DoS Notice: No U.S. Adoption Service Providers Currently Authorized to Facilitate Adoptions in Nepal

July 17, 2013

The Nepali Ministry of Women and Child Social Welfare (MWCSW) informed the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu that as of July 1, 2013, no U.S. adoption service providers (ASP) are authorized to facilitate adoptions in Nepal.  According to the MWCSW, the authorization of all adoption service providers expired on December 31, 2012.  The Ministry also informed the Department that no U.S. ASPs have submitted a new application or an application to renew their authorization for the two-year period beginning on January 1, 2013. 

While Nepal’s adoption regulations (the Terms and Conditions and Process for Granting Approval for Adoption of Nepali Children by an Alien, 2008) permit Nepali authorized ASPs and foreign missions to submit dossiers on behalf of prospective adoptive parents, the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu cannot execute “cover letters” or submit dossier documents to the Ministry of Women and Child Social Welfare (MWCSW) on behalf of prospective adoptive parents or otherwise serve as a de facto ASP for prospective adoptive parents. Therefore, it will not be possible for prospective adoptive parents to file an application to adopt a Nepali child until a U.S. ASP applies for and receives authorization to facilitate adoptions in Nepal in 2013-2014.

Prospective adoptive parents should also be aware that, on August 6, 2010, the U. S. Department of State and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) suspended processing of new adoption cases from Nepal involving children reported as abandoned because documents presented in support of the abandonment of these children in Nepal were unreliable.  Cases involving relinquishment by known birth parent(s) were not affected by the suspension.

The U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu continues to encourage the Government of Nepal to work with the international community, including the Hague Permanent Bureau, to implement the Hague Adoption Convention and reform its adoption process to protect children and families. 

We will continue to provide updates through adoption.state.gov as additional information is received.  This link will also provide additional information and past adoption notices and alerts on the detailed concerns found in Nepal adoptions.