“It is tragic for children that the U.S. government has not been able to find ways to work with the Vietnamese government to prevent adoption abuses while at the same time processing legitimate adoptions,” said Tom Atwood, president of the Washington-based National Council for Adoption, a research and advocacy organization.

“Many hundreds, perhaps thousands, of children will not have families as a result of this failure of leadership.”

Will keep you updated on this but in the meantime the AP has great details. Please read.

Post from: Blisstree

Vietnam Halts US Adoptions

The new report is a nine page report detailing brokers who “scour villages for babies, hospitals selling infants whose mothers cannot pay their bills, and a grandmother giving away her grandchild-without telling the child’s mother.”

Vietnam is denying these claims stating that orphanage directors possibly take bribes but baby-selling is not an issue.

What happens in several cases is that adoption agencies provide donations to orphanages in return for referrals. If referrals are scarce orphanages will then go “scouting” for children to refer to the adoption agencies. This, unfortunately, is where the fraud comes in to play.

However, perhaps the entire system is somewhat fraudulent? If the adoption agencies were not funding the orphanages through donations (the main source of income) then the orphanage would not feel pressure to find children?

At this time Vietnam adoptions are very popular among US families, especially after Angelina Jolie’s adoption of Pax. Adoptions were up over 400 percent last year.

The current Vietnam/US adoption agreement expires on September 1. The US is suggesting a similar DNA test to Guatemala to help prevent fraud.

The US has also recommended that US adoptive parents not begin any new paperwork with Vietnam.

For more information about Vietnam adoption visit the Adopt Vietnam.

Post from: Blisstree

Vietnam Corrupts Adoptions?

The Bebe is three months old now and 12 pounds and 60 cm so it seems that he is just about 50% across the board according to US standards. Interestingly, this makes him a rather large Guatemalan baby.

Typical head circumference for Guatemalan boys is different than US children. If our son has a circumference of 39.7 he falls into the 50th percentile, which is typical for Guatemalan children.

Adoptmed.org has a fabulous site for growth charts from several countries.

We are still waiting for Family Court to finish, as the social worker in Guatemala is still working on it. And, we are still waiting for DNA to finish with the US Embassy. After that we will enter PGN.

Post from: Blisstree

Bebe Update!

I171H expires after 18 months and fingerprints expire after 15 months. Agencies do not always remind you that your paperwork has expired so make sure to check your own.

Post from: Blisstree

I17IH Fingerprint Expirations

The attorney presents all documents, photos, and medical test results to the US Embassy.

·         The Embassy reviews the file and gives approval for the DNA testing, which is carried out by authorized medical personnel and analyzed by an approved laboratory in the US, under strict chain of custody procedures. 

·         The birth mother and child are escorted to the embassy-approved doctor where their identities are verified and saliva samples are collected for DNA analysis.  The child’s thumbprint is taken and put into the adoption case file.  To verify the child’s identity, US Embassy personnel compare this thumbprint to those taken when the birth was registered or when the birth mother signed custody of the child to the attorney. The birth mother’s identity is verified through her original cedula (photo identification card), a photocopy of which was entered in the adoption case file at the time the birth mother relinquished custody of the child to the attorney. The birth mother’s thumbprints are also taken. A polaroid photograph is taken of the birth mother holding the child on her lap and is attached to the DNA file. The birth mother and foster mother sign forms attesting to their identities, and the birth mother signs her consent for the DNA analysis.

·         The laboratory sends a copy of the DNA test results (with photos) directly to the US Embassy in Guatemala, and to the adoptive parents and adoption agency.

·         The US Embassy reviews the test results and all supporting documentation. If all documents are in order, the US Embassy/BCIS provides the attorney with the Consentimiento (consent form), which is required before the PGN will authorize the attorney to prepare the final adoption decree.

We are now waiting for the Family Court documents to be finalized (if you read last week’s post the Birth Mother attended family court last week). I can’t imagine how hard that was for her…seeing her child again, officially relinquishing him, telling her story to a social worker? She even took (perhaps) a picture with him to send to us…for him to have. My only hope is that she had someone with her to comfort her and to offer her peace. In my heart I hope that it was his birth father (so that he could at least see him, smell him, touch him) but I know that life is not always like that.

From Guatadopt:

The Family Court social worker reviews the dossier, interviews the birth mother, schedules appointments with the birth mother and foster family, and may visit the child in foster care or the orphanage. During the interview with the birth mother, the social worker explains that: (a) the adoption is irrevocable, (b) she will lose the patria potestas and guardianship of her child, and (c) she may never see the child after the adoption is final. The social worker asks the birth mother if anyone in her family can care for the child, and determines if the birth mother has voluntarily, freely, definitively, and irrevocably granted her express consent for her child to be adopted. The social worker writes a report that summarizes the facts of the case and attests to the birth mother’s reasons for deciding that she cannot parent the child. In most cases, the social worker recommends that the Family Court judge approve the adoption. The court reviews the social worker’s report and makes its rrecommendation. The birth mother appears before the notary and signs her second consent to place her child for adoption.

We know that The Bebe’s birth mother did attend family court, that she did sign her second consent to place him for adoption, and that the DNA is a 99.9 percent match. On our end, the news is good; the process is moving right along and we can’t wait to welcome him into our home.

On her end? I don’t know how that feels but this triad is bittersweet.

Post from: Blisstree

99.9 Percent, a DNA Match, and a Bittersweet Triad

From US State Department

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR ADOPTIVE PARENTS: Married and single people may adopt from Ukraine. Prospective adoptive parents have to be at least 18 years old, and the age difference between the adopting parent(s) and adopted child must be at least 15 years, although this can be waived if circumstances warrant. If the child is adopted by a relative, the age difference is not considered.

According to the new Family Code of Ukraine (Article 213), if multiple prospective adoptive parents wish to adopt the same child, preference will be given first to a Ukrainian citizen, second to foreign couples who are married, and finally to foreign single parents. Hence, single foreign parents, while still allowed to register with the SDAPRC, have last preference and may wait significantly longer than other prospective adoptive parents – even to the point that their application documents may expire before they receive an appointment date.

However, each adoption application is considered by Ukrainian adoption authorities on an individual basis.
RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS: There are no residency requirements to adopt in Ukraine.

TIME FRAME: Three to twelve months can pass between the prospective adoptive parents’ submission of their application dossier and the SDAPRC appointment date. In addition, there is usually a three-to-four-week wait between the initial filing of the adoption petition in the local court and issuance of the final adoption decree.
ADOPTION AGENCIES AND ATTORNEYS: Prospective adoptive parents are advised to fully research any adoption agency or facilitator they plan to use for adoption services. For U.S.-based agencies, it is suggested that prospective adoptive parents contact the Better Business Bureau and/or the licensing office of the appropriate state government agency in the U.S. state where the agency is located or licensed.

Please see Important Notice Regarding Adoption Agents and Facilitators at the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs web site.

Some American parents have reported to the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv that their agents or facilitators may have engaged in questionable practices during the adoption process. The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv and the Office of Children’s Issues at the Department of State in Washington, D.C. want to hear about any such experiences. Please see the contact information for both offices later in this flyer.
INTERPRETERS AND TRANSLATORS: Ukrainian law does not allow adoption intermediaries. Therefore, no private interpreters or facilitators are allowed to interpret during the meetings of prospective parents with the SDAPRC. However, private interpreters/facilitators may be used at other stages of the adoption process. The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv has a list of translators known to work in Ukraine. These are general translation service providers and do not necessarily have experience with adoptions. Neither the U.S. Embassy nor the Department of State can vouch for the efficacy or professionalism of any translator or interpreter.
ADOPTION FEES: There are no Ukrainian fees except those for court filing, notarial, translation and similar services.
Adoptive parents of Ukrainian children have reported paying between $2,000 and $20,000 to their adoption agencies for services rendered. These lump-sum payments have often included lodging, transportation, authentication of Ukrainian documents, fees for expedited services and interpretation/translation services.

Some adoptive parents have also reported facing additional and unexpected fees after arriving in Ukraine. As with the cautionary note above regarding adoption agency practices generally, American families should inform the U.S. Embassy or the Department of State if they encounter unexpected or seemingly inappropriate fees. In order to minimize the possibility of such situations, prospective adoptive parents should request a fee schedule from their adoption agency and discuss under what circumstances additional, unexpected fees may be charged. Prospective adoptive parents can further protect themselves by openly discussing all fees and expenses in detail before hiring a facilitator or interpreter. Recommendations from past adoptive families may also be helpful.

Post from: Blisstree

Country Requirements: Ukraine

From the US Embassy:

On February 8, 2008, Guatemala’s National Council for Adoptions (CNA) announced that adoption cases “entered” in Guatemala before Dec. 31, 2007 must be registered in the offices of the CNA, which are temporarily installed in the Secretary of Social Welfare (Secretaria de Bienestar Social or SBS) of the Presidency, located at 32 Calle 9-34, Zona 11, Colonia Las Charcas, by Tuesday, Feb. 12 (inclusive).  The office will be open during the weekend from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.

The Government of Guatemala further advises that those notaries who presented their cases to the members of the earlier National Council for Adoptions must bring their copy of the earlier registration to the office in the SBS during the above mentioned hours, so that a new registration number can be assigned.

Unfortunately, according to Guatadopt, if there is any sort of mistake on the form the case will not be submitted and may not be grandfathered.  Kevin’s advice is to simply accept all forms, review them all, and then ask for clarifications or mistakes to be fixed. This way all cases are officially submitted and grandfathered. Is this not a better way to complete the process than standing in line for 10 hours a day waiting for people to go over a form line by line?

Perhaps we need a US Adoption Adviser/Ambassador. Any nominees, (ummm, Kevin) ?

We know that our case was registered with CNA but now that it has to be reregistered we will keep you posted…

Post from: Blisstree

Urgent Notice from US Embassy

According to the US Embassy the following list items are not legal requirements but administrative guidelines but local agencies should follow them.

• The adoptive parents must be eligible to adopt under the laws of their country or state of residence.
• Single parents are not eligible.
• The couple should be married for at least three years and be between the ages of 25 and 44.  Korean authorities usually require that both adoptive parents in overseas adoptions be younger than 45 years old; however, they may make exceptions in some cases. The following three factors, while unofficial and applied differently from case to case, may be considered when making exceptions to the age limit:

  1. At least one parent is under 45
  2. The adoptive parents have previously adopted a Korean orphan
  3. The parents are willing to adopt an orphan with serious medical problems

• The adoptive couple should have no more than five children. This number includes the child or children to be adopted
• The couple should not have an age difference of more than 15 years
• The income of the adoptive couple should be higher than the national average of their country and sufficient to raise the child.

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS: Parents living in US don’t need residency in Korea to adopt a child from Korea.  They only need to contact one of US adoption agencies affiliated with Korean adoption agencies authorized by Korean government.

TIME FRAME: The period of time between when a couple begins pre-adoption processing and when the child arrives in the United States is anywhere between one and four years.  This time frame includes the total timing for processing in the U.S. and in Korea.  In the U.S., the adoptive parents should have an Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petiton (I-600A) filed and approved by the Department of Homeland Security.  Please see “U.S. Immigration Requirements” below for more information on the I-600A.  Following approval of the I-600A, processing time in Korea will be about 5 to 6 months.  Effective January 1, 2007, Korean law will require a five-month waiting period before an infant orphan can be considered for intercountry adoption.  This new requirement, however, is not expected to lengthen adoptive parents’ overall waiting time.

ADOPTION FEES:  According to the Korean Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and Korean adoption agencies, the total cost is between $9,500 and $10,000.  This includes:

• Child care fees (including payment for foster mother)
• Medical expenses
• Legal processing fees
• Administrative fees
• Social worker payment and counseling fees
• Post adoption service fee

For More information see AdoptKorea

Post from: Blisstree

Country Requirements: Korea

I have learned that Family Court and DNA happen concurrently so that the birth mother only has to travel to Guatemala City one time (she attends Family Court and at the same time she will go to the US Embassy to do the DNA testing with the child).

Additionally, I have also been told that it is common for the adoptive families to receive pictures of the birth mother with the child. We have already received a picture of her (from her ID card) but we have nothing like this for AJ, something that I think will always trouble me.

Post from: Blisstree

DNA and Family Court