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. 

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:

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  . 

The Department of Adoptions will begin accepting applications for authorization on July 22, 2013, with 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.

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.

People for Ethical Adoption Reform
www.pear-now.org