September 4, 2012 Notice: The Hague Adoption Convention Enters Into Force for Fiji On August 1, 2012, the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-Operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption entered into force for Fiji. The Department of State has not received information from the Government of Fiji on its plans for implementing the Convention. The United …
Category: DOS Alerts/Notices
DOS Adoption Alert: Kazakhstan Suspends Intercountry Adoptions
Kazakhstan August 21, 2012 Alert: Kazakhstan Suspends Intercountry Adoptions The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan informed the U.S. Embassy in Astana on August 9 that Kazakhstan is suspending intercountry adoptions to the United States, effective immediately. Ambassador Susan Jacobs, Special Advisor for Children’s Issues, met with government officials in Kazakhstan on August 16 to address the Ministry’s concerns. The …
DOS Adoption Notice: Morocco
Morocco August 8, 2012 Notice: Ministry of Justice Plans to Review Kafala Laws and Procedures On July 25, the Moroccan newspaper Akhbar al-Youm (Today’s News) published a story on Justice Minister Mostafa Rahmid’s views on the granting of kafala (guardianship) to non-Muslim, non-resident foreigners. The article quotes Minister Rahmid as saying that he has decided to “stop granting …
DOS Adoption Alert: Haiti & the Hague Convention
Haiti July 16, 2012 Alert: Haiti Approves Ratification of the Hague Adoption Convention Haiti’s adoption authority, l’Institut du Bien-Etre Sociale et de Recherches (IBESR), confirmed that the Haitian Parliament approved ratification of the Hague Adoption Convention on June 11, 2012, although it is our understanding that Haiti has not yet deposited its instrument of ratification to the Convention. The Convention …
DOS Adoption Notice: South Africa
South Africa July 5, 2012 Notice: Adoptions from South Africa to Begin With Approval of U.S. Adoption Service Providers On June 6, 2012, the Department of State’s Special Advisor for Children’s Issues, Susan Jacobs, and U.S. Consulate General Johannesburg officials met with the South African Ministry of Social Development’s Central Authority (SACA) to clarify South African intercountry adoption procedures. …
DOS Announcement: Approval of Bi-Lateral Adoption Agreement with Russia
Russia July 10, 2012 Notice: Approval of the Agreement between the United States of America and the Russian Federation Regarding Cooperation in Adoption of Children On July 10, 2012 the Russian Duma approved the bilateral adoption agreement signed by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on July 13, 2011. This marks a significant milestone toward …
DOS and USCIS Notices on Adoption from Montenegro
The US Department of State, Office of Children’s Issues and the USCIS released statements today concerning adoptions from Montenegro: DOS Notice: Montenegro July 3, 2012 Notice: The Hague Adoption Convention Enters Into Force for Montenegro “On July 1, 2012, the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-Operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption entered into force for Montenegro. However, …
DOS Adoption Notice: The Hague Adoption Convention Enters into Force for Rwanda
Rwanda July 2, 2012 Notice: The Hague Adoption Convention Enters into Force for Rwanda On July 1, 2012 the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-Operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Convention) entered into force for Rwanda. However, the Government of Rwanda has notified the U.S. Embassy in Kigali that the current suspension on intercountry adoptions will remain in …
DOS Adoption Notice Romania: Agency Authorization Required by Romanian Law
Romania June 28, 2012 Notice: Agency Authorization Required by Romanian Law The Romanian Office for Adoptions (the Office) reported to the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest that it will allow private non-profit organizations accredited in the foreign receiving country to transmit documents in intercountry adoption procedures provided that they are also authorized by the Office. U.S. accredited agencies that would like …
DOS Adoption Notice – Guatemala Update
May 14, 2012 Notice: Guatemala Update This Adoption Notice is a follow up to the Notice of December 12, 2011. Universal List In March 2012, after months of meetings to gather information, U.S. officials presented a list of known pending cases to Guatemalan officials. This list is a compellation of USCIS records of all properly grandfathered Form I-600A applications …