The Department of State yesterday posted a notice regarding recent clarifications on the part of the Vietnamese Ministry of Justice.
According to MOJ/DA, healthy children who live outside of orphanages currently do not qualify for the Special Adoption Program, even if they are aged five or older or are in biological sibling groups.
The MOJ/DA further stated that children in residential care must have a “List 2” designation to be referred for inter-country adoption. And, according to the notice, “Only provincial Departments of Justice are authorized to register as “List 2 children resident at government child care facilities.” However, “Children not registered as “List 2, but who have disabilities or life threatening diseases, and children with HIV/AIDS, may be eligible for intercountry adoption.” In those cases, the MOJ may contact the provincial DOJ after first ascertaining that the prospective adoptive parents qualify and ask if there are children who meet those criteria. From there, “The child’s guardian must submit documentation verifying the medical condition of the child as well as go through the full legal relinquishment process in Vietnam.”
The State Department’s notice also reiterated the requirement that all prospective adopters go through one of the two approved agencies, Holt International or Dillon International. Holt currently has two waiting children from Vietnam posted on their website, both of whom have significant special needs. Dillon’s Waiting Child page is password protected, and we do not know if they currently have any children from Vietnam on their photo listing.
For more information on the State Department’s notice click here.
For more information on Holt International’s Vietnam program click here.
For more information on Dillon International’s Vietnam program, click here.
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