The Green Card freeze on 75 countries threw a spanner in the works for families in the process of adopting children from countries mentioned on the list, as no exception was announced when the immigration freeze came into effect on January 21. The State Department took into consideration the hardships of the US families owing to the blanket ban and has now announced an adoption waiver.
"Children being adopted by Americans can qualify for an exception, including a National Interest Exception pursuant to Presidential Proclamation 10998, if applicable. These American families should continue the normal adoption process. They should submit visa applications and attend consular interviews. They do not need to take other additional steps to be considered for a case-by-case exception under the National Interest Exception," the State Department said.
