Michigan Home Study

An International Home Study is a family assessment need for your international adoption. It will be presented first to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service along with I-600A form, and later on will be sent abroad to the country of your choice along with other documents, as part of your “international dossier”. An international home study in most cases is different than a domestic home study. International home study has to meet the requirements of three entities: the State of Michigan, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, and finally the foreign country you are adopting from, while a domestic home study has to meet a requirement of the state of your residence. A social worker conducting your family assessment has to be familiar with the immigration requirements as well as the foreign government requirements. Different countries have different requirements and expectations. For example, China requires that a social worker conducts four separate interviews with each adoptive family member in their home. Therefore, a home study for China may take longer.

It is important to keep in mind that your home study agency may not be your “international adoption agency”. It’s very important that both agencies communicate during the home study process.