Welcome to No Place Like Home.

This blog is a place for information, answers and support for families who are considering international adoption, waiting or are home with their children. My name is Kimberley and I am the coordinator of this site. This blog is truly a network of families who are willing to support others along their journey to their child. The blogs listed on my sidebar are arranged by country and these families have volunteered to act as a resource to anyone who needs one. These are amazing people who are dedicated to helping families who are on the journey to their children in another country. If you are looking for someone to talk with or if you have a blog and would like to be available to help others, please feel free to e-mail me at timnkim@gmail.com.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

US Department of State Statement Regarding Vietnam Adoption.

This is taken directly from their website.

The Expiration of the current Adoption Agreement with Vietnam

June 2008

The Department of State continues to urge prospective adoptive parents and adoption service providers not to initiate new adoptions from Vietnam at this time. The bilateral Memorandum of Agreement, required by Vietnamese law to authorize adoptions between the United States and Vietnam, expires on September 1, 2008. In addition, recent field investigations have revealed incidents of serious adoption irregularities, including forged or altered documentation, mothers paid, coerced or tricked into releasing their children, and children offered for adoption without the knowledge or consent of their birth parents.

On April 25, the Government of Vietnam announced that it will allow adoption to be completed in cases where prospective adoptive parents have been matched with a child and received an official referral prior to September 1, 2008. Dossiers that have not received a referral as of September 1 will be closed and returned to the Adoption Service Provider. The Government of Vietnam further stated that in accordance with Vietnamese law, the DIA will stop accepting new dossiers on July 1, 2008.

In mid June, the U.S. Embassy contacted the Vietnamese Office of the Government in response to rumors that the Government of Vietnam had changed its policy regarding adoption dossiers still pending (without a referral) when the Agreement expires on September 1, 2008. The Office of the Government stated unequivocally that no decision has been made to change this policy.

The Department of State strongly recommends that anyone considering an adoption in Vietnam review all of the information that is posted by the Department of State (http://travel.state.gov/family/adoption/country/country_369.html#v), the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (http://uscis.gov/), and the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi ( http://vietnam.usembassy.gov/orphan_visas.html ) .

3 comments:

LaLa said...

Kinda stinks doesn't it! Still on our knees over here : )

Ashley Winters said...

That is so sad for families who had their hearts set on Vietnam.

Middle-Aged Moi said...

I love that you have a blog that has all this stuff. If I ever know ANYONE who is going to adopt, your blog will be one of the first I send them to. Thanks.