August 19, 2008

The Department of State has released an update on Tu Du Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City relating to to the documentation of children born there. The full release follows:

As part of our ongoing efforts, we have joined forces with Ethica and the National Council for Adoption  to provide a new tool in our collective advocacy initiative.  A survey for families trying to adopt from Vietnam is now available through the Joint Council website.  This survey is a vitally important means of gathering the information our three organizations need to properly advocate for adoptive families.  

This survey will allow us to gauge the situation in each country, assess the number of families in each stage of the process and provide accurate data to those seeking to advocate on behalf of families and children.  The survey results will be an important tool in positively resolving many outstanding issues. This survey will assist the families as well, by providing them with a new accurate perspective and relevant information regarding the status of their adoption as compared to other adoptive families.

Joint Council, Ethica and NCFA offer our thanks for your role in making this initiative successful as we continue to advocate for every child’s right to a safe, permanent and loving family.

August 11, 2008

Joint Council has received the response issued by the Department of State to the Members of the United States Congress who signed the letter to Secretary Rice in support of a new MOA. A copy of the release can be found here.

July 30, 2008

The Congressional Coalition on Adoption has invited the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to conduct a briefing of Congressional staff on issues related to intercountry adoption in Vietnam, Guatemala along with issues related to intercountry adoption in general.  The briefing is scheduled for this Friday, August 1, 2008 in the U.S. Capitol Building, LBJ Room at 10:00 a.m.

Given the pending suspension of intercountry adoption and related services in Vietnam and the continuing issues of concern in Guatemala, Joint Council urges participation by all Congressional staffers.  It is critically important that staffers participate in the U.S. Government’s role in international children’s services, specifically intercountry adoption.  Given the impact of current issues on children and families, Joint Council urges 100% participation by Congressional staffers in this very important briefing.

In order to gain the largest possible participation, please contact your Congressional Representatives and Senators' offices and urge staffers to participate in the briefing. 

• Contact information for U.S. Senator’s offices can be found at www.senate.gov.

• Contact information for U.S. Representatives offices can be found at www.house.gov.

If you choose to contact your representatives, please do so today by email or phone call, and request that they send staff to Friday’s briefing.

This briefing follows the briefing conducted for Congressional Staff last Friday, July 25^th by child advocates and experts including Joint Council.  These briefings and continuing participation by congressional offices in the ongoing issues related to international children’s services is critically important to the continuation of intercountry adoption as a viable solution for children in need. 

On Friday, July 26, 2008, Joint Council participated in a briefing of over 60 Congressional offices on issues related to international children’s services with particular attention to intercountry adoption in Vietnam and Guatemala.  

The panel presented varying perspectives on the issues facing intercountry adoption in Vietnam and Guatemala.  Regarding Vietnam the issue of a new Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), the impact of a potential moratorium, concerns over corruptive practices and the current referral process including those children and families who may not be referred were addressed in detail.  

The panel also provided information to the Congressional offices on ways in which Congress can support international children’s services, maintain the viability of intercountry adoption as an important element in providing children with permanent families and advocating for their constituents seeking to adopt a child in need of a family.

Among a variety of suggestions, the panel asked the Congressional offices to advocate via individual letters, with the government of Vietnam to finalize a new MOA by September 1, 2008. 

In addition to our continued advocacy with the Vietnamese and United States governments for a new MOA, Joint Council continues to express our concern regarding Vietnam’s capacity to refer approximately 800 children in July and August 2008.  Given our advocacy for an MOA which continues to provide services to families and children, increases child protections and elevates the standards of practice by all parties, Joint Council calls on the DIA, adoption service providers and potential adoptive parents to ensure that all children referred prior to September 1, 2008 will be completed with no undue pressure and in an ethical manner consistent with the best interest of each and every child.

July 28, 2008

As reported in the VietNamNet Bridge, on July 25, the Vietnam National Assembly discussed Vietnam’s participation in the Hague Convention.   The article reports that the Ministry of Justice suggested that the country establish a specific office to implement the convention, which would be responsible to the State for protecting children given up for adoption in foreign countries.  The full article is posted below and can be found at VietNamNet Bridge.

Joint Council sees this open discussion by high level officials as evidence of Vietnam’s serious efforts to join the international community in adding needed protections for the families and children of Vietnam and as a positive indicator regarding a new and protective Memorandum of Agreement with the U.S.  

July 21, 2008

The U.S. Department of State (U.S. DOS) has posted an announcement regarding the suspension of dossier acceptance by the government of Vietnam on July 1, 2008, and the planned suspension of referrals on September 1, 2008.  This announcement, found below, details the process by which prospective adoptive parents and children will be qualified as having a referral by September 1, 2008.  

Based on this announcement and ongoing dialogue with the U.S. Department of State and Vietnamese Department of Intercountry Adoption (DIA), it is our understanding that;

On July 1, 2008, the DIA stopped accepting new dossiers from American prospective adoptive parents;

It is also our understanding that as of July 1, 2008, approximately 1,728 dossiers were filed by American prospective adoptive parents with the DIA.  The DIA estimates that approximately 780 of the 1,728 dossiers will receive formal referrals by September 1, 2008.  The approximately 950 dossiers that are not processed and matched by September 1, 2008, will be returned to the appropriate adoption service provider.

The 780 prospective adoptive parents who may receive a referral prior to September 1, 2008, represent virtually the same number of referrals issued and processed in Vietnam across all of calendar year 2007.  Joint Council extends it appreciation to the Vietnamese DIA for its commitment to finding families for the orphans of Vietnam and its intention to issue close to 800 referrals in a 2-month period.  This effort on the part of the DIA will certainly benefit these children who are in need of permanent, safe and loving families.

For those prospective adoptive parents who have submitted a dossier prior to July 1, 2008, Joint Council is unaware of a means by which it can be determined if a specific dossier will be issued a formal referral.  This determination rests with the DIA and provincial authorities.  We certainly empathize with all prospective adoptive parents during this most stressful period and will provide any information should it become available.

In recognizing that the DIA will attempt to issue close to 800 referrals in only 2 months, there will certainly be some confusion and unexpected hurdles.  We also recognize that given the current capacity of the U.S. Consular office and U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (U.S. CIS) office in Vietnam and the many issues of concerns continually expressed by key stakeholders, the processing of referrals issued in August and September could create a considerable backlog that may take many months to process.  

Some have suggested that the DIA should be urged to continue issuing referrals past the September 1, 2008, deadline.  Given that referrals issued past September 1 may not be in accordance with Vietnamese law, Joint Council believes that the appropriate advocacy is for both governments to put a new MOA into place by September 1, 2008.  As detailed in the Joint Council Child’s Right Campaign, a new MOA will strengthen child protections, continue the provision of needed services, increase humanitarian aid and allow children to find a family through intercountry adoption.  Advocating for and achieving a new MOA will serve not only the 900 children who may not be referred by September 1^st, but also thousands of Vietnamese families and children for years to come.

Based on the series of announcements by the U.S. DOS beginning in November 2007, many prospective adoptive parents chose to delay their application for adopting from Vietnam.  Similarly, many adoption service providers ceased accepting applications and/or submitting dossiers in the months preceding the July 1^st cutoff.  Given that many families and adoption service providers voluntarily delayed their adoption, the unknown number of families willing to provide a permanent, safe and loving home for Vietnamese orphans far exceeds the 1,728 families who did submit a dossier.  

With the knowledge that a minimum of 900 orphans may be denied their right to a family* and that many more parents are willing to give an orphan a loving family, Joint Council continues to advocate with the governments of Vietnam and the United States for a prompt resolution to all issues and the implementation of a new MOA by September 1, 2008.  We continue to dialogue with all stakeholders and remain confident that with the continued advocacy by American families, the growing interest of the U.S. Congress and the commitment of the U.S. DOS and Vietnamese DIA, a new MOA can be a reality for the families and children of Vietnam.

* Clarification: Joint Council seeks to clarify this statement in that we do not intend to indicate that over 1,700 orphans currently reside in Vietnamese institutions.  Neither Joint Council nor any stakeholder knows the cumulative total of orphans in Vietnam.  When we indicated that 900 children would be denied their right to a family, the intent was not to focus on the number, but rather was a statement that without a new MOA, children who could find a family through intercountry adoption will be denied that right.

July 18, 2008

The U.S. Department of State has released the following statement on their website:

Prospective adoptive parents and adoption service providers should be aware that the Vietnamese Department of International Adoptions (DIA) suspended the acceptance of new adoption dossiers on July 1, 2008.  The DIA will continue to process cases received prior to July 1, 2008.  The bilateral adoption agreement, required by Vietnamese law to authorize adoptions between the United States and Vietnam, expires on September 1, 2008.  Prospective adoptive parents who have been matched with a child (received a formal referral) by September 1 will be allowed to process their adoption to conclusion.  Dossiers that have not received a referral by September 1 will be closed and returned to the adoption service provider.    

According to the DIA, a referral occurs when DIA sends a letter to prospective adoptive parents informing them that both DIA and provincial authorities have agreed to the match of a specific child.  Any case where this letter has been sent to the prospective adoptive parents (PAPs) before September 1 will be considered as having a referral and will be processed to completion.  DIA has reported that there are more than 1,700 applications pending as of July 1, 2008.  According to DIA estimates and prior adoption trends, it is likely that referrals will be completed before September 1 for approximately 50 percent of these applications.  The U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam, will process to conclusion all adoptions that meet the Government of Vietnam’s criteria and deadlines.    
The United States is strongly committed to processing legitimate intercountry adoptions from Vietnam.  We have indicated to the Vietnamese our interest in negotiating a new agreement.  An important goal for the United States is that any new agreement must establish enforceable safeguards and a transparent process which ensures that the children and families involved in the adoption process are protected from exploitation.  The Government of Vietnam shares this concern.  Both countries acknowledge that more needs to be done to address deficiencies in the current system.  It is not possible, at this time, to predict when a new bilateral adoption agreement may be negotiated and signed.

U.S. field investigations continue to reveal incidents of serious adoption irregularities, including forged or altered documentation, cash payment to birth mothers (for other than reasonable payments for necessary activities such as administrative, court, legal, translation, and/or medical services related to the adoption), coercion or deceit to induce the birth parent(s) to release children to an orphanage, and children being offered for intercountry adoption without the knowledge or consent of their birth parents.  During the month of June 2008, five children were reunited with their families after investigations by the U.S. Embassy in Vietnam revealed that the birth parents had not consented to their adoption.  In July, Vietnamese media reported that police in the northern province of Nam Dinh arrested three people, including two communal health officials, for alleged child buying and creating fraudulent documentation purporting that these children had been deserted.  These children had also been illegally offered for intercountry adoption; the investigation is ongoing.  Vietnamese officials have informed the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi that similar investigations are occurring in other provinces.

Prospective adoptive parents who have a pending dossier with the Government of Vietnam should be aware that documents relating to adoptions in Vietnam, such as birth certificates, abandonment reports, relinquishment agreements, and investigative reports are generally issued by orphanage directors, local People’s Committees, Provincial Departments, and the Department for International Adoptions (DIA).  The facts asserted in these documents are not verified by the issuing officials.  Attempts by U.S. officials to verify the accuracy of these documents frequently uncover evidence of fraudulent or inaccurate information.  Therefore, documents issued by the authorities listed above, and any other documents containing information not verified by the issuing authority, cannot be considered adequate evidence of the facts claimed.  They may be used in conjunction with primary and contemporaneous secondary evidence, or must be independently verified by U.S. officials in Vietnam, before they can be considered valid for immigration purposes. (http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/reciprocity/reciprocity_3705.html)

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service and the Department of State have instituted procedures to verify that children identified for placement meet the requirements of Vietnamese and U.S. law, before the child has been adopted under Vietnamese law.  Information about these procedures is available from USCIS or through their website http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis. The Embassy strongly advises prospective adoptive parents not to travel to Vietnam until they have received notification from the Embassy that their case is ready for final processing and travel is appropriate. Parents should contact the Embassy immediately if anyone, including their adoption service provider, encourages them to travel to Vietnam prior to receiving this notification. The Embassy can work together with adoption service providers, Vietnam’s Department of International Adoptions, and local authorities to resolve issues such as the scheduling of a Giving and Receiving Ceremony.

July 9, 2008

Joint Council is pleased to announce that the letter to Secretary Rice in support of the recommendations in A Child’s Right Campaign for Vietnam received a total of 149 signatories. It was signed by 92 members of the House, as well as 57 members of the Senate.

June 26, 2008

On June 24^th, 2008, President Bush and the Vietnamese Prime Minister met at the White House for the fourth bilateral exchange in four years. Both leaders stated their commitment to a strong relationship moving forward and constructive cooperation on a range of issues, including adoption. The release reads, in part:

“The President expressed his commitment to continue the development of intercountry adoption cooperation between the United States and Vietnam that ensures the best interests of the child, respects his or her fundamental rights, and prevents the abduction and trafficking of children. The Prime Minister underscored that Vietnam shares the goals and stressed that Vietnam will speed up preparations for an early accession to the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoptions. The Prime Minister also welcomes U.S. technical assistance in facilitating this step.”

Joint Council applauds this shared commitment by the leaders of both the United States and Vietnam to continue inter-country adoptions. We hope that this positive step forward will create a renewed dialogue between both countries and will increase existing efforts towards the negotiation of a new MOU.

June 23, 2008

Joint Council is pleased to announce that the letter from the Congressional Coalition on Adoption to Secretary Rice regarding intercountry adoption and child protection in Vietnam has received over 130 Congressional signatures.

Given the visit to the United States by the Prime Minister of Vietnam over the next few days, it would greatly benefit our collective effort if additional calls to Members of Congress were made immediately.

While many families and adoption service providers are not directly involved with Vietnam, we urge all families and service providers to participate in A Child’s Right Campaign by calling your Congressional Senators and Representatives today!

Please take a moment now and contact your Congressional Senators and Representatives and ask if they have signed the Congressional Coalition on Adoption (CCA) letter to Secretary Rice.  If they have, please thank them for their support.  If not, please ask that the Senator or Representative add their support and signature to this important letter.

June 18, 2008

Joint Council's Child's Right Campaign has been well received, and the letter to Secretary Rice, advocating for a new MOU for Vietnam, is now circulating to all of the congressional offices.

Joint Council is asking families to call their elected officials on Thursday, June 19^th and Friday, June 20^th, in support of the campaign. Joint Council has previously asked for your support, but the next two days will be crucial in obtaining the support of Congress for this important bill. Details on the A Child's Right Campaign can be found below. Joint Council has received overwhelming support for this campaign, and we appreciate your phone calls and e-mails on such short notice.

June 13, 2008

In advancing our advocacy for every child’s right to a permanent, safe and loving family, Joint Council will lead a delegation to Vietnam on June 17, 2008.  The delegation is a collaborative effort and includes: Tom DiFilipo of Joint Council; Paul Singer of the Global Orphan Care Initiative and Joint Council Board of Directors; Linh Song of Ethica; Gary Gamer of Holt International; and John Meske of Faith International.  During this trip, the delegation will present the key elements of A Child's Right Campaign including our Recommendations, to officials of the Vietnamese government. 

With dual goals of maintaining the myriad of services provided to children and families—both directly and indirectly—through intercountry adoption and strengthening protection from unethical practices, corruption and abuse, the Joint Council delegation will advocate for a new Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Vietnamese and U.S. governments to go into effect September 1, 2008. 

A Child’s Right Campaign Update

Joint Council continues to communicate with the Congressional Coalition on Adoption (CCA) Co-Chairs regarding a collective letter to Secretary Condoleezza Rice that promotes the continuation of permanency services through strengthened protections and a new MOA.  It is our understanding that the CCA Co-Chairs are continuing to develop this letter, which will be distributed to all Members of Congress early next week.

Joint Council will issue a notification when the letter has been distributed, as well as an update on when the letter will be forwarded to Secretary Rice.

We offer our thanks to the families and friends of Joint Council, along with our Member Organizations, who continue to participate in A Child’s Right Campaign for Vietnam.  Your ongoing advocacy efforts on behalf of the orphaned and vulnerable children of Vietnam both inspire and motivate all of us at Joint Council.

June 11, 2008

The Department of State has released the following statement on their website:

The Government of Vietnam has been unable to comply with the 2005 Agreement as planned, and cases have frequently been tainted by corruption due to weaknesses in the Vietnamese adoption system.  The U.S. and Vietnamese governments have agreed the current agreement cannot be renewed when it expires in September 2008.  We will continue to encourage Vietnam to join the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoptions and to undertake measures that will advance Vietnam’s ability to meet Hague obligations. 

Among the problems with the current system is that the Government of Vietnam has not established and published a fee structure for adoptions.  Instead, individual orphanages and adoption service providers make private arrangements concerning the “voluntary donations” and other assistance the agencies will provide to orphanages where they arrange adoptions.  These arrangements are kept private and there is no official accounting for how funds are spent.   Because it is relatively easy to obtain fraudulent civil documents (birth and death certificates, for example) in Vietnam, U.S. officials must verify the information in the orphan’s file, in many cases, before a visa can be issued.  U.S. authorities have been prevented from conducting these verification trips in a few provinces, although these trips have been completed without incident in most of the country. Most troubling, U.S. officials have discovered repeated instances of fraud and corruption in connection with some adoption cases in Vietnam.  We believe systemic reform, and more effective safeguards, are needed to prevent the abuses. (See report at: http://www.travel.state.gov/family/adoption/country/country_369.html)

In response to the growing number of questionable cases, U.S. authorities instituted “Orphan First” processing in November 2007, under which the child’s status as an orphan is confirmed before the new parents formally adopt the child.The purpose of the Orphan First processing is to protect prospective adoptive parents and children, as well as the integrity of international adoptions in Vietnam.  It provides a framework to ensure that adoptions take place in the best interests of children, to prevent the abduction, sale, or trafficking of children in connection with intercountry adoption, and to ensure that the child who is being adopted is likely to be eligible for immigration to the United States.

Although it is only a first step to improve the process, overall, the new procedure appears to be working well.  In the first four months of Orphan First processing, 287 I-600 petitions have been pre-approved.  This is equal to the number of I-600 approvals for the same time period last year.  During the first six months of FY 2008 (October 2007 to March 2008), 449 adoption visas cases were approved, compared to 353 for the same period in FY 2007. 

Unfortunately, our field investigations continue to reveal some incidents of serious adoption irregularities, including forged or altered documentation, women paid or coerced to release their children, and children offered for adoption without the knowledge or consent of their birth parents. The U.S. Government believes that Vietnam’s accession to the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoptions and Vietnam’s commitment to meeting Hague obligations offers the clearest and best-tested path to transparent and ethical adoptions in Vietnam.

May 21, 2008

Joint Council is pleased to announce A Child's Right Campaign for Vietnam. Please join us on June 2^nd by contacting Members of Congress and urging them to join the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Co-Chairs and sign their letter to Secretary Condoleezza Rice in support of the recommendations found in "A Child’s Right Campaign for Vietnam.”

A Pending Crisis

The U.S. Department of State has expressed concerns related to corruptive practices associated with intercountry adoption between the U.S. and Vietnam. 
In response to their concerns, the Department of State will allow the functional closure of adoptions on September 1, 2008 and thereby end one of the most basic of human rights: the right to a safe, permanent and loving family.

Not only will those orphans eligible for adoption continue to suffer the detriments of orphanage life, so will thousands of other orphans and vulnerable children.  This is because the service providers engaged in finding U.S. families for Vietnamese orphans also provide a myriad of services to the most vulnerable of children. 

As a result, the end of intercountry adoption with Vietnam also brings the end of social services such as family preservation and counseling.  It also marks the end of humanitarian services such as educational sponsorships, clean water programs and many health related initiatives.

End Corruption, Not a Child’s Right to a Family

While Joint Council shares in many of the Department of State’s concerns, we believe the solution is not the termination of adoption and elimination of a child’s right to a family.  Joint Council, its Member Organizations, NGO’s including Ethica—a leading voice for ethical adoption, the Vietnamese government and Members of the United States Congress firmly believe that the solution is a rational child-centered approach designed to strengthen services, regulate providers and prosecute violators.     

A Child’s Right Campaign for Vietnam

In response to the looming crisis facing the children of Vietnam, Joint Council today--May 21, 2008—initiates A Child’s Right Campaign for Vietnam.  A Child's Right Campaign for Vietnam proposes a series of rational recommendations that address the issues of abuse, protect the integrity of Vietnamese families and ensure the right of every child to a permanent, safe and loving family.  The overriding goal of this campaign is very simple:  to end corruption, but not a child’s right to a family.

As part of this campaign Joint Council delivered a letter to the Congressional Coalition on Adoption (CCA) Co-Chairs: Senator Mary Landrieu; Senator Norm Coleman; Congressman James Oberstar and Congresswoman Ginny Brown-
Waite requesting their immediate assistance.  We have asked the CCA and all Members of Congress to support the recommendations found within A Child’s Right Campaign for Vietnam and to work with the Governments of the United States and Vietnam to ensure that an MOA is in place on September 1, 2008. 

The Department of State has expressed intent to negotiate and implement a new MOA with the Government of Vietnam.  Joint Council applauds the long-term goals of the Department of State, yet finds the short-term path unacceptable.  It is clear that the intent is also to allow the current MOA to expire while seeking a new agreement sometime in the future.  By all estimates, the Department of State’s current path would result in the functional elimination of services, including adoption, for two years or more!   

Finding such a scenario intolerable, we ask for your immediate support of this Campaign.  The following page details how you can help us avoid this pending crisis.  Only with your active participation will the children of Vietnam have a right to join a permanent, safe and loving family through ethical, professional and legal adoption. 

On behalf of the orphaned and vulnerable children of Vietnam, those of us who work to serve their needs and the Joint Council on International Children’s Services, we extend our sincere appreciation for your coming efforts.

How You Can Help

1. Send your email no later than May 30th. 

·      You can find your Representatives’ phone numbers and email address at www.house.gov

3. Send an email to everyone you called. 

April 1, 2008

The Council on Accreditation recently submitted a letter to Tom DiFilipo, President & CEO of Joint Council, regarding the rolling nature of Hague Accreditation specific to Vietnam. Please click here to view a copy of the letter.

March 7, 2008

Joint Council continues to advocate for all JCICS member and affiliate organizations with programs in Vietnam and those hoping to establish them.  It is, however, important to bear in mind that Joint Council is not alone in this conversation.  As we all know, there are multiple entities, governmental and non-governmental, involved in the on-going negotiations around re-establishing the MOA between the US and Vietnam.  As a contribution to these negotiations, Joint Council offered the recently created Standards of Practice for Vietnam – a document all involved parties recognized as "a key element of elevating child welfare services...."

Joint Council encourages Vietnam's movement toward functional implementation of the Hague Convention and, pending that eventuality, strongly supports continuation of programs and agency licensure based on best practice as outlined in the Joint Council Standards of Practice for Vietnam.  

Additionally, we have issued a post regarding the “rolling nature” of the COA/DOS list of Hague accredited agencies initially released on February 29, 2008. Our newest post can be accessed at http://www.jcics.org/Hague.htm.  The Hague list of accredited agencies issued on February 29^th was only an initial release. As we noted on March 3^rd, many other Joint Council agencies will finalize their Hague Accreditation and be added to the list, both before and after April 1, 2008. 

Again, Joint Council continues to advocate on behalf of all our member and affiliate organizations. Adoption service providers and prospective adoptive families are encouraged to contact Joint Council staff and the Joint Council Board of Directors with any questions regarding the “rolling nature” of the Hague accreditation process as well as for up-to-date information regarding Joint Council members currently pursuing accreditation.

March 7, 2008

This week Joint Council had the honor of presenting the Joint Council Vietnam Standards of Practice to the Vietnam Ministry of Justice (MOJ), Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) and to the United States Embassy in Hanoi.  We are proud to report that all parties expressed their appreciation for and support of the collective efforts of Joint Council, its Member Organizations and non-member organizations in addressing the ongoing concerns related to intercountry adoption.  All parties uniformly stated that the Standards are a key element of elevating child welfare services to a level consistent with the tenants of the Hague Convention and the hopeful continuation of permanency and humanitarian services to the children and families of Vietnam.   

During numerous meetings with MOLISA and MOJ, their desire to implement the Hague Convention was reconfirmed.  Joint Council understands that the MOJ, as part of aligning practices with Hague standards, will permit the continuation of adoption licenses for agencies receiving Hague accreditation by the U.S. Central Authority.  While the timing and other specifics remain uncertain, Joint Council and the U.S. Department of State have requested clarification.  In addition, Joint Council has strongly advocated for the following.   

1. All adoptions in which a referral has been issued are permitted to continue through to the finalization of the adoption.

2. Recognizing that a list of Hague accredited agencies has been announced by the U.S. Department of State via the Uniform Notification Date (February 29, 2008), agencies accredited as of April 1, 2008 (the date the Convention goes into full effect in the United States) be used to determine the continuation of licensure by the Vietnam MOJ. 

Joint Council supports the MOJ and its continuation of licensure for Hague accredited agencies.  Our support of this initiative is based on both principles and practicality.  Given Joint Council’s long standing support of a functional implementation of the Convention in the U.S. and other countries, we encourage Vietnam’s movement toward that end.  Given the expiration of the current MOA between the U.S. and Vietnam in less than six months (on September 1, 2008), this decision by the MOJ is a strong indicator of Vietnam’s serious intent to continue permanency and humanitarian services via a new or amended MOA.

While some may see the continuation of licensure for only Hague accredited agencies as overly restrictive, Joint Council fully recognizes this utilization of Convention principles as a means of ensuring both best practices and a key element for the continuation of finding permanent, safe and loving families for the children of Vietnam.

Please know that Joint Council will continue to engage all stakeholders and inform you of events as they unfold.

March 3, 2008

Joint Council is pleased to provide a final list of the adoption service providers who have demonstrated their commitment to practices in the best of interest of children as signatories of Joint Council's Standards of Practice for Vietnam.

• Adopt International

• Adoption Center of Washington

• Adoption from the Heart

• Adoptions International, Inc.

• Adoptions Together, Inc.

• Alliance for Children

• Americans for International Aid and Adoptions

• Asian Children's Services & Vietnam Humanitarian Corp

• Carolina Adoption Services

• Children's Home Society & Family Services (CHSFS)

• Children's Hope International

• Children's House International

• Commonwealth Adoption International

• Crossroads Adoption Services

• Dillon International

• Faith International Adoption

• Families Thru International Adoption

• Gift of Love International Adoptions, Inc.

• Harrah's Adoption International Mission

• Hawaii International Child & Family Services, Inc.

• Holt International

• International Assistance and Adoption Project

• International Children's Alliance

• Los Ninos International Adoption Center

• Lutheran Community Services of South New England, Inc.

• Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota

• Mandala Adoption Services

• New Beginnings

• Orphans Overseas

• Pearl S. Buck International

• Plan Loving Adoptions Now

• Ventures for Children International

• Vietnamese Orphans Relief Fund

• Wasatch International

• World Association for Children & Parents (WACAP)

• World Child International

• Worldwide Adoption Services (WAS)

February 14, 2008

Joint Council is pleased to formally announce the release of our Standards of Practice for Vietnam. In addition to the formal Standards, Tom DiFilipo, President & CEO of Joint Council has issued an official summary of the document. In order to access Tom DiFilipo's summary, please click here. A copy of Joint Council's Standards of Practice for Vietnam can be downloaded here.

As indicated in Mr. DiFilipo's summary, licensed adoption service providers must confirm their status as a Joint Council Vietnam Standards of Practice signatory no later than close-of-business on Monday, February 25, 2008.

January 29, 2008

The U.S. Department of State has issued a warning regarding adoptions in Vietnam as well as a press release which further addresses their concerns. To read the Department of State's warning, please click here. To read the press release, please click here.

January 3, 2008

The timeline regarding the finalization of Joint Council’s Vietnam Standards of Practice has been extended. This decision was made in order to ensure that the most up-to-date information is incorporated in the document which will be presented to Vietnamese provinces and the DIA by Joint Council President & CEO Tom DiFilipo.

New information obtained from USCIS and USDOS officials at Joint Council’s Board of Directors meeting next week as well as the feedback received from Joint Council members and external Summit attendees will be incorporated into the document which will be available for your review around January 27^th.

 Our extended Vietnam Standards of Practice timeline is as follows:

• Early February 2008 (updated) – Joint Council’s final Vietnam Standards of Practice will be issued and will reflect feedback received throughout December and January

• Late February 2008 (updated) – Adoption Service Providers return signed Vietnam Standards of Practice to Adam Schlicht, Child Advocacy Program Manager at adams@jcics.org

• Early March 2008: Joint Council will present our Standards of Practice to DIA and Vietnamese provinces through Joint Council’s International Relations Initiative

• July 30, 2008 (updated): Vietnam Standards of Practice compliance for all signatory ASPs

December 4, 2007

November 26, 2007

Joint Council is pleased to announce that we have secured a larger meeting space for the November 28 Summit in Washington, DC.  The meeting will now be held in the Longworth building, which is next door to the Rayburn building.

This larger space will enable us to accept an additional 20 participants from Member or Non-Member organizations who RSVP and provide corresponding payment prior to close of business Monday.  Please note that we are unable to provide lunch for these 20 participants. We are also unable to accept RSVPs from individuals not affiliated with an organization. 

To RSVP, please send an email to adams@jcics.org with "Vietnam Summit RSVP - New Location" in the subject line.  You will also need to make a $15 payment to cover beverages provided in the morning. Please make this payment online by visiting http://www.jcics.org/Donate.htm. You will need to select "International Relations Initiative" from the program area dropdown menu and enter "Vietnam Summit" in the comments field.  

As indicated last week, all confirmed participants who also sent their corresponding payment prior to our Friday deadline will receive a follow-up email by close of business Monday.  This email will include a specific room number for the Longworth Building.  We highly recommend that anyone who has any question regarding their status for Wednesday's Summit contact us at (703) 535-8045 prior to traveling to DC.

November 20, 2007

November 16, 2007

Joint Council will host a Vietnam Summit Meeting of adoption service providers, along with representatives from the U.S. Department of State, Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Congress on Wednesday, November 28^th.  Although Joint Council has opened the meeting to both Member and non-Member organizations, all participants will need to RSVP by Friday, November 23 due to space restrictions. Please read below for more information.

Joint Council Vietnam Summit
Wednesday, November 28^th from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC

To RSVP, please email your name and cell phone number to Adam Schlicht at info@jcics.org. In addition, participants will need to pay $30 to cover the costs of a working lunch offered during the Summit.  Please make this payment online by visiting http://www.jcics.org/Donate.htm; you will need to select “International Relations Initiative” from the program area dropdown menu and enter “Vietnam Summit” into the comments field. Once Joint Council has received your RSVP and payment, we will respond to your email with the room number of the meeting and any additional information. 

Joint Council has also reserved a small room block at the Holiday Inn on the Hill—the site of the 2008 Medical Institute and Conference—for out-of-town participants traveling on November 27^th.  Please call 1-800-638-1116 and refer to the JCICS room block to ensure your rate of $219/evening.  Rooms are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

November 12, 2007

In line with our mission of protecting each child’s right to a permanent, safe and loving family, Joint Council will host a Vietnam Summit Meeting of adoption service providers, along with representatives of the U.S. Department of State and Homeland Security, on Wednesday, November 28^th.   In order to encourage a successful Summit through collaboration, Joint Council has opened the meeting to both Member and non-Member organizations.  The Summit will serve as a forum to help adoption service providers appropriately meet the current practice and regulatory challenges facing intercountry adoption in Vietnam.  The Summit will also serve to develop a unified standard of practice, which will provide the basis for ethical intercountry adoption from Vietnam and serve the best interest of each child.

November 12, 2007

Joint Council can confirm that the Vietnam Department of Intercountry Adoption has temporarily suspended referrals from the Phu Tho province for U.S. potential adoptive parents effective November 5, 2007.

It is our understanding that the suspension will not interfere with the adoptions of those children referred prior to November 5, 2007.

October 25, 2007

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has issued an update announcing that the USCIS office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam will have sole jurisdiction over all Form
I-600s filed on behalf of a Vietnamese child on or after October 29, 2007.  The announcement also states that as of November 16, 2007, USCIS will not expedite the processing of the Form I-600 solely because the petitioner is in Vietnam.  You may access the complete update by clicking here.

October 24, 2007

Joint Council President & CEO Tom DiFilipo has issued a new update concerning the revised I-600 procedure in Vietnam, which includes provisions for families in Vietnam or those with imminent travel. To review a copy of this latest update, please click here.

October 23, 2007

Joint Council has been in communication again today with both U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) and the U.S. Department of State (USDOS) regarding the effective date of the new I-600 filing procedures.  We have strongly advocated for a common sense approach to implementation.  As part of our advocacy, Joint Council has delivered a letter to Lori Scialabba, Associate Director of Refugee, Asylum and International Operations Directorate at USCIS, outlining our concerns and requesting due consideration.

It is our understanding that USCIS is now considering and developing an extension of the effective date and a process which will allow families in-country or with imminent travel plans to be processed under current procedures.

Joint Council continues our recommendation to reassess the travel plans for all clients and refrain from issuing new travel dates until this issue has been fully resolved. We will continue to advocate until a positive resolution is achieved.

October 22, 2007

In September 2007, U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) announced plans for their new initiative related to I-600 filings and determinations. It is our understanding that USCIS will rollout this initiative within the coming weeks.  Joint Council has been involved in the development of this initiative and has advocated for a three week (21 day) window from formal publication of the initiative to effective date.  Despite our advocacy for a policy which would minimize the negative impact on potential adoptive parents (PAPs) and children, it is our understanding that the window will be one week (7 days). 

Given the anticipated short time from publication to effective date and the pending implementation of the initiative, it is our recommendation that all adoption service providers reassess their program specific to PAPs travel and filing of I-600s. Failure to fully assess the impact of this new USCIS initiative may result in PAPs being in Vietnam for an extended period of time while a determination of the I-600 is processed.

September 5, 2007

During his visit to Washington, D.C. in July, Department of Intercountry Adoptions Director Long informed the U.S. government that the Vietnamese government would issue an official schedule of adoption-related fees in September 2007. The fee schedule is required by the terms of the bilateral agreement on adoptions between Vietnam and the United States. Part-year statistics for FY-2007 indicate a likely figure of at least 800 visas by the end of the fiscal year.