Travel.State.Gov >
Intercountry Adoption > Country Information > Bhutan Intercountry Adoption Information
Reissued after periodic review without changes.
Exercise normal precautions in Bhutan.
Read the country information page for additional information on travel to Bhutan.
If you decide to travel to Bhutan:
To bring an adopted child to the United States from Bhutan, you must meet certain suitability and eligibility requirements. USCIS determines who is suitable and eligible to adopt a child from another country and bring that child to live in the United States under U.S. immigration law.
Additionally, a child must meet the definition of an orphan under U.S. immigration law in order to be eligible to immigrate to the United States with an IR-3 or IR-4 immigrant visa.
Effective January 1, 2012, the Government of Bhutan suspended all intercountry adoptions pending approval of a new adoption law by the King. The adoption bill was drafted to clarify Bhutan’s adoption procedures. The National Commission for Women and Children (NCWC), the Bhutanese government agency responsible for overseeing intercountry adoptions, is unable to estimate how long it will take for the adoption bill to be approved, but indicated it is not aware of any pending cases involving the adoption of a Bhutanese child by U.S. citizens. Prospective adoptive parents who believe the suspension affects their adoption of a child from Bhutan may contact the NCWC by email at admin@ncwc.org.btto inquire about the status of their case. The NCWC indicated it will review each case on an individual basis.
Please continue to monitor adoption.state.gov for updated information.
You are about to leave travel.state.gov for an external website that is not maintained by the U.S. Department of State.
Links to external websites are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as an endorsement by the U.S. Department of State of the views or products contained therein. If you wish to remain on travel.state.gov, click the "cancel" message.
You are about to visit: