| VIETNAM UPDATE |
On July 27, 2010, the U.S. State Department issued a statement which said that Vietnam has signaled its intention to become a part of the Hague Adoption Convention and recently approved new adoption legislation to strengthen its domestic and international adoption process.
The implementation of regulations and procedures have not been finalized and Vietnam has not formally announced a date for joining the Convention.
However, in June 2010, the Vietnamese legislature passed a new adoption law which is scheduled to take effect January 2011. Vietnamese officials are now drafting regulations and
procedures to implement this new law which will help Vietnam’s achieve its stated goal of participating in the Hague’s Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-Operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption. Vietnamese law requires that in order for adoptions to resume from Vietnam, either a new bilateral agreement must be in place between the United States and Vietnam, or Vietnam must accede to the Convention.
The United States recognizes these initiatives as significant developments in the renewed commitment by the Government of Vietnam to strengthen its child welfare system and the integrity of its domestic and international adoption process. Nevertheless, adoption service providers and prospective adoptive parents are cautioned that important steps must still be taken before Vietnam completes this reform process and before intercountry adoptions between the United States and Vietnam can resume.
Most importantly, the Government of Vietnam must draft, finalize, and officially publish regulations and standards that, among other things, will establish procedures to:
• Accredit and regulate U.S. adoption service providers to perform adoption-related work
In Vietnam;
• Establish adoption fees and procedures for monitoring their collection;
• Clarify procedures for reporting and reviewing donations that may be made to orphanage and
child welfare organizations by organizations or individuals engaged in intercountry adoption to
ensure that such donations do not influence placements, procedures, or approvals;
• Evaluate the suitability of prospective adoptive parents; and
• Ensure that all required efforts for domestic placement have been fully met before a child is
considered for intercountry adoption.
The Adoption Center of Washington is still accredited to work in Vietnam and is monitoring the progress of the Vietnamese government closely. We will continue to post updates as they become available, or you may visit www.adoption.state.gov/news/vietnam.html.
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| GENERAL INFORMATION |
The Adoption Center of Washington is proud and pleased to announce
that we have committed our resources and services to assist parents
who wish to adopt from Vietnam.
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| CHILDREN AVAILABLE |
Girls and boys of all ages are available. Infants may be as young as 4-5 months at the time of referral. Toddlers and preschoolers are available. Each child is unique and although most are healthy, some have health problems and may have minor disabilities.
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| ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR PROSPECTIVE PARENTS |
Vietnam adoption laws require that couples or single parents (male or female) be at least 20 years older than the child is. This program is open to those who are married or single females. Some regions may not place with large families. Families with no children in their current marriage are requested to be open to either gender when requesting an infant. Non-sectarian; families should demonstrate sincere interest in learning the child’s culture and imparting it to the child.
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| TIME FRAME |
Please call for updates regarding referral time.
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| PROCESS BEFORE TRAVEL |
| All prospective adoptive parents working with our agency go through the following process:
1. Apply with our agency by submitting the application in this packet and a check for $300.
2. Contact USCICS and complete an I 600a to order international adoption forms (the packet is called “I-600A”) at: 1-800-870-3676.
3 Begin the homestudy process (if you do not already have a favorable, updated homestudy).
6. Gather documents for your Dossier (e.g. birth certificates, marriage certificates, etc). Your caseworker will assist you with this process.
7. Attend our Child Care Class (if you are a first-time parent and if you live in the Washington Metropolitan area).
8. Exchange of information regarding a referral for a child (amount of information such as, photo of the child or medical report varies based on the country).
9. Attend a Travel Meeting with your caseworker (in our office or over the phone) to discuss traveling particulars in the foreign country.
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| TRAVELING TO VIETNAM |
Authentication of documents for the dossier will occur in the U.S. before traveling to Vietnam. The Adoption Center of Washington will assist you through this process. In Vietnam, you will meet your child and have the Giving & Receiving Ceremony for
finalization of the adoption. This trip lasts between 2 and 3 weeks days due to the need to acquire the child’s Vietnamese passport.
**Please note: length of travel is subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances in international adoption.
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| GENERAL FEES |
The foreign fee is $12,900 and is due before departing for your first trip to Vietnam. You are also responsible for the cost of your flight to Vietnam and other travel costs (see our fact sheet on Vietnam Estimated Expenses for a breakdown of definite and probable costs).
*Please note: foreign fees are subject to change without notice due to unforeseen circumstances in international adoption.
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| REQUIRED DOCUMENTS |
- Passport
- Birth certificate
- Marriage certificate or statement of being single
- Police Clearance
- Home study
- Immigration approval (I-171H)
- Doctor letter
- Income certificate
- Non-travelling spouse's Power of Attorney
- If the parent was divorced, one copy of the divorce decree notarized
with notice, "Certified as a true and correct copy of the
original."
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| REFERRAL PROCESS |
Parents will receive the child's photo and brief medical information.
Based on this information you will make a decision to travel to meet
the child.
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