Special Advisor for Children’s Issues Travels to Uganda and Ethiopia UPDATED
From http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2015/10/248737.htm:
“Office of the Spokesperson
Special Advisor for Children’s Issues, Ambassador Susan Jacobs, will visit Uganda and Ethiopia from October 26-31.
Special Advisor Jacobs will travel to Uganda to deliver remarks at the National Forum on the State of the Ugandan Child. She will also meet with government officials, non-governmental organizations, and other experts to encourage strengthening child protection systems. She will discuss intercountry adoption as an option for children living outside of family care.
Special Advisor Jacobs will then visit Ethiopia to meet with government officials and discuss ways to cooperate and improve the intercountry adoption process. She will also visit with non-governmental organizations in promoting solutions for children needing permanent families.
For more information about children’s issues, please visit: ChildrensIssues.state.gov
For updates on Special Advisor Jacobs’ trip, follow her on Twitter: @ChildrensIssues
For press inquiries please contact CAPRESSREQUESTS@state.gov or (202) 485-6150.”
REFORM Puzzle Piece
Update: A DOS notice and Alert have been filed hereand here.
“Notice: Visa Adjudication Procedures for Intercountry Adoptions at U.S. Embassy Kampala
This notice provides information clarifying the process for filing the Form I-600, Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative, and DS-260,Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Application (Immigrant Visa) at the U.S. Embassy in Kampala, Uganda.
Filing of Form I-600 in Uganda:
Once prospective adoptive parents are in possession of the below documentation, prospective adoptive parents or their authorized agent may file a Form I-600 petition with the U.S. Embassy in Kampala:
- Valid Form I-600A approval,
- A legible, certified final adoption decree, or guardianship decree sufficient for the purposes of emigration and adoption in the United States issued by the appropriate High Court in Uganda,
- The child’s long form birth certificate (or if unavailable, other evidence of the child’s age and identity), and
- All other required Form I-600 supporting documentation.
If prospective adoptive parents wish to file the Form I-600 petition abroad with the U.S. Embassy in Kampala, they must be physically present in Uganda during some point in the adoption process. To file the Form I-600 at the U.S. Embassy in Kampala, prospective adoptive parents should emailKampalaAdoptions@state.gov to request an appointment to file the Form I-600 petition. This should be done prior to scheduling a visa interview or submitting the DS-260 immigrant visa application. Appointments to file the Form I-600 at the U.S. Embassy are scheduled for Monday and Thursday mornings of each week.
Families who file Form I-600 petitions directly with the U.S. Embassy are not required to remain in Uganda throughout the adjudication of the Form I-600 petitions. Families should not expect to receive immigrant visas for their prospective adoptive children until they have an approved Form I-600, and, ultimately, notification of an approved Immigrant Visa.
Alternatively, families may also choose to file the Form I-600 petition directly with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in the United States. For information on how to file the Form I-600 petition domestically with USCIS through the National Benefits Center (NBC), please refer to the USCIS website.
Note: The U.S. Embassy cannot process the DS-260, Immigrant Visa Application, until the petitioners have an approved Form I-600 petition. Prospective adoptive parents should not take any action related to the immigrant visa process, including obtaining the medical exam, prior to notification of their Form I-600 petition being approved.
Orphan Determination Process:
Upon receipt of the Form I-600 and accompanying documentation, the U.S. Embassy in Kampala conducts the required orphan determination prior to the Form I-600 petition adjudication. The timeframe for completion of the orphan determination depends on the circumstances of each case and can take anywhere from several days to several months.
Note: Consular Officers have limited delegated authority from USCIS and thus may only approve clearly approvable Form I-600 petitions. If the supporting evidence is insufficient to determine if a child meets the definition of an orphan under U.S. immigration law, the U.S. Embassy in Kampala must refer those not clearly approvable Form I-600 petitions to USCIS for further review.
Currently, the U.S. Embassy in Kampala physically forwards all “not clearly approvable” cases filed on behalf of a child from Uganda to the USCIS Field Office in Rome. Embassy Kampala will provide prospective adoptive parents with a transfer notice indicating when the case is physically forwarded to USCIS Rome.
Upon receipt of the “not clearly approvable” petition, the USCIS Rome Field Office notifies the petitioner that the case has been received and will take appropriate steps to complete adjudication of the case. The USCIS Rome Field Office will notify the petitioner of the final decision. If the case is approved, USCIS will return the case to the U.S. Embassy in Kampala for further visa adjudication.
Submission of DS-260, Immigrant Visa Application:
Upon approval of a Form I-600 petition, the U.S. Embassy in Kampala will notify prospective adoptive parents, provide information regarding the required panel physician’s medical report, and schedule the visa interview. On completion of the medical examination, IOM will forward the medical paperwork to the Consular Section for review and further processing. This process normally takes 3-5 business days.
Immigrant visa appointments are scheduled on Monday and Wednesday afternoons. Prior to the immigrant visa appointment, prospective adoptive parents will need to complete the online DS-260, Immigrant Visa application. ”
And
“Alert: Recent Developments Related to Intercountry Adoption from Uganda
The Department has received information from prospective adoptive families currently in Uganda regarding reports that Ugandan government officials have visited prospective adoptive families and asked to review their dossiers. The Department is gathering more information about these reports and will post an update on our website as more information becomes available.
Any U.S. Citizen in Uganda who is concerned for his/her personal safety, should contact the Embassy’s 24/7 Duty Officer at +256 414 259 791 or, if calling from a local number, 0414 259 791. Additionally, in an emergency, U.S. citizens overseas may contact the Department of State’s Duty Officer at: 1-888-407-4747 (toll free) or if calling from outside of the United States: (202) 501-4444. Please note that these numbers are for emergency situations. If U.S. citizen prospective adoptive families in Uganda are contacted by Ugandan authorities, they may contact the U.S. Embassy atKampalaAdoptions@state.gov during regular business hours, or the Embassy Duty officer after hours.
The U.S. Embassy in Kampala is aware of the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development’s initiative to assess the suitability of all children’s homes in Uganda in providing alternative care for children in need. The Ugandan Children’s Act, which governs all aspects of the fostering, legal guardianship, and adoption process, requires all orphanages (also termed baby homes and children’s homes) to obtain and maintain the approval of the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development in order to provide alternative care to children in need.
The Ugandan Courts that grant guardianships and adoption orders do not consistently require evidence of this approval when granting guardianships and adoption orders. Additionally, the Ministry of Gender and the Courts have differing interpretations of the relevant Ugandan laws. While these issues are being reviewed by the Ugandan authorities, the U.S. Embassy will continue to adjudicate qualified cases based on decisions made by Ugandan courts.
At this time, the Embassy does not require proof of the Ministry of Gender’s approval or proof of the national accreditation of children’s home as part of the visa file. We will immediately post new guidance to our website should the Government of Uganda formally notify the Department of State of changes to Ugandan laws and regulations pertaining to accreditation or approval of children’s homes as they relate to intercountry adoptions.”
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