Montenegro Adoptions-USCIS Unable to Resume Processing Adoptions

“On July 1, 2012, Montenegro became a party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention). However, the Department of State (DOS) has determined that Montenegro does not yet have a fully functional Convention process in place. DOS consular officers are unable to certify that adoption decrees or custody orders obtained in Montenegro for a child habitually resident in Montenegro have been issued in compliance with the Hague Adoption Convention. Without this certification, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) cannot approve a Form I-800, Petition to Classify Convention Adoptee as an Immediate Relative.”

USCIS Unable to Resume Processing Adoptions in Montenegro

[USCIS 7/3/12]

DOS Alert of 7/3/12 pasted below:

“Notice: The Hague Adoption Convention Enters Into Force for Montenegro

On July 1, 2012, the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-Operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption entered into force for Montenegro.  However, Montenegro does not yet have a fully functional Convention process in place.  Therefore, the United States has determined that it will not be able to process Convention intercountry adoptions until the Government of Montenegro implements an effective Convention intercountry adoption process.

We caution adoption service providers and prospective adoptive parents that, to ensure that adoptions from Montenegro will be compliant with the Convention, important steps must take place before intercountry adoptions between the United States and Montenegro resume.  Adoption service providers should neither initiate nor claim to initiate adoption programs in Montenegro until the Department of State notifies them that it has resumed adoptions in Montenegro.”

DOS gives a statistic of 1 adoption processed in 2010 to the US and NO OTHER adoptions…ever. Adoptions Forever still lists Montenegro as a program referring children as young as 3 months of age. See here. A public personal blogger who advertised for this program indicated that the program fees were $14,000 and that it could be “fairly fast.”

REFORM Puzzle Piece