Alert: Democratic Republic of the Congo Immigration Authorities Suspend Issuance of Exit Permits to Adoptees

This alert updates the Department of State's May 2 adoption alert regarding the suspension of issuance of exit permits to adopted Congolese children seeking to depart the country with their adoptive parents.

On September 27, the Congolese Ministry of Interior and Security, General Direction of Migration (Direction Generale d'Immigration, DGM) informed the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa that effective September 25, 2013, the DGM suspended issuance of exit permits to adopted Congolese children seeking to depart the country with their adoptive parents. The DGM reports the suspension will last up to 12 months. This suspension is due to concerns over reports that children adopted from the Democratic Republic of the Congo may be either abused by adoptive families or adopted by a second set of parents once in their receiving countries.

The suspension of exit permits for adopted Congolese children applies to all intercountry adoptions and is not limited to adoptions by U.S. citizens. These exit permits are required in addition to U.S. immigrant visas in order for children to travel to the United States.

The DGM has not indicated whether adoptions in process may continue during the suspension period. The U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa is seeking clarification on the impact this will have on cases where adoptions were already completed, or completed and an immigrant visa issued. We will post new information as it becomes available on www.adoption.state.gov.

Please direct questions related to this alert or a specific adoption from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to 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.

http://adoption.state.gov/country_information/country_specific_alerts_notices.php?alert_notice_type=alerts&alert_notice_file=democratic_republic_of_congo_3

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

DoS Alert: Vietnam's Department of Adoptions Issues Further Guidance for U.S. Convention-Accredited Adoption Service Providers

The Department of Adoptions in the Ministry of Justice of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (MOJ/DA) has issued the following guidance.  This guidance is related to the MOJ/DA’s July announcement, published on this website, to accept applications for authorization from U.S. Convention-accredited adoption service providers (ASPs).
Begin text of guidance:

In the spirit of cooperation under the Hague Adoption Convention, the Vietnamese government has agreed to license two U.S. ASPs to operate a proposed, limited intercountry adoption program of children with special needs, older children, and children in sibling groups.  In 2014, Vietnam will license two U.S. ASPs to operate in Vietnam as follows:

• Acceptance of applications for licensing – from July 22, 2013 through September 21, 2013:  ASPs may submit applications for licensing to operate in Vietnam at the Ministry of Justice’s reception desk every Tuesday and Thursday.
• Application pre-screening and review – from September 22, 2013 through December 21, 2013:  Based on the number of applications received, the Ministry of Justice will review, assess, and make a shortlist of ASPs.  Subsequently, MOJ/DA will schedule interviews with the Vietnam program manager of the shortlisted ASPs.  If an ASP is not contacted by the Ministry of Justice during this period, this means that the ASP was not shortlisted.
• Assessing the capacity of shortlisted ASPs – from the end of 2013 to the beginning of 2014:  The Ministry of Justice will organize an interagency delegation to examine the operations of shortlisted ASPs at their headquarters in the United States.

Based on the results of application review, interview, examination of ASP operations in the United States, and in consultation with other relevant Vietnamese agencies, the Minister of Justice will decide which two most qualified ASPs among the shortlisted candidates will be licensed.
During the application acceptance and review period, the MOJ/DA will not accept any requests for meetings from any U.S. ASP.  If necessary, the MOJ/DA will contact the ASPs which have been shortlisted to submit additional documentation.
End text of guidance.


CAUTION:  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.

http://adoption.state.gov/country_information/country_specific_alerts_notices.php?alert_notice_type=notices&alert_notice_file=vietnam_7

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

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

The Mexican Central Authority recently provided the U.S. Central Authority with official notification that, in August 2013, it granted authorization to provide adoption services in Mexico to five additional U.S.-based Convention accredited adoption service providers.  This action brings the total number of U.S. adoption service providers authorized in Mexico to eleven: 

1. Carolina Adoption Services, Inc
2. International Child Foundation
3. Across the World Adoptions
4. All God’s Children International
5. Adoption Related Services, Inc.
6. MLJ Adoptions, Inc.
7. International Adoption Net (August 2013)
8. The Open Door Adoption Agency (August 2013)
9. The Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago (August 2013)
10.  Hands Across the Water (August 2013)
11.  Children’s House International Adoptions (August 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 information flyer includes 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.


http://adoption.state.gov/country_information/country_specific_alerts_notices.php?alert_notice_type=notices&alert_notice_file=mexico_7

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