Congo Suspends Exit Permits for US Adoptions UPDATED
Keep in mind that the US DOS is always delayed with their notices and are a completely ineffective bureaucracy that has close ties with the adoption industry.They are about advancing the business of adoption, not protecting families and children.
First, on April 30, 2013, they issued a notice about processing visas and warning about expediting fees as being perceived as corruption. It is important to not lose sight of this issue when you read about the exit visa suspension case in the second DOS announcement. Note that DOS already knew about the suspension a day before they issued the first notice.
See that April 30 notice here and pasted below:
“Notice: Clarification regarding Embassy Kinshasa adoption-related immigrant visa procedures
This notice is intended to clarify the recent procedural changes in processing adoption related immigrant visas and their impact on pending and future adoptions from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). We appreciate the patience of families and all those involved in adoptions from the DRC as the change in procedures is implemented.
Explanation of the change in procedures effective January 2013: Embassy Kinshasa is now conducting the required case review and I-604 investigation prior to the visa interview to verify that an adopted child is eligible to immigrate as an “orphan” under U.S. immigration law. In light of a significant increase in the adoption workload, the unreliability of documents in the DRC, and the difficulty of traveling within the country, Embassy Kinshasa anticipates that case reviews and I-604 investigations will now take approximately three to six months to complete. Case reviews may take longer if children come from an area experiencing civil unrest or where the security situation does not allow Embassy staff to travel safely. Please note that adoption cases will be processed as expeditiously as possible.
Impact on families with previously scheduled interviews when the Embassy announced the change in procedures in January 2013: Embassy Kinshasa will honor scheduled visa interview appointments. However, the case review and I-604 investigation is still required for each case. U.S. citizens are cautioned that the case review and I-604 investigation will take approximately three to six months to complete. While previously scheduled visa interviews will take place, Embassy Kinshasa cannot guarantee that case reviews and I-604 investigations will be completed before the interviews or that visas will be approved within any specified time after the interview date.
Impact on families without scheduled interviews and new cases: Each case is unique and, therefore, it is difficult to estimate how long a case review and I-604 investigation will take or when it will be completed. Families in this group can expect to be contacted by Embassy Kinshasa twice: first, upon receipt of the approved Form I-600 petition from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services National Benefits Center, and second, when the U.S. Embassy is ready to schedule a visa appointment.
Security situation reminder: Because of the security situation in the DRC, Embassy Kinshasa discourages U.S. citizens from traveling to the DRC solely for the purpose of filing the Form I-600 petition. Anyone considering travel to the DRC is strongly encouraged to review the Department of State’s travel warning for the DRC. Due to these concerns, the Embassy recommends that only those U.S. citizens residing in the DRC file their Form I-600 petitions at Embassy Kinshasa. Residents of the United States are encouraged to file their Form I-600 petition directly with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services National Benefits Center.
Departing the DRC after visa issuance: The processing time for an exit permit with the DRC’s Direction Generale de Migration (DGM) is approximately seven days. There is no fee for the exit permit. The DGM conducts its own investigations to ensure Congolese adoption procedures have been followed. Embassy Kinshasa will not contact the DGM to request expedited processing of the exit permit. The Department of State strongly discourages the practice of paying “expediting fees” to Congolese offices in an attempt to move the adoption process more quickly. These “fees” can be perceived as bribes that encourage corruption.”
May 2, 2013 Adoption Alert
See here and pasted below:
“Alert: Democratic Republic of the Congo Immigration Authorities Suspend Issuance of Exit Permits to Adoptees
On April 29, the Congolese Ministry of Interior and Security, General Direction of Migration (Direction Generale d’Immigration, DGM) informed the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa that the DGM has temporarily suspended issuance of exit permits to adopted Congolese children seeking to depart the country with their adoptive parents. This suspension is due to an ongoing investigation of an adoption that may not have complied with Congolese law.
The suspension of exit permits for adopted Congolese children applies to all intercountry adoptions and is not limited to adoptions by U.S. citizens. These exit permits are required in addition to U.S. immigrant visas in order for children to travel to the United States.
The DGM does not expect to issue exit permits to any adoptees during the investigation.”
Rumors abound about the case being a homosexual trying to adopt when that is against the law. If that happens to be the case, please remember agencies and PAPs, don’t lie. Your actions affect many people. Stop being greedy and selfish. Countries really do shut down when they find out people lie in their homestudies or to foreign adoption authorities.
REFORM Puzzle Pieces
For REFORM Talk’s caution over a year ago and other DRC updates, see our February 27, 2012 notice .
Update: Apparently not everyone that needed to listen in to the May 14, 2013 conference was able to. DOS issued a notice that basically said Oops!Too bad, but we are not saying what happened during the call. Way to go, DOS!
Democratic Republic of the Congo
“May 16, 2013
Notice for Individuals Seeking Further Information Following the Department of State’s May 14 Conference Call
The Department of State has received information that a number of adoption service providers and prospective adoptive families were unable to join the conference call on adoptions from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on May 14, 2013. We regret that not everyone was able to participate in the call and are exploring options for future outreach.
During the call, we reviewed the information available on the Department’s website in the May 2 Adoption Alert regarding the suspension of exit permit issuances, the April 30 clarification Adoption Notice, and the March 15 Adoption Notice concerning the removal of children from orphanages by purported birth family members. Please note that any new developments will be published on Adoption.State.Gov as information becomes available.
Individuals who are seeking information on the process for adopting from the DRC or further clarification regarding a specific adoption are encouraged to contact the Office of Children’s Issues at AskCI@state.gov or toll-free at 1-888-407-4747.”
People actually get paid with our tax dollars to be incompetent and to post this drivel!
Update 2: There have been several updates.
From September 27:
”
Alert: Democratic Republic of the Congo Immigration Authorities Suspend Issuance of Exit Permits to Adoptees
This alert updates the Department of State’s May 2 adoption alert regarding the suspension of issuance of exit permits to adopted Congolese children seeking to depart the country with their adoptive parents.
On September 27, the Congolese Ministry of Interior and Security, General Direction of Migration (Direction Generale d’Immigration, DGM) informed the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa that effective September 25, 2013, the DGM suspended issuance of exit permits to adopted Congolese children seeking to depart the country with their adoptive parents. The DGM reports the suspension will last up to 12 months. This suspension is due to concerns over reports that children adopted from the Democratic Republic of the Congo may be either abused by adoptive families or adopted by a second set of parents once in their receiving countries.
The suspension of exit permits for adopted Congolese children applies to all intercountry adoptions and is not limited to adoptions by U.S. citizens. These exit permits are required in addition to U.S. immigrant visas in order for children to travel to the United States.
The DGM has not indicated whether adoptions in process may continue during the suspension period. The U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa is seeking clarification on the impact this will have on cases where adoptions were already completed, or completed and an immigrant visa issued. We will post new information as it becomes available on www.adoption.state.gov.
Please direct questions related to this alert or a specific adoption from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the Department of State, 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 AskCI@state.gov.”
From October 8:
“Alert: Democratic Republic of the Congo Immigration Authorities Announce Limited Exceptions to Exit Permit Suspension
This notice updates the Department of State’s September 27 adoption alert regarding the suspension of issuance of exit permits to adopted Congolese children seeking to depart the country with their adoptive parents.
On October 3, the Congolese Ministry of Interior and Security, General Direction of Migration (Direction Generale d’Immigration, DGM) informed the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa that it will issue exit permits to adopted Congolese children who received immigrant visas for travel to the United States before the September 25, 2013, suspension effective date. Adoptive parents whose Congolese children received U.S. immigrant visas before September 25 must apply in person to the DGM’s Administrative Secretary for the exit permits. Please note there is no fee for the service, and the DGM usually takes a minimum of seven days to process each request for an exit permit for an adopted Congolese child to depart the country with his/her adoptive parents. The DGM Administrative Secretary may be reached at:
Mr. Albert Luyinu, Administrative Secretary
Direction Generale d’Immigration
65, Boulevard du 30 juin,
Commune de la Gombe
Ville de Kinshasa, R.D.Congo
The DGM further clarified that it will not issue exit permits for children adopted in the Democratic Republic of the Congo who received, or will receive, immigrant visas on or after September 25 until the DGM lifts the suspension. The suspension of exit permit issuances for adopted Congolese children applies to all intercountry adoptions and is not limited to adoptions by U.S. citizens. These exit permits are required in addition to U.S. immigrant visas in order for adopted Congolese children to travel to the United States.
Please direct questions related to this alert or a specific adoption from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the Department of State, 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 AskCI@state.gov. We will also post new information as it becomes available on www.adoption.state.gov.”
From October 23:
”
Alert: Democratic Republic of the Congo Authorities Announce Changes to Suspension Exceptions and New Prohibition on Adoptions by Single Parents
Changes to limited exceptions to suspension on exit permit issuances:
On October 22, the Congolese Ministry of Interior and Security, General Direction of Migration (DGM) clarified limited exceptions to the suspension of exit permit issuance referred to in the Department of State’s October 8 adoption notice. The DGM will issue exit permits to adopted Congolese children whose adoptions were approved by the Congolese Ministry of Gender and Family’s interministerial adoption committee beforeSeptember 25, 2013. The DGM provided the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa with a list of children whose adoptions meet this requirement. The U.S. Department of State will contact the families whose children are on the DGM’s list by October 28. Adoptive parents are advised that the possession of a U.S. immigrant visa may not, on its own, be sufficient for the DGM to issue an exit permit to an adopted Congolese child.
Adoptive parents whose Congolese children’s cases fall under the exception must apply in person to the DGM’s Administrative Secretary for exit permits. Please note there is no fee for the service. The DGM usually takes a minimum of seven days to process exit permits for adopted children. The DGM Administrative Secretary may be reached at:
Mr. Albert Luyinu, Administrative Secretary
Direction Generale d’Immigration
65, Boulevard du 30 juin,
Commune de la Gombe
Ville de Kinshasa, R.D.Congo
The DGM further clarified that the Ministry of Gender and Family will not process any pending or new applications for approval of adoptions during the suspension on exit permit issuances.
New prohibition on adoptions by single parents:
On October 22, the DGM informed the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa that it will no longer issue exit permits to Congolese children adopted by single parents, unless the adoption meets the above criteria for limited exceptions. The DGM contends that certain provisions of Congolese law prohibit single individuals from adopting Congolese children. This prohibition applies to single individuals from all countries and is intended to be permanent. The U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa is seeking clarification on the prohibition’s impact on children whose adoptions by U.S. families were already completed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo before the suspension.
Adoptions in progress:
Prospective adoptive parents and adoption service providers are reminded that adopted Congolese children cannot depart the Democratic Republic of the Congo without an exit permit. Therefore, while the courts may continue processing adoptions, the children adopted during the suspension will not be able to obtain exit permits to depart the country.
Please direct questions related to this alert or a specific adoption to the Department of State, 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 AskCI@state.gov. We will also post new information as it becomes available on www.adoption.state.gov”
And from December 20:
”
Alert: Congolese Authorities Confirm the Suspension on Exit Permit Issuances Continues and Advise of Delays in Processing Grandfathered Cases
On December 19, the Congolese Minister of Justice, Minister of Interior and Security, and the General Direction of Migration (DGM) confirmed to members of the diplomatic corps, including the U.S. Ambassador, that the current suspension on the issuance of exit permits continues. This announcement confirmed information reported in the Department of State’s October 23 adoption alert regarding the suspension of issuance of exit permits to adopted Congolese children seeking to depart the country with their adoptive parents.
The Ministers announced that even those adoptive families whose cases meet the DGM’s criteria for receiving exit permits during the suspension will experience significant processing delays. Applications for exit permits for adopted children are facing increased scrutiny following reports of an apparently falsely backdated bordereau letter submitted by a U.S. family. The DGM reported that a number of additional applications appear to include fraudulently-obtained documentation as well. The Ministers stressed that adoptive parents “must be patient” as the DGM is reviewing applications thoroughly and cannot predict when exit permits may be issued.
The U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa continues to seek information about why some families whose adoptions were approved by the Ministry of Gender and Family before September 25 have reportedly not been able to submit applications for exit permits. Adoptive parents are cautioned that the processing delays may impact the DGM’s ability to accept and process additional applications.
The DGM continues to estimate that the suspension will last a year. Adoptive families, prospective adoptive families, and adoption service providers are cautioned that the DGM has not committed to processing applications for exit permits within a given timeframe once the suspension ends.
Reminder of prohibition on adoptions by single parents:
On December 19, the Minister of Justice, Minister of Interior and Security, and DGM reiterated the October 22 announcement that children adopted by single parents will no longer be eligible for exit permits, unless the adoptions were approved by the Ministry of Gender and Family before September 25. This prohibition applies to single individuals from all countries and is intended to be permanent.
Please direct questions related to this notice or a specific adoption to the Department of State, 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 AskCI@state.gov. We will also post new information as it becomes available on www.adoption.state.gov.”
I heard about multiple lesbian couples adopting from Congo when we were in the process – one of the couples blogged about it. So I don’t think it’s a homosexual trying to adopt.