INSTRUCTIONS FOR FILING 
PETITION TO REGISTER FOREIGN ADOPTION DECREE  
PURSUANT TO 23 Pa. C.S. § 2908 

When a child is adopted in conformity with the laws of a foreign country, the adopting parent(s) 
may  register  the  Foreign  Adoption  Decree  so  that  the  Decree  is  considered  full  and  final, 
enforceable  as  if  entered  pursuant  to  the  Pennsylvania  Adoption  Act,  and  a  Pennsylvania  birth 
certificate can be obtained. 

Adopting parent(s) seeking to register the Foreign Adoption Decree must: 

1. Complete,  sign  and  date  the  Petition  to  Register  Foreign  Adoption  Decree  and
Verification.    If  a  Foreign  Adoption  Decree  shows  that  there  are  two  adopting  parents,
both parent(s) must execute the Petition to Register Foreign Adoption Decree.

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2. Attach the following documents to the Petition:
A copy of the Foreign Adoption Decree;
A copy of the child’s birth certificate.  If no birth certificate was issued, a copy of
any other birth identification issued by the country of birth should be attached.  If
no birth certificate or birth identification can be obtained, an Affidavit stating the
reason should be submitted;
A copy of the child’s United States visa;
An English translation of all documents not in English, with a verification by the
translator that all translations are true and correct;
Pennsylvania  Department  of  Health,  Division  of  Vital  Records  Form  No.
HD01273F,  Certificate  of  Adoption  of  a  Foreign-Born  Child  with  Parts  1  and  2
(and Part 3, if applicable) completed;
Pennsylvania  Department  of  Health,  Division  of  Vital  Records  Form  No.
HD01275F, Statement of Citizenship and Residency;
If available, a copy of U. S. Government Form N-560 and/or a copy of the child’s
U.S. Passport.

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3.

The  Petition  to  Register  with  the  attachments  should  be  filed  with  the  Clerk  of  the
Orphans'  Court  Division  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  in  the  county  in  which  the
adopting  parent(s)  reside(s),  except  for  Philadelphia  County  resident(s),  who  must  file
with  the  Family  Court  Division.    A  filing  fee  will  be  charged  in  accordance  with  the  fee
schedule of the county court.

After the Petition to Register is filed, it will be submitted to the Court for review.  If the Petition to 
Register and accompanying documents establish that the foreign adoption of the child is full and 
final, the Court will enter a Decree directing the registration of the Foreign Adoption Decree.  The 
Clerk  of  the  appropriate  Court  will  then  issue  a  certificate  of  adoption  and  transmit  to  the 
Department  of  Health,  Division  of  Vital  Records  Forms  HD01273F  and  HD01275F,  and  if 
provided by the adopting parent(s), a copy of U.S. Government Form N-560 and/or a copy of the 
child’s United States passport.  

If  the  Court  cannot  determine  that  the  foreign  adoption  is  full  and  final,  it  will  enter  a  Decree 
denying the petition.  In that case, it will be necessary to proceed under Pa.R.O.C.P. Rule 15.15. 

Some  of  the  following  are  reasons  why  a  foreign  adoption  may  not  be  a  full  and  final  adoption 
eligible for registration: 

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both adopting parents were not present for the adoption hearing in the foreign country
and the foreign country is not a Hague Convention country; or

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the sole adopting parent was not present at the adoption hearing in the foreign country
and the foreign country is not a Hague Convention country; or
the foreign court did not enter a final adoption Decree or Order or its equivalent; or
the child’s United States visa is not the type that affords the child full United States
citizenship.

If the child has an IH-4 or IR-4 United States visa, it will be necessary to proceed under Pa.R.O.C.P. 
Rule 15.15.