Revision as of 00:24, 2 May 2014

The official flag of Vietnam.
Source: cia.gov.

Map of Vietnam.
Source: cia.gov.

Map of Vietnam.
Source: cia.gov.

Rice paddy fields in Vietnam.
Source: Wikipedia.org.

Notice: As of July 14, 2014, all individuals and agencies facilitating international adoptions must be in compliance with the Intercountry Universal Accreditation Act.

Vietnam Adoption Alert

Children Adopted From Vietnam Before July 1, 2009 Must Register with the Government of Vietnam to Retain Vietnamese Citizenship (October 2013).

The 2008 citizenship law of Vietnam requires that children adopted from Vietnam before July 1, 2009 must register with overseas Vietnamese diplomatic missions prior to July 1, 2014 to retain their Vietnamese citizenship (Art. 13.2 citizenship law of Vietnam). The law does not require children adopted from Vietnam after July 1, 2009 to register because they automatically retain their Vietnamese citizenship (Art. 37.1 citizenship law of Vietnam).

After July 1, 2014, those who do not register for retention will lose their Vietnamese citizenship. In order to reclaim their Vietnamese nationality, they would have to apply for restoration of Vietnamese citizenship, proving that they meet the conditions of Article 23 of the citizenship law of Vietnam and following a rigorous process that requires the approval of the President of Vietnam.

For instructions on how to apply to retain Vietnamese citizenship, please visit the website of the Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Vietnam's Department of Adoptions Issues Further Guidance for U.S. Convention-Accredited Adoption Service Providers (September 2013)

The Department of Adoptions in the Ministry of Justice of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (MOJ/DA) has issued the following guidance. This guidance is related to the MOJ/DA’s July announcement, published on this website, to accept applications for authorization from U.S. Convention-accredited adoption service providers (ASPs).

In the spirit of cooperation under the Hague Adoption Convention, the Vietnamese government has agreed to license two U.S. ASPs to operate a proposed, limited intercountry adoption program of children with special needs, older children, and children in sibling groups. In 2014, Vietnam will license two U.S. ASPs to operate in Vietnam as follows:

Acceptance of applications for licensing – from July 22, 2013 through September 21, 2013: ASPs may submit applications for licensing to operate in Vietnam at the Ministry of Justice’s reception desk every Tuesday and Thursday. Application pre-screening and review – from September 22, 2013 through December 21, 2013: Based on the number of applications received, the Ministry of Justice will review, assess, and make a shortlist of ASPs. Subsequently, MOJ/DA will schedule interviews with the Vietnam program manager of the shortlisted ASPs. If an ASP is not contacted by the Ministry of Justice during this period, this means that the ASP was not shortlisted. Assessing the capacity of shortlisted ASPs – from the end of 2013 to the beginning of 2014: The Ministry of Justice will organize an interagency delegation to examine the operations of shortlisted ASPs at their headquarters in the United States.

Based on the results of application review, interview, examination of ASP operations in the United States, and in consultation with other relevant Vietnamese agencies, the Minister of Justice will decide which two most qualified ASPs among the shortlisted candidates will be licensed.

During the application acceptance and review period, the MOJ/DA will not accept any requests for meetings from any U.S. ASP. If necessary, the MOJ/DA will contact the ASPs which have been shortlisted to submit additional documentation.

CAUTION: 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.

Hague Convention Information

Vietnam is party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention). Intercountry adoption processing in Hague countries must be done in accordance with the requirements of the Convention; the U.S. implementing legislation, the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (IAA); and the IAA’s implementing regulations, as well as the implementing legislation and regulations of Vietnam.

Intercountry adoptions between the United States and Vietnam are suspended at this time. Adoption service providers (ASPs) and prospective adoptive parents should not seek or accept adoption referrals from Vietnam until the Department of State, as the U.S. Central Authority under the Hague Adoption Convention, has determined that Convention adoptions may proceed.

On July 22, 2013, Vietnam’s Central Adoption Authority, the Ministry of Justice, Department of Adoption (MOJ/DA), announced that it would accept and consider applications from U.S. Hague-accredited adoption service providers for authorization to operate a limited intercountry adoption program only for children with special needs, as defined by Vietnamese law. Should such a program enter into effect, children from Vietnam who may become eligible for intercountry adoption by U.S. citizen parents would include, as per Vietnamese law, children with certain medical needs, children older than five, and children in biological sibling groups of two or more. The MOJ/DA also announced that only two U.S. ASPs may eventually be authorized, but did not provide a specific timeline for their selection. The Department of State is providing the information below for general reference in preparation for Vietnam’s possible authorization of U.S. ASPs.

Please review the July 22 Adoption Notice announcing Vietnam’s acceptance of U.S. ASP applications and continue to monitor adoption.state.gov for further information, as it becomes available.

Who Can Adopt

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Residency

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Age of Adopting Parents

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Marriage

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Income

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Other

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Who Can Be Adopted

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How to Adopt

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Adoption Authority

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The Process

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Traveling Abroad

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After Adoption

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SOURCE

Intercountry Adoption, Bureau of Consular Affairs. U.S. Department of State Country Information[1]