Tuesday, July 23, 2013

DoS Alert on Uzbekistan: Decree amending the Civil Procedural Code concerning Courts appointed as adoption authorities to review domestic and intercountry adoptions


July 22, 2013
In May 2013, the Government of Uzbekistan issued a decree amending the Civil Procedural Code concerning Courts appointed as adoption authorities to review domestic and intercountry adoptions.  The changes will require the judicial system of Uzbekistan to implement certain procedural steps for reviewing adoption cases.  Because the details of these changes will not be known until the Cabinet of Ministers releases final procedural orders, prospective adoptive parents may face unexpected delays during the implementation of the new process.

Updated information about the new procedures will be added as soon as it becomes available.

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

DoS Notice: Vietnam’s Department Of Adoptions is Accepting Applications From U.S. Hague-Accredited Adoption Service Providers Wishing To Facilitate Adoptions In Vietnam Under A Limited Intercountry Adoption Program


July 2013
Department of Adoptions within the Ministry of Justice of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is now accepting applications from U.S. Hague-accredited adoption service providers (ASPs) for authorization to operate a limited intercountry adoption program for children with special needs as defined by Vietnamese law, children older than five, and children in biological sibling groups of two or more in Vietnam.  The Government of Vietnam has determined that it will authorize no more than two (2) U.S. ASPs to operate in Vietnam.
U.S. prospective adoptive parents should not initiate Form I-800A or Form I-800 filings with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) identifying Vietnam as the intended country of adoption until the Department announces that it has made a determination that intercountry adoptions between the United States and Vietnam may proceed under the Convention. 
VIETNAM’S ASP SELECTION CRITERIA
The Government of Vietnam informed the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi that any U.S. ASP wishing to apply to facilitate intercountry adoptions on behalf of children with special needs, children older than five, and children in biological sibling groups of two or more in Vietnam must meet certain criteria in order to be considered for authorization, should the limited program go into effect between the United States and Vietnam.  Any ASP seeking to apply must fulfill each of the following criteria in order to have its application considered:
  1. Three (3) or more consecutive years of experience providing services in intercountry adoptions in Vietnam.
  2. Five (5) or more consecutive years of experience providing intercountry adoption services to children with special needs, children older than five, and children in sibling groups.  
  3. The ASP should be authorized to operate broadly in the United States.  Eligible ASPs must have offices in at least five (5) States.
In addition, the ASP must demonstrate that it meets the criteria established in Vietnam’s laws.  As a courtesy to U.S. ASPs, the Government of Vietnam provided its Prescreening Document, which it will use to determine whether a U.S. ASP may be eligible for authorization.  The Department encourages only U.S. ASPs capable of meeting Vietnam’s criteria and the Prescreening Document to apply for authorization.
Additional information on Vietnam’s procedures for granting operation licenses for foreign adoption agencies in Vietnam (the Government’s Decree No: 19/2011/ND-CP Providing in Detail for Implementation of a Number of Articles of the Law on Adoption) can be found on the Ministry of  . 
DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION
The Department of Adoptions will begin accepting applications for authorization on July 22, 2013with a closing date of September 22, 2013. All applications must be received by the closing date to receive consideration.  The Government of Vietnam has informed the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi that the amount of time it will take to move forward with ASP selection will depend on the number of applications it receives.  The Government of Vietnam will determine which ASPs will be contacted for further follow up/interview.  If an ASP does not hear from the Department of Adoptions within three months from the closing date, on December 22, 2013, this indicates that the agency was not selected.
APPLICATION FEE AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:
The Department of Adoptions informs interested ASPs that the application fee for authorization (formally termed “licensing fee” in Vietnamese documents) of VND65,000,000 (65 million Vietnamese Dong) per license is non-refundable, regardless of whether an ASP is subsequently authorized.                 
Interested ASPs may submit their application from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays to:
Department of Adoptions
Ministry of Justice
N1 Building, 60 Tran Phu Street
Hanoi, Vietnam
WARNING:  The Department of State urges U.S. prospective adoptive parents not to initiate Form I-800A or Form I-800 filings with USCIS identifying Vietnam as the country of intended adoption and not to take steps to initiate an intercountry adoption in Vietnam until the Department of State announces that it has determined that U.S. intercountry adoptions from Vietnam may proceed.  Please monitor adoption.state.gov for further updates.

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

DoS Notice: Democratic Republic of the Congo Immigration Authorities Clarify Procedures for Limited Issuance of Exit Permits


July 16,  2013
This notice updates the Department of State’s June 27, 2013, adoption alert regarding the limited resumption of exit permit issuances to adopted Congolese children seeking to depart the country with their adoptive parents.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) General Directorate of Migration (Direction Generale de Migration, DGM) informed the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa on June 17 that the DGM had partially lifted its temporary suspension of issuance of exit permits to adopted Congolese children seeking to depart the country with their adoptive parents.  The DGM has since provided the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa with further information, as follows:
Adoptions completed on or after June 12, 2013:The DGM will only issue exit permits to children whose adoptions were completed in the local Tribunal pour Enfants, as required by the Congolese 2009 Law on Child Protection.  The DGM notes that Tribunal pour Enfants exist in Kinshasa, Matadi (Bas-Congo), Goma (Nord-Kivu), and Lubumbashi (Katanga).  Children from other provinces must be adopted in the Tribunal pour Enfantsin Kinshasa or a neighboring city.
Adoptions completed prior to June 12, 2013: The DGM will not apply the Tribunal pour Enfants requirement retroactively to adoptions completed before June 12, 2013. 
Prospective adoptive parents and their adoption service providers are reminded that there is no fee for the exit permit.  The DGM conducts its own investigations to ensure Congolese adoption procedures have been followed.  The U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa will not contact the DGM to request expedited processing of the exit permit.  The Department of State strongly discourages the practice of paying “expediting fees” to Congolese officials in an attempt to move the adoption process more quickly.  These “fees” can be perceived as bribes that encourage corruption.
Prospective adoptive parents seeking to adopt from the DRC and their adoption service providers are encouraged to review the information provided by the Department of State regarding the current U.S. Embassy procedures, the general process for adopting from the DRC, and the most recent travel warning.
If you have concerns or questions regarding the notice or a specific adoption from the DRC, please contact the Department of State, 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 AskCI@state.gov

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

DoS Notice: Updated information on U.S.-based Hague Accredited Adoption Service Providers authorized by Mexican Central Authority


July 11, 2013
The Mexican Central Authority informed us that, in June 2013, it granted authorization to provide adoption services in Mexico to three additional U.S. based Convention accredited adoption service providers, bringing the total number of U.S. adoption service providers authorized in Mexico to six: 
  1. Across the World Adoptions
  2. Carolina Adoption Services, Inc
  3. International Child Foundation
  4. All God’s Children International (June 2013)
  5. Adoption Related Services, Inc. (June 2013)
  6. MLJ Adoptions, Inc. (June 2013)
It is essential that U.S. citizens wishing to adopt in Mexico work with an adoption service provider that has current U.S. Hague accreditation or approval and is currently authorized by the Mexican Central Authority.  Because Mexico periodically updates its list of authorized providers, we encourage prospective adoptive parents to verify their adoption service provider’s authorization status with the Mexican Central Authority before initiating an adoption.  The Mexican Central Authority publishes a list of adoption service providers authorized to provide adoption services in Mexico.  In addition, our Mexico adoption Country Information Sheetincludes contact information for the Mexican Central Authority along with information on the Mexican intercountry adoption process.

We publish updated information related to intercountry adoptions from Mexico as we receive it.  If you have any further questions please write to us at adoptionUSCA@state.gov or call us at 1-888-407-4747.

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

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

DoS Notice: The Hague Adoption Convention Enters into Force for Swaziland


On July 1, 2013 the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-Operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Convention) entered into force for the Kingdom of Swaziland. However, the Government of the Kingdom of Swaziland verbally notified the U.S. Embassy in Mbabane that the current suspension on intercountry adoptions will remain in effect until the country has fully implemented the Convention. The Embassy was not provided with a definitive timeframe for implementation.
We caution adoption service providers and prospective adoptive parents that intercountry adoption procedures from Swaziland must comply with the Convention before intercountry adoptions between the United States and Swaziland resume. Adoption service providers should neither initiate nor claim to initiate adoption programs in Swaziland until the Department of State notifies them that the Government of the Kingdom Swaziland has lifted its suspension on intercountry adoptions and that Swaziland’s procedures meet the requirements of the Convention.
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.

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

Monday, July 1, 2013

DoS Alert: Colombia Moratorium Update


The Colombian Institute for Family Welfare (ICBF) formally announced several important changes in Colombia’s management of intercountry adoptions.

Beginning July 15, 2013, ICBF will no longer accept new intercountry adoption applications from non-Colombian citizens living abroad interested in adopting a child under 6 years and 11 months old, unless ICBF considers the child to have special characteristics or needs.  Families who are considering adopting a healthy child in this age range should ensure that they have filed their initial application with ICBF no later than the July 15, 2013 deadline.  Visit ICBF website to learn what documents ICBF requires as part of the initial application.  ICBF has indicated this moratorium will last at least two years.
The Department of State expects that adoption processing will continue to operate normally in all other respects.  Families who have already been accepted by ICBF as prospective adoptive parents for a healthy child less than 6 years and 11 months old will maintain their place on the existing waiting list and ICBF will continue to match and finalize adoptions for these children.  Families interested in adopting older children or any child identified by ICBF as being more difficult to place because of special characteristics or needs should not experience any changes as a result of this decision.  Furthermore, ICBF has indicated that any family currently on the waiting list which is open to adopting a different category of child should work with their adoption service provider to let ICBF know.  Visit icbf.gov.co to learn more about the 8,000 children with special characteristics or needs who are currently awaiting adoption.
In addition to this moratorium, ICBF has also implemented a number of changes affecting adoption service providers and private adoption houses.  Effective immediately, adoption service providers may no longer charge prospective adoptive families for “humanitarian assistance” programs as part of an adoption contract.  In addition, ICBF has formally reminded prospective adoptive parents, adoption service providers, and private adoption houses of its ban on donations by any family or entity involved in an ongoing adoption prior to the completion of that adoption.  ICBF is concerned that these payments and donations jeopardize the credibility of Colombia’s intercountry adoption process.  The Department of State expects that ICBF may take adverse action against any individuals or entities that do not honor these requirements.

For updates you may email the Bogota U.S. Embassy at:IVBogota@state.gov, Attn Adoptions or refer to adoption.state.gov for updates.

http://adoption.state.gov/country_information/country_specific_alerts_notices.php?alert_notice_type=alerts&alert_notice_file=colombia_2

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