Will adopting my K2 stepchildren bypass the AOS process?

[tolitzpogi 37]

Hello again fellow VJ'ers! First off, thanks for all the advice throughout our whole journey, it has saved us so much time and money and my wife and I both appreciate all your help

Anyway, here's the situation: My wife came here to the US on a K1 Visa, and we are now in the middle of the AOS stage (she will be taking her Biometrics this Monday). She has two daughters in the Philippines, 16 & 10 respectively, although they will both be 17 & 11 by the time they get here on their K2 Visas in the next 2-3 months. My wife was a single mother and the kids' biological fathers were never present after the day they were born and have not been present in their lives as they grew up (their names are not even in the children's birth certificates).

My question is, once the two kids get here, and I decide to adopt them, will this bypass each of their AOS since I read that they will derive citizenship from me via the Child Citizenship Act? Both kids want to have my last name same as their mother, and both have no problems with adoption. I was just wondering if this can be a way to fast track their citizenship and avoid the usual steps and costs associated with AOS?

Thanks in advance for any guidance in this matter!

Edited March 27, 2015 by tolitzpogi

[mymarley 14]

They wont have any record here if you dont do aos... We are planning to do that tooo but here in our state my husband and my daughter need to stay in one roof for 2 years sooo before filing adoption so we dont have a choice... Check your local court.

[mymarley 14]

Read also this... The child must be lawful permanent resident..

http://www.uscitizenship.info/citizenship-library-children.htm

[aaron2020 11,651]

Hi,

The CCA requires that the children be admitted as LPR in order for the children to receive derivative citizenship.

You must go through the AOS process for them.

A stepparent adoption does not give them the right to live here.

Best of luck