October 15, 2013: On April 30, 2013, the Government of Ghana suspended processing of all adoption cases, including intercountry adoptions, pending Ghana’s review of its current adoption procedures. This alert provides additional information on how the Ghanaian Department of Social Welfare (DSW) is implementing the suspension and how the suspension impacts processing of related Forms I-600, Petition to Classify Orphan as …
Category: USCIS
Oklahoma USCIS Notice Field Office Closure
Due to the devastating tornadoes that struck the Oklahoma City area, the following facilities will be closed on May 21: The Oklahoma City Field Office is closed. Oklahoma Application Support Center will be closed due to facility issues. We will automatically reschedule all applicants to the next available appointment date. We will process walk-ins on a case-by-case basis. For updates, please …
Special Advisor for Children’s Issues Travels to Guatemala
Special Advisor for Children’s Issues Ambassador Susan Jacobs will visit Guatemala from May 16-18 to discuss international children’s issues. Ambassador Jacobs will join Alejandro Mayorkas, Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, to meet with government officials and nongovernmental adoption stakeholders. They will continue their discussions from the October 2012 meetings regarding resolution of pending adoption cases. Ambassador Jacobs will …
DOS Adoption Notice: Bolivia/Procedural Barriers to Hague Adoptions
Bolivia April 26, 2013 Notice: Procedural Barriers to Hague Adoptions The Office of Children’s Issues and the U.S. Embassy in La Paz have received numerous inquiries from prospective adoptive parents interested in adopting children from Bolivia. Bolivia is a Party to the Hague Adoption Convention. Therefore, in order to adopt a Bolivian child, prospective adoptive parents are required to work …
USCIS Adoption Information on Universal Accreditation act
USCIS has released the following information with regards to the Universal Accrditation Act to help clear up questions by prospective adoptive parents and adoption service providers: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=ac818aea586bd310VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=8d5e901bf9873210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD The Universal Accreditation Act of 2012 The Intercountry Adoption Universal Accreditation Act of 2012 (UAA) goes into effect on July 14, 2014. As of that date, all agencies or persons that provide adoption …
DOS Adoption Notice: Taiwan implements a Pre-Adoption Immigration Review requirement for all adoptions by U.S. citizens of children residing in Taiwan
Taiwan February 27, 2013 Notice: Taiwan implements a Pre-Adoption Immigration Review requirement for all adoptions by U.S. citizens of children residing in Taiwan The Department of State shares the follow web alert posted by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on February 26, 2013. In January, the Taiwan Child Welfare Bureau issued an administrative order that requires all adoption cases …
DOS Adoption Alert: Families, Agencies Report Difficulties in Completing Russian Adoptions
Russia January 11, 2013 Alert: Families, Agencies Report Difficulties in Completing Russian Adoptions On December 28, President Vladimir Putin signed into law Federal Law No. 272-FZ, which went into effect on January 1, 2013. The law bans the adoption of Russian children by U.S. citizens, bars adoption service providers from assisting U.S. citizens to adopt Russian children, and requires …
DOS Adoption Alert: Legislation to Ban Intercountry Adoption by U.S. Families Signed into Law
Russia December 31, 2012 Alert: Legislation to Ban Intercountry Adoption by U.S. Families Signed into Law On December 28, President Vladimir Putin signed into law Russian Federal Law No. 186614-6, which prohibits the adoption of Russian children by U.S. citizens. This law will go into effect on January 1, 2013. In keeping with the spirit of the current U.S.-Russia …
DOS Notice: U.S. Department of State Continues to Recommend Against Adopting from Nepal
Nepal December 31, 2012 Notice: U.S. Department of State Continues to Recommend Against Adopting from Nepal The Nepali Ministry of Women and Child Social Welfare (MWCSW) informed the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu that as of December 2012, there are seven U.S. adoption service providers authorized to facilitate adoptions in Nepal at this time, and another ten U.S. adoption service providers …
DOS Adoption Notice: Update on Intercountry Adoptions in Guatemala
Guatemala December 11, 2012 Notice: Update on Intercountry Adoptions in Guatemala The following is an update on issues and developments in Guatemalan adoptions. We also take this opportunity to remind adopting parents and others that the U.S. government is not a party to these pending adoption cases and cannot represent the interests of parties in private legal matters. Thus, …