International Adoption in South Carolina: Hague Compliance and the SC Process

International adoption from South Carolina follows the same federal framework that governs intercountry adoption throughout the United States, with state-specific requirements layered on top for the home study, post-placement supervision, and post-arrival finalization. If you are a South Carolina family considering adopting a child from another country, here is what the process actually involves.

The Federal Framework: Hague and Non-Hague Countries

The most important threshold question in international adoption is whether the child's country of origin is a party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption.

Hague Convention countries: These countries are part of a multilateral treaty that establishes standards for ethical international adoption practice. If you are adopting from a Hague country (which includes most of Europe, much of Latin America, and many other regions), the process requires USCIS Form I-800A approval (a suitability determination for prospective adoptive parents) and a Hague-compliant home study. The child must receive a visa through the Hague process.

Non-Hague countries: Some countries have not joined the Convention. In those cases, the process uses the older Form I-600A (orphan petition) and standard rather than Hague-specific home study requirements.

Your adoption agency or attorney will confirm which framework applies to your country of interest.

USCIS: The Federal Gatekeeper

Regardless of which pathway applies, USCIS must approve you as a prospective adoptive parent before a child can be brought to the United States. This approval (I-800A for Hague, I-600A for non-Hague countries) is based on your home study and background clearances. USCIS determines whether you are eligible and suitable to adopt internationally.

Once the child is identified and the country-specific approval is obtained (I-800 for Hague countries, I-600 for non-Hague), the child receives an immigrant visa to enter the United States.

South Carolina-Specific Requirements

Home Study for International Adoption

South Carolina requires a home study for any intercountry adoption, and if the child's country is a Hague signatory, the home study must be conducted by a social worker associated with a Hague-accredited agency. Not all South Carolina licensed agencies are Hague-accredited — this is a separate federal accreditation distinct from the state license.

Carolina Adoption Services, headquartered in Greensboro, NC, with South Carolina operations, is one of the few SC-connected agencies accredited for international adoption and has worked in countries including Ecuador and Bulgaria.

The home study for international adoption covers the same core elements as any South Carolina home study — background clearances, financial review, home safety inspection, interviews — but also includes country-specific requirements imposed by the child's country of origin. Many countries have additional requirements around age of adoptive parents, marital status, income thresholds, or number of existing children. Your agency will confirm what the specific country requires.

Post-Placement Supervision in South Carolina

After the child arrives in the United States, South Carolina requires post-placement supervision before the adoption can be finalized. The minimum supervisory period under state law is 90 days with at least three monthly visits. The post-placement report goes to the Family Court.

Some countries require their own post-placement reporting back to the country of origin — typically one year of reports submitted through the agency. This is a country-imposed requirement separate from South Carolina's own supervisory period.

Post-Arrival Refinalization

Many families who complete a legal adoption in the foreign country must also seek "refinalization" in the South Carolina Family Court after the child arrives. This is a domestic adoption decree recognizing the foreign adoption under South Carolina law.

Refinalization is recommended (and in some cases required by USCIS) for two reasons:

1. Certificate of Foreign Birth: SCDHEC issues a Certificate of Foreign Birth for a child adopted internationally and refinalized in South Carolina. This gives the child a South Carolina-based vital record.
2. Legal certainty: A South Carolina adoption decree provides unambiguous domestic recognition of the child's legal status — important for inheritance, custody, and any future legal proceedings.

The refinalization process is typically less involved than an original adoption proceeding: there is no new TPR (the foreign proceeding handled that), but the Family Court reviews the foreign adoption decree, the USCIS approval, and the home study before issuing the domestic decree.

Citizenship

A child adopted internationally by U.S. citizen parents generally acquires U.S. citizenship automatically upon admission to the United States with an immigrant visa, under the Child Citizenship Act of 2000, provided the adoption is finalized (either in the foreign country or in the United States). Your attorney or agency will confirm the citizenship analysis for your specific situation — the rules vary depending on whether the adoption was completed abroad or domestically.

Once citizenship is confirmed, the family can apply for a U.S. passport for the child.

What International Adoption Costs in South Carolina

International adoption is the most expensive adoption pathway, typically running $30,000 to $50,000 or more depending on the country. Cost categories include:

• Agency fees (program fee, home study, post-placement supervision)
• Foreign country fees (in-country legal fees, orphanage or foster care fees, translation costs)
• USCIS filing fees
• Travel costs (one or two trips required for most countries)
• Refinalization legal costs in South Carolina Family Court

Country Availability

The number of countries that facilitate intercountry adoption has declined significantly over the past two decades. China, Ethiopia, Russia, and South Korea — once major sending countries — now have closed or severely restricted programs. The countries with active programs as of 2025-2026 include Colombia, India, Philippines, Bulgaria, and a small number of others. Program availability changes. Verify current status with your agency.

The South Carolina Adoption Process Guide covers the full process comparison across all five adoption pathways, including what international adoption families need to prepare for both the federal USCIS process and the South Carolina Family Court refinalization.

See more United States guides →