DOS Adoption Alert: Freeze on New Intercountry Adoption Applications

India

November 30, 2012

Alert: Freeze on New Intercountry Adoption Applications

Effective December 1, 2012, India will not accept new applications for intercountry adoptions from the United States. or other foreign adoption service providers until further notice, in order to clear a backlog of existing cases.

Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) will continue to process applications registered prior to December 1, 2012.  We will provide an update when CARA begins accepting new applications.
If you have any questions, please contact us by phone at 1-888-407-4747 or e-mail us at adoptionUSCA@state.gov.  

http://adoption.state.gov/country_information/country_specific_alerts_notices.php?alert_notice_type=alerts&alert_notice_file=india_1

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Ethics, Transparency, Support
~ What All Adoptions Deserve.
http://www.pear-now.org/

DOS Adoption Notice: Update on Inter-country Adoptions in Cambodia

Cambodia

November 30, 2012

Notice: Update on Inter-country Adoptions in Cambodia

The Special Advisor for Children's Issues, Ambassador Susan Jacobs, met with host government officials in Cambodia on October 28 and 29 regarding Cambodia’s efforts to meet obligations under the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption (the Convention).  The United States continues to support Cambodia's efforts to improve its child welfare system and intercountry adoption process.
We welcome Cambodia's efforts to implement fully its new law on intercountry adoption.

The Cambodian government has indicated that it intends to begin accepting adoption petitions on January 1, 2013.  Based on this information, the Department of State is currently assessing whether consular officers will be able to certify that individual adoptions will comply with the Convention, the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000, and U.S. implementing regulations.  The Department has made no decision as to when intercountry adoptions between the United States and Cambodia will resume.

We continue to caution adoption service providers (ASPs) and prospective adoptive parents that important steps must still take place to ensure that adoptions between Cambodia and the United States comply with the Convention, the U.S. law, and implementing regulations before intercountry adoptions between the United States and Cambodia may resume.  ASPs should not initiate, nor claim to initiate, adoption programs in Cambodia until they receive notification from the Department of State that it will resume processing Convention adoption visa applications in Cambodia.
Updated information will be provided on adoption.state.gov as it becomes available.

http://adoption.state.gov/country_information/country_specific_alerts_notices.php?alert_notice_type=notices&alert_notice_file=cambodia_4

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Ethics, Transparency, Support
~ What All Adoptions Deserve.
http://www.pear-now.org/

DOS Adoption Notice: New Malian Law Potentially Restricts Intercountry Adoptions

Mali

November 26, 2012

Notice: New Malian Law Potentially Restricts Intercountry Adoptions

In December 2011, the Malian National Assembly passed a new Code of Person and the Family. The Code includes a provision that could be interpreted to mean that only Malian nationals would be allowed to complete intercountry adoptions of Malian children. While the Malian Presidency did not issue a decree that the law is in effect, the U.S. Embassy in Bamako notes that some local officials and judges are applying the law. U.S. prospective adoptive parents who are adopting from Mali may encounter delays because of the confusion about the Code.

The U.S. Embassy in Bamako is seeking clarification from the Malian central authority, Direction Nationale de l’Enfant et de la Famille, on when the law will take effect and whether the relevant provision would prevent U.S. citizens who are not also Malian nationals from adopting from Mali. We encourage adoption service providers and prospective adoptive parents considering initiating new adoptions from Mali to refrain from starting the process until further information is available.
The Department of State will provide updated information on adoption.state.gov as it becomes available. If you have any questions about this notice, please contact the Office of Children’s Issues at 1-888-407-4747 within the United States, or 202-501-4444 from outside the United States. Email inquiries may be directed to AdoptionUSCA@state.gov.

http://adoption.state.gov/country_information/country_specific_alerts_notices.php?alert_notice_type=notices&alert_notice_file=mali_1

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Ethics, Transparency, Support
~ What All Adoptions Deserve.
http://www.pear-now.org/

Adverse Action: Children of Africa Enterprises/Hope Adoption Agency loses Hague Accreditation

DOS Notice: Children of Africa Enterprises/Hope Adoption Agency loses Hague Accreditation

November 20, 2012

On November 8, 2012 the Council on Accreditation (COA) canceled the Hague accreditation of Children of Africa Enterprises/Hope Adoption Agency (“Hope”) for failing to maintain substantial compliance with the U.S. accreditation standards at 22 Code of Federal Regulations Part 96 Subpart F.  Prior to this date, Hope was a Hague accredited adoption service provider authorized to operate in both Hague and non-Hague countries.

As a result of this cancellation, Hope must cease to provide all adoption services in connection with cases covered under the Hague Adoption Convention.  This adoption service provider currently operates in Ethiopia.  Please note that according to U.S. regulations, this cancellation will not affect Hope’s ability to work in non-Hague countries.  Persons with an open case with Hope may contact the adoption service provider directly to find out whether and how the cancellation may affect your adoption services.

The cancellation of accreditation for Hope was effective on November 8, 2012. Updated information will be provided on the adoption.state.gov website.

http://adoption.state.gov/about_us/children_of_africa_loses_accreditation.php

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Ethics, Transparency, Support
~ What All Adoptions Deserve.
http://www.pear-now.org/

DOS Adoption Notice: Ethiopia - Suspension of Services to U.S. Adoption Service Providers

Ethiopia

November 9, 2012

Notice: Suspension of Services to U.S. Adoption Service Providers

The Ministry of Women, Children, and Youth Affairs informed the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa that as of September 12, 2012, the Ministry temporarily suspended services to International Adoption Guides and Adoption Advocates International.  This suspension follows reports of abuse to Ethiopian adoptees placed with U.S. families by these agencies.  This suspension of services applies to new cases only.  While court hearings may be assigned, the suspension of services may prevent a final decision from the Federal First Instance Court, or a final decree from the Ministry, from being issued.  The Ministry indicated that this action is temporary, and that a final determination will only be made once the Ministry has sufficient opportunity to investigate the abuse cases and to review the actions taken by the agencies to address the situation.
The Department of State will post further information regarding this matter as it becomes available on adoption.state.gov.
http://adoption.state.gov/country_information/country_specific_alerts_notices.php?alert_notice_type=notices&alert_notice_file=ethiopia_15

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Ethics, Transparency, Support
~ What All Adoptions Deserve.
http://www.pear-now.org/

DOS Adoption Notice: Morocco Ministry of Justice Provides Prosecutors New Instructions on Kafala Guardianship Decrees

Morocco

November 6, 2012 

 

Notice: Ministry of Justice Provides Prosecutors New Instructions on Kafala Guardianship Decrees 

 

On September 21, 2012, Justice Minister El Mostapha Ramid published a notice instructing Moroccan Prosecutors to formally oppose a petition filed with a juvenile judge seeking the granting of Kafala guardianship decrees to prospective adoptive foreign parents who are not resident in Morocco.  In his notice, he asks the Prosecutors to emphasize the importance of in-country residency for the Kafala guardianship with the court judges, verify whether the prospective adoptive parents reside in Morocco, and request that judges not issue Kafala orders to foreign prospective adoptive parents (PAPs) who are not residing in Morocco.  The notice states that it is difficult for the courts to ensure that conditions of the Kafala guardianship are met when the child is taken abroad by foreign parents and notes it needs to be possible for courts to cancel the guardianship in cases of failure to comply.  The Minister’s notice appears to indicate that Kafala guardianship should only be granted to Muslim families who are long-term residents in Morocco.

The notice states that its purpose is to ensure the implementation of the existing law.  It does not contain any provisions addressing already pending Kafala guardianship petitions.  At this time, it is unclear whether prosecutors will formally oppose petitions for Kafala guardianship decrees filed by U.S. citizens which were already pending with the Court at the time the notice was issued.
 
U.S. citizens wishing to obtain Kafala guardianship of Moroccan children should be aware that the Prosecutors are now obligated to confirm the prospective parents’ Moroccan residency and the courts are requested to deny Kafala orders to foreign PAPs who do not reside in Morocco.  Please continue to monitor adoption.state.gov for updated information.

http://adoption.state.gov/country_information/country_specific_alerts_notices.php?alert_notice_type=notices&alert_notice_file=morocco_2

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Ethics, Transparency, Support
~ What All Adoptions Deserve.
http://www.pear-now.org/

DOS Alert: Russia - Text of Agreement and FAQ

Russia

November 1, 2012 

 

Alert: Department of State and Russian Authorities issue joint statement on Adoption Agreement's entry into force

• Text of the Agreement
• FAQ: Bilateral Adoption Agreement with Russia

The Agreement between the United States of America and the Russian Federation Regarding Cooperation in Adoption of Children (the Agreement) entered into force on November 1, 2012, following the exchange of diplomatic notes between the U.S. and Russian governments. 
The Agreement will provide additional safeguards to better protect the welfare and interests of children and all parties involved in intercountry adoptions.  To find out more about the agreement, please visit the Department of State's FAQs.

http://adoption.state.gov/country_information/country_specific_alerts_notices.php?alert_notice_type=alerts&alert_notice_file=russia_3

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Ethics, Transparency, Support
~ What All Adoptions Deserve.
http://www.pear-now.org/