Revision as of 01:24, 12 March 2014

Cambodia Adoption Alert

Notice: Update on Status of Intercountry Adoptions from Cambodia (February 18, 2014)

The Department of State’s Special Advisor for Children’s Issues, Ambassador Susan Jacobs, met with Cambodian adoption officials in Cambodia on January 9 and 10. The Ambassador met with key officials in several Cambodian ministries and authorities that will implement intercountry adoptions once Cambodia resumes processing intercountry adoptions with other countries, including Cambodia’s Central Authority, the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans, and Youth Rehabilitation; the Ministry of Justice, which works with Cambodia’s courts and provides legal advice to the Central Authority; and the Municipal Court of Phnom Penh. Ambassador Jacobs also met with UNICEF and a child protection non-governmental organization to seek their perspectives on Cambodia’s child welfare and protection systems.

During Ambassador Jacobs’ visit, she noted the Royal Government of Cambodia’s significant progress in drafting several procedures that will serve as the legal foundation of Cambodia’s system under the Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Convention). Cambodia acceded to the Convention in 2007, passed an intercountry adoption law to implement the Convention in 2009, and has since been working to draft and finalize important implementing procedures. These procedures will govern the authorization of foreign accredited adoption service providers, the implementation of relative adoptions, and the definition of special needs, among other areas.

Ambassador Jacobs also obtained clarification on the Cambodian Central Authority’s stated intention to resume intercountry adoptions in 2014. We understand that the Royal Government of Cambodia is preparing for Convention implementation carefully by planning a progressive approach to the resumption of intercountry adoptions. We anticipate that this progressive approach will look first to Cambodia’s state-run institutions and target children with special needs. Cambodian officials did not provide a specific timeline of next steps, though several emphasized the importance of finalizing relevant procedures before intercountry adoptions can begin.

During her visit, Ambassador Jacobs observed key areas of Cambodia’s child welfare and protection system that, if strengthened, would help to ensure that an adoption is ethical, transparent, and in the best interests of each adopted child. This includes regulation of Cambodia’s many unlicensed orphanages, instituting a case management system to identify prospective adoptive children, and duly considering domestic placement options in accordance with the Convention. The Department of State supports the ongoing efforts of the U.S. Agency of International Development and UNICEF to strengthen these and other areas of Cambodia’s child welfare and protection systems.

The Royal Government of Cambodia is not processing intercountry adoptions with other countries at this time. Additionally, the Department of State’s determination not to issue Hague Certificates in adoptions from Cambodia is still in effect. Please see the Department’s January 2, 2013 Notice for further information related to that determination. The Department of State will continue to publish updates on Cambodian intercountry adoptions on adoption.state.gov. Please direct any questions related to this Notice or Cambodian adoptions to AdoptionUSCA@state.gov, 1-888-407-4747 within the United States, or 202-501-4444 from outside the United States.

Notice: Update on Status of Intercountry Adoptions between the United States and Cambodia (January 2, 2013)

The United States has determined that it will not be able to process intercountry adoptions in Cambodia at this time, under the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-Operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (the Convention).

Despite Cambodia’s initiatives to strengthen its child welfare system and improve the integrity of its domestic and intercountry adoption processes, it does not yet have a fully functional Convention process in place. We caution adoption service providers and prospective adoptive parents that important steps, consistent with the requirements of the Convention, must take place before intercountry adoptions between the United States and Cambodia may resume. Adoption service providers should neither initiate nor claim to initiate adoption services in Cambodia for prospective adoptive parents in the United States until they receive notification from the Department of State.

The Department of State will provide updated information on adoption.state.gov as it becomes available. If you have any questions about this notice, please contact the Office of Children’s Issues at 1-888-407-4747 within the United States, or 202-501-4444 from outside the United States. Email inquiries may be directed to AdoptionUSCA@state.gov.

Hague Convention Information

Cambodia is party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention). Therefore all adoptions between Cambodia and the United States must meet the requirements of the Convention and U.S. law implementing the Convention.

Intercountry adoption is not possible from Cambodia at this time.

On December 21, 2001 the processing of adoption petitions for Cambodia was suspended. This decision was based on numerous concerns related to fraud in Cambodia, as well as the lack of sufficient local legal frameworks and other safeguards to protect the children's best interests. Due to continued concerns, U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) remains unable to approve any form I-600, Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative, filed on behalf of a child to be adopted from Cambodia. The USCIS suspension remains in effect for all I-600 forms that have been filed.

Based on the existing issues of fraud and irregularity in Cambodia, the Department of State (DOS) has reconfirmed the suspension of adoptions under the Hague process in Cambodia. It has been determined that at this time Cambodia is not meeting its obligations under The Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption. For these reasons the DOS remains unable to issue the required Hague Certificate or Hague Custody Declaration for any form I-800, Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention country. The Department of State will continue to monitor the situation in Cambodia and will provide updates as soon as they are available.

Who Can Adopt

Intercountry adoptions are not possible from Cambodia at this time.

Residency

N/A

Age of Adopting Parents

N/A

Marriage

N/A

Income

N/A

Other

N/A

Who Can Be Adopted

Intercountry adoptions are not possible from Cambodia at this time.

How to Adopt

Adoption Authority

The Process

Traveling Abroad

After Adoption

N/A

Contact Information

The Embassy of the United States of America, Phnom Penh

Consular Section 1, Street 96 Phnom Penh, Cambodia Tel: (855-23) 728-000 Fax: (855-23) 728-600 Email: adoptionscambodia@state.gov Internet: U.S. Embassy Cambodia

Cambodia's Adoption Authority

No. 788, Preah Monivong Blvd., Sangkat Boeung Trabek, Phnom Penh, Cambodia Tel: 855-23-725-191or 725-891

Embassy of Cambodia

The Royal Embassy of Cambodia 4530 16th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20011, Tel. 202-726-7742

Office of Children's Issues

U.S. Department of State CA/OCS/CI SA-17, 9th Floor Washington, DC 20522-1709 Tel: 1-888-407-4747 E-mail: AskCI@state.gov Internet: U.S. Department of State

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

For questions about immigration procedures, call the National Customer Service Center (NCSC) 1-800-375-5283 (TTY 1-800-767-1833).

SOURCE

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