Vietnam News from Ethica

19 January, 2008

Ethica sent out the following news release on Thursday, January 17th:

Ethica has been active in advocating for clarification on the current situation in Vietnam and on new guidelines introduced to curb troubling activities. We have confirmed the following:

– The Vietnamese Department of International Adoptions has stated that agreements allowing unlicensed agencies to place children through partnership with licensed agencies are illegal according to Vietnamese law. The U.S. Embassy continues to warn that applications of parents using these agencies may be denied.

– The U.S. Embassy in Hanoi reminds prospective adoptive parents that lying to a Consular Officer under oath in order to hide this umbrella’iing relationship could have serious consequences.

– Prospective adoptive parents should be aware that the Vietnamese Department for International Adoptions has informed the Embassy that direct cash payments from adopting parents to orphanages and orphanage staff in Vietnam are a violation of Vietnamese law and regulations.

– There are currently 26 NOIDS issued that remain unresolved.

– Renegotiations for the Memorandum of Understanding being in March with renewal in September. A major stumbling block is Vietnam’s refusal to release a fee schedule as promised in the MOU.

In addition the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi has launched a new site. Ethica will be giving input and feedback on the featured information: http://hanoi.usembassy.gov/orphan_visas.html

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