I read Somaly Mam’s book cover to cover in a bookstore, holding myself utterly still so I wouldn’t start crying, drowning in the images of violence and suffering she wrote about. It was that cover picture, a Cambodian woman who had been through hell and survived. That gave me hope when I was the desperately confused new mother to children …
Nepal Children’s Organization — former head of NCO/Bal Mandir adoptions arrested for child rape. Kathmandu Post: Two held on rape charge KATHMANDU: Two suspects have been arrested behind alleged rape of three young girls living in a public orphanage, Nepal Children’s Organisation, popularly known as Balmandir. Police arrested Rabin Shrestha, a former employee of Balmandir, and Rabin Chalise, the current …
Benin informed the State Department that, as of May 22, it has temporarily suspended acceptance of new applications for intercountry adoptions as the Benin government prepares to implement the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Convention). The suspension applies to both plenary and simple adoptions of Beninese children. The U.S. Embassy …
The Department of State invites adoptive families and prospective adoptive families to participate in a conference call Tuesday, June 11 from 10am-11:30am EST to address families’ concerns regarding the DRC exit permit suspension. The call is being held in response to families’ requests for additional time following our May 16 call. We will also address what we have learned to date regarding …
On May 26, the Congolese General Direction of Migration (DGM) informed members of the diplomatic corps that it was prepared to issue exit permits to 62 children adopted by foreigners whose cases fully conform to existing Congolese adoption laws. The DGM’s list includes 15 children adopted by U.S. families. The U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa will contact those families via email …
The U.S. Embassy in Haiti has heard reports from a number of prospective adoptive parents regarding certain adoption service providers requests for substantial additional payments. These adoption service providers are claiming that these fees are charged by the Haitian authorities to expedite the adoption process. The Embassy has verified with Haiti’s adoption authority, the Institut du Bien-Être Social et de …
The Embassy of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in Washington informed the Department of State on April 24 that applications for visas to travel to the DRC from U.S. adoptive families may be refused “in some cases.” Congolese officials state that adoptive families should be prepared for increased scrutiny of their visa applications as well as possible refusal of …
Actions U.S. citizens can take in Response to Adoption Scams and Fraud The Department of State is aware of a growing number of adoption scams in which individuals are offering to match prospective adoptive parents with a child who is allegedly available for intercountry adoption. In Hague Adoption Convention countries, matching is done by the Central Authority, another public authority, …
March 28, 2014 On March 27, 2014, the Council on Accreditation (COA) canceled the Hague accreditation of International Families, Inc. for failing to maintain substantial compliance with the U.S. accreditation standards at 22 Code of Federal Regulations Part 96 Subpart F. Prior to this date, International Families, Inc. was a Hague accredited adoption service provider authorized to operate in both …
On April 1, 2014, the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-Operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Convention) will enter into force in Haiti. The United States will be able to process Convention intercountry adoptions from Haiti that are initiated on or after April 1, 2014. However, please note that delays may occur while Haiti’s adoption authority, the Institut du Bien-Être …