a certificate of citizenship, adopted children can experience complications with, among other things, student loan applications, obtaining extra medical help, and job applications.

Klobuchar and Landrieu’s bill eliminates the double standard for international adoptees by removing the fee for the U.S. certificate of citizenship for all adopted children who are eligible for immediate citizenship, whether their adoptions are completed in a foreign country or in the United States.  The legislation also requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to submit a report to Congress within 120 days of passage that outlines a plan to streamline, expedite and simplify the process of providing the certificate to eligible children. 

In January, Landrieu led a press conference with Klobuchar and six other members to urge federal agencies to expedite international adoptions from Haiti.  Klobuchar and Landrieu also sent a letter to administration officials calling for greater coordination between federal agencies while implementing the emergency humanitarian parole policy enacted after the earthquake.

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