Update: Indian Visas for Adoption Cases

From the U.S. Department of State:

This is an update to our August 21, 2020 notice on the status of adoptions from India. Following discussions between Embassy New Delhi and the Indian government, Embassy New Delhi advises us that the Ministry of External Affairs has agreed to issue visas to adopting parents to allow them to travel to India and finalize their adoptions. We have shared this update with the relevant Adoption Service Providers, so that they can work with their families who are ready to travel.

While the above information states that adoptive parents can travel to India to finalize their adoption, agencies received further clarification from the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, Immigration Visa Unit:

I am reaching out to let you know that we received confirmation from MEA today that they are ready to begin issuing visas to U.S. adoptive families! The Indian Government has agreed to approve the visa applications only for families whose adoptions have been finalized, and they tell us that they have passed this information on to their consulates.  Please reach out to your families and let them know they can submit their applications.  Let me know if any families experience any difficulties or are denied visas, and we will raise it with the Indians.

If you have a family who needs to travel to attend a court hearing, unfortunately they will have to keep waiting to apply for their visas.

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