DOS: Vietnam Transition to Open Processing of Intercountry Adoptions UPDATED

From here:
“Since 2014, intercountry adoptions between Vietnam and the United States have been processed by the Central Authorities of the two countries according to terms of a Special Adoption Program and under the Hague Adoption Convention.  Under the Special Adoption Program only children with special needs, children over age five, or sibling groups are eligible to be adopted.  Since the Special Adoption Program was established, over 100 children have been adopted from Vietnam by American families.

On March 5, 2019, the Government of Vietnam issued Decree 24/2019/ND-CP containing a number of amendments in relation to adoption processing.  Decree 24/2019/ND-CP went into effect shortly thereafter on April 25, 2019.  In order to align the U.S.-Vietnam Adoption Program more closely to Vietnam’s Decree 24/2019/ND-CP process, the Office of Children’s Issues, as the U.S. Central Authority under the Hague Adoption Convention, is participating in ongoing discussions with the Ministry of Justice, as Vietnam’s Central Authority under the Hague Adoption Convention, over the terms of transition from the current Special Adoption Program to more expanded Hague adoption processing.  We anticipate that future processing of adoptions under Decree 24/2019/ND-CP to the United States, after a yet to be determined date, would no longer be subject to the limited categories of the Special Adoption Program and more children will be eligible for intercountry adoption.

The Office of Children’s Issues will make available additional information upon completion of these transition discussions, at which future date we anticipate the United States and Vietnam will issue a joint formal announcement regarding the commencement of more expanded Hague adoption processing.

For more information please visit Vietnam’s country information page on adoption.state.gov”

REFORM Puzzle Piece

Update: From here:

“Supplemental Notice on Authorized U.S. Adoption Service Providers in Vietnam

This notice supplements the adoption notice released on July 29, 2020, regarding ongoing discussions ​between the United States and Vietnam about transitioning from the Special Adoption Program (SAP) to an expanded adoption program for all children eligible under the Hague Adoption Convention. In response to that notice, the Office of Children’s Issues has received inquiries from accredited adoption service providers (ASPs) about whether Vietnam’s Ministry of Justice Department of Adoptions (MOJ/DA), as the Hague Central Authority for Vietnam, intends to change their policy limiting the number of authorized U.S. ASPs allowed to operate in Vietnam.

To date, Vietnam has authorized three U.S ASPs to process intercountry adoptions between the United States and Vietnam. At this time, MOJ/DA has not indicated to the United States that their position has or will change regarding the current limitations on the number of U.S. ASPs allowed to operate in Vietnam. The Vietnamese government advises us that similar limitations exist for all partner countries participating in adoptions in Vietnam, not just the United States. Such decisions are entirely within the jurisdiction of the Vietnamese government. The Vietnamese government has further advised us that such decisions shall be made on the basis of the number of Vietnamese children who are in need of permanancy and for the purpose of effectively managing ASPs licensed to operate in Vietnam in line with Vietnamese laws and regulations.

As indicated in the July 29 notice, we anticipate, at a future date, the United States and Vietnam will issue a joint announcement regarding the commencement of a program no longer subject to the limited categories of eligible children under the SAP. Upon completion of these transition discussions, the Office of Children’s Issues will provide information to the public on its adoption website. For more information, please visit Vietnam’s country information page on adoption.state.gov.”