Latvia Post-Adoption Reporting Requirements UPDATED
From US DOS,
“Notice: Post-adoption reporting requirements
This Adoption Notice replaces the Adoption Notice dated April 5, 2011, on post-adoption reporting requirements for Latvia. Latvian law requires that two post-adoption reports be submitted: one after the first year following adoption and one after the second year. Two extra months are allowed for translation and submission of the report. Post-adoption reports must be submitted with a translation in Latvian. The reports should be conducted by the adoptive family’s adoption service provider and submitted to the Latvian Ministry of Welfare. The intercountry adoption process requires compliance with the laws of both the United States and the child’s country of origin. Failure to comply with Latvia’s post-adoption requirement could potentially affect the continuation of intercountry adoptions to the United States. We strongly encourage agencies to comply with Latvian post-adoption reporting requirements and to submit reports on time. All agencies operating in Latvia have been notified of this requirement. Compliance will help ensure that Latvia’s history of positive experiences with American adoptive families continues. ”
REFORM Puzzle Piece
Update:“Notice: Post Adoption Report
This Alert Supersedes the Alert Issued on November 17, 2016
The Ministry of Welfare has informed the Department that they are still missing post-adoption reports from U.S. families who adopted children from Latvia. The Ministry has urged the Department to stress the importance of post-adoption report submission to adoption service providers and adoptive families. For this reason, the Department strongly urges you to comply with Latvia’s post-adoption requirements. Compliance with Latvia’s post-adoption reporting requirements would also contribute to an understanding of the positive impact that intercountry adoption has for children from Latvia who are living in the United States.
Latvian law requires that two post-adoption reports be submitted: one after the first year following the adoption and one after the second year. Reports should be notarized and contain an Apostille certification. Two extra months are allowed for translation and submission of the report. Post-adoption reports must be submitted with a translation in Latvian. The reports can be conducted by the adoptive family’s adoption service provider or the appropriate child welfare officials in the state where the child resides.
The reports must be submitted to the Latvian Ministry of Welfare by mail:
Latvian Adoption Authority
Children and Family Policy Department
Ministry of Welfare
28 Skolas St.
Riga, Latvia, LV-1331
If your report will not arrive by November 1, please also send an electronic version to the following email address, while the hard copy is in route: lm@lm.gov.lv.
Please continue to monitor travel.state.gov for updated information on adoption in Latvia. ”
Update 2: US DOS talks about hosting programs and international adoption in this post:
“Latvia Adoption Notice: Proposed Changes to Hosting Programs and Intercountry Adoption
December 8, 2017
On November 24, the Ministry of Welfare’s Department of Children and Family Policy, Latvia’s Central Authority for adoption, proposed legislation relating to hosting programs, and is in the process of drafting legislation related to intercountry adoption in Latvia to be proposed at a later date. U.S. Embassy Riga is in contact with the Latvian government to better understand how the bills may affect both hosting programs and intercountry adoptions. The proposed bill on hosting programs is an amendment to the Children’s Rights Protection Law, and if approved, is scheduled to go into effect on July 1, 2018. The Ministry noted concerns that some hosting agencies may not be following the Latvian Children’s Rights Inspectorate’s guidelines regarding the recommended minimum age for hosted children. The proposed bill seeks to raise the age of eligibility for hosting programs to children who reside in institutions and are over the age of 12.
The proposed bill focused on intercountry adoption is in the drafting phase and the Ministry has not yet provided a timeline of when they plan to submit it to Parliament for review. However, the Ministry explained that the bill seeks to limit intercountry adoption to children in two groups: children living in institutions, and children living in foster care that have a serious medical condition.
The Department will continue to engage the Government of Latvia on both pieces of legislation and will provide updates as available. Prospective adoptive parents who have additional questions about this legislation may wish to speak with their adoption service provider or contact U.S. Embassy Riga.
Please continue to monitor adoption.state.gov for updated information on intercountry adoption in Latvia. For questions about this notice, please contact the Office of Children’s Issues at Adoption@state.gov.”
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