How to file an immigrant visa petition for your child in Amsterdam

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has delegated authority to Consular officers to approve petitions for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens who have their principal residence in the Netherlands and have maintained that residence for at least six months or more. 

If you were not able to transmit citizenship to your child or if you married the biological parent of your stepchild before the child turned 18 years of age you can file an I-130 immediate relative petition with the Consulate General in Amsterdam.  You will have to prepare and bring the following (click on the links for forms and further guidance):

• Form I-130 immediate relative petition: one for each child you wish to immigrate to the U.S.  If your child is married, spouse and children will be entitled to derivative status based on your one petition.  Please fill out the form as completely as you can.  The Consulate will assist you where necessary, when you come in to file;
• Original and photocopy of your child's birth certificate*
• Original and photocopy of your marriage certificate, if applicable*
• Original and photocopy of all divorce certificates*/decrees, if applicable;
• Original and photocopy of death certificate(s), if applicable;
• Original and photocopy of Dutch residence permit(s). If dual national bring both U.S. and Dutch passports. If military bring originals and copies of your military ID card and orders stationing you in the Netherlands;
• Originals and copies of both your passport and your child's passport. Copies can be of datapage only.  If military and you do not have a U.S. passport, please bring the original and a copy of your U.S. birth certificate;
• Translations: original and copy of sworn translations into English of all documents not in Dutch or English;
• The appropriate filing fee;
• You must come in and file in person during the immigration service opening hours. An appointment is not necessary.;
• Your child is most welcome to accompany you but it is not a strict requirement, as long as you bring all original documents.  Beneficaries over 21 do not necessarily have to reside in the Netherlands.

(All copies can be plain, ledgible photocopies. Apostilles are not required for immigration purposes.)

The Consular officer will initially accept the petition but cannnot approve until the petitioner has been screened by the DHS, a law enforcement agency, as required by the provisions of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act ("Adam Walsh Act"), Pub. L. No 109-248, amended section of the Immigration and Nationality Act.  This will take about a week.  When upon completion of the screening the petition can be approved detailed application instructions will be sent to you by mail.  A typical application for an immigrant visa for a minor child can then be completed well within 10 weeks.

However, if filing for a child over 21 (F1 immigrant if unmarried, F3 immigrant if married), the Consulate will accept and approve your petition but forward it to the National Visa Center in the United States for storage until it's filing -aka- priority date has become current.  The F1 and F3 categories are limited by law as to how many immigrants can receive their visa each year.  Oversubscription has led to waits of several years.

*If married in The Netherlands, only the Dutch civil marriage certificate is acceptable for U.S. immigration purposes.  An international version of the Dutch marriage certificate can be obtained from the city hall where the marriage was performed.  It must come from the 'Dienst van de burgerlijke stand', the Civil Registry Office, and most often has a letter B in the right hand top corner.  Dutch divorce certificates come from the same office, as the same document B, but with in the remarks box the annotation 'Divorced' with the date the divorce was registered.  If the prior marriage was not performed in the Netherlands the Dutch divorce document is available in Dutch only.  You do not have to translate it.
Dutch birth certificates too come from the 'Dienst van de burgerlijke stand', and are available in international version as document A.