http://www.adoptivefamilies.com/articles.php?aid=2126

For two years the credit was not only a credit, but a refund, and failed domestic adoption expenses qualified.  Check with your tax accountant.

In response to several requests for written summaries of the adoption service provider meetings held by the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa, the Office of Children’s Issues posts this notice to provide interested parties with information discussed at the most recent meeting on April 18, 2012.  These meetings take place several times a year and are announced to in-country representatives in advance.  This notice recaps the issues
discussed; however, the Office of Children’s Issues has inserted, in italicized text, links to further information on worldwide policies pertaining to issues discussed during the meeting.

Fee change from $404 to $230

U.S. non-immigrant and immigrant visa application fees have changed as of April 13, 2012.  The fee for
Immediate Relative and family preference applications (processed on the basis of an approved I-130, I-600 or
I-800 petition) decreased from $404 to $230.  All visa applicants must pay the fees in effect on the day of the payment, not on the day of the visa interview.  Therefore, anyone who has already paid the combined $404 fee will not receive a refund even if the fee decreased by the time of their visa interview.

For further information, please refer to the press release issued by the Department of State, Office of the Spokesperson, on March 29, 2012, regarding visa processing fees.  The change reduced the immigrant visa
application fee from $330 to $230 and eliminated the $74 immigrant visa application surcharge.

Escort cases

If at least one of the adoptive parents met the child in Ethiopia before the court hearing, the family may choose to have someone else escort the child to the United States.  The escort will still be required to present a Power of Attorney allowing him/her to act on behalf of the adoptive parent(s), represent them at the visa interview, and escort the child through U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the U.S. Port of Entry.

Ethiopian entry visas

We have heard that the Government of Ethiopia is considering discontinuing “visas on arrival” at Bole
International Airport, but no policy change has been announced.  We recommend all U.S. citizens obtain an entry visa from an Ethiopian embassy or consulate in advance of travel.

The U.S. Department of State will post public notices on adoption.state.gov and travel.state.gov upon receiving official notification of any change in entry requirements for U.S. citizens.  For current travel information, please review the Ethiopia Country Specific Information on the Department of State website.

Screening backlog

We are pleased to announce that we have cleared our screening backlog and the current time for screening new cases is two business days.  We have also increased the number of available birth relative interview slots, and the current wait time for a birth relative interview is one week.

Expedited processing

We will consider on a case-by-case basis expeditious processing for children with serious medical conditions that require urgent treatment that is unavailable in Ethiopia.  Cases involving children who have serious but stable medical conditions or who are already undergoing treatment in Ethiopia generally do not qualify for
expeditious processing.  Medical conditions like asthma or HIV/AIDS, which are common reasons for
requesting expedited processing, would not typically qualify for expeditious processing.

Expedited cases are not exempt from the required review of orphan status through the Form I-604,
Determination on Child for Adoption.  We encourage all agencies to inform us as early as possible about cases involving children with serious medical conditions requiring urgent treatment that is unavailable in Ethiopia, even at the time of referral.

Processing of the Not Clearly Approvable (NCA) cases

U.S. Embassy Addis Ababa has a limited, delegated authority from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to adjudicate Form I-600 petitions filed in Ethiopia, which includes a determination that the child meets the definition of an orphan under U.S. law.  If the Consular Officer determines a case is not clearly
approvable, Department of State is required by regulation to forward the case to USCIS.  In recent months we have noticed that the processing time of the cases sent to Nairobi averages three weeks or less.

Please note this is an average processing time.  Processing times are dependent on the specifics of a case and therefore highly variable.

Please note that the adoptive parent’s Form I-600A must be valid at the time the petition is filed.  Additionally, the fingerprint clearances for the adoptive parents and all adult household members must be valid at the time the petition is approved, not at the time of the visa interview.  For petitions approved by USCIS Nairobi or within the United States, we can still process the child’s visa application even if the fingerprint clearances and/ or Form I-600A have expired.

Police and birth relative interviews as part of the Form I-604 investigation

Our office conducts birth relative interviews for most relinquishment cases, and conducts interviews with local officials and police for most abandonment cases.  The purpose of these interviews is to confirm the child’s
orphan status and, in relinquishment cases, to ensure that the relinquishing parent or family member fully
understands the relinquishment process.  During these interviews, we continue to encounter birth relatives who have been told that a child will return to Ethiopia at the age of 18.  When informed that intercountry adoption is a permanent severing of a familial relationship and that there should be no expectation of the child’s return, birth relatives often become very emotional.  We conduct birth relative interviews in our privacy booth for the relative’s privacy and comfort.  In order to prevent significant delays in processing, we encourage all Adoption Service Providers to notify us in advance if a birth relative will be late or unable to appear on the appointment date.

Pre-Adoption Immigration Review

The U.S. Embassy continues to work with the Government of Ethiopia to implement a “pre-screening process” wherein consular officers and USCIS will review adoption petitions prior to the Ethiopian court hearing.  We hope to have more information for agencies in the near future.

General Discussion – Trends in the Ethiopian adoption.

1. A rise in the number of abandonments vs. relinquishments.

2. Groups of children being relinquished from the same community at the same time.

3. Adoption contracts being signed before the child is relinquished.

Adoption Notice: Kazakhstan
Adoptions from Kazakhstan to Begin With Approval of U.S. ASPs

May 10, 2012

The Ministry of Education   and Science, the Central Authority of Kazakhstan, has confirmed approval of   two U.S. accredited adoption service providers (ASPs) to process Hague Convention   adoptions from Kazakhstan to the United States.

The ASPs are:  Little   Miracles and Across the World Adoptions.

Approval of ASPs was the   final step needed for Kazakhstan to complete its implementation of the Hague
Adoption Convention.  Each of the U.S. ASPs approved by the Government   of Kazakhstan may begin
accepting applications for adoptions under the new procedures on its date of   authorization.

The U.S. Department of   State is pleased to have the opportunity to work with Kazakhstan as a Hague   Adoption Convention partner and to complete Convention intercountry adoptions   of eligible children from Kazakhstan by qualified adoptive parents in the United   States. ]]> http://abcadoptionhelp.org/2012/05/kazakhstan-adoption-agencies-approved/feed/ 0 http://abcadoptionhelp.org/2012/05/haiti-adoption-suspended/ http://abcadoptionhelp.org/2012/05/haiti-adoption-suspended/#comments Fri, 04 May 2012 23:17:18 +0000 ABC http://abcadoptionhelp.org/?p=599 May 4, 2012

Haiti’s adoption authority,   l’Institut du Bien Être Social et de Recherches (IBESR), informed U.S.   Embassy Port-au-Prince that it will suspend processing of new adoption cases   effective May 7, 2012.  IBESR indicated that the suspension will enable   it to expedite processing on its backlog of pending cases and begin internal
restructuring to bring it closer to international standards.  The U.S.   Embassy has been assured the suspension is temporary and that IBESR will   continue to process all cases that are filed before May 7.

If   you have questions about the status of your adoption case, please work   closely with your adoption agency or facilitator.  Please refer to our   website at adoption.state.gov for updates on the temporary suspension.

Join us for this event to help Refugios! Tiffany Ragels & Jacques Mauger from ICF Board

La Fiesta for Refugios Children’s Shelter!
A night of celebration May 12th! Music, food, friends and silent auction to support the children of Refugios de Dios para Ninos in Nogales. Come, bring your friends, enjoy an evening to help this worthy cause!
International Child Foundation (ICF) of Tucson is hosting this event. International Child Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit Arizona adoption agency based in Tucson, helps orphaned or abandoned children, and is one of only three agencies in the US with approval to provide adoption services in Mexico. Refugios de Dios para Ninos is a shelter in Sonora that provides more than basic care. Children arrive lost and hurt, and at Refugios they receive gentle and affectionate care, education and psychological services in a safe and cheerful environment. Children heal and blossom at Refugios! They learn to look forward to life, to have faith in what the future holds.
The Humanitarian Aid committee of International Child Foundation, headed by Tiffany Ragels and Jacques Mauger, is working hand in hand with the Board President of Refugios, Bobby Astengo, and the shelter Director and founder, Ricardo Gallego. The public is invited to La Fiesta and tickets can be purchased at Paypal through a link on the ICF website, www.childfound.org under “About Us.”
Sponsorship spots are available, as well. Expand commitment to child welfare by becoming a Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze sponsor! Sponsors receive tickets and media benefits. Visit http://childfound.org/fundraising/ for more information or contact Tiffany Ragels at tiffanyr@childfound.org. Tickets may also be purchased by mailing checks to ICF, 11449 N Mandarin Ln, Tucson AZ 85737. Please include your name, phone number and address.
Purchase your sponsorship or tickets now and mark your calendars! May 12th, 6-10pm, at Paliolo Ranch, Tucson, near Ina & I-10 – La Fiesta for Refugios! Your generosity and an evening of fun will heal hearts and save lives.
Sponsorship opportunities include:
Platinum- $5,000 Number of sponsors at this level-1
This level of sponsorship offers the supporter joint representation with ICF. They will be the event Co-hosts and as such will enjoy the same amount of publicity that our agency will. This may include, but is not limited to…. Visual and audio media exposure, Co-top billing on all printed materials and the opportunity to address the attendees of the event to share more about their business or organization. Plus 6 event tickets!
Gold-$3,000 Number of sponsors for this level-3
At this level supporters can enjoy the benefits of having themselves or their business showcased on all printed material (listed under Star Supporters), and the opportunity to bring materials in support of their business or cause to the event for showcasing. This will be set up at a table specifically for this level of sponsorship and will be located in an area of high interest and includes a mention from our MC at the event! Plus 4 event tickets!
Silver- $1,500 Numbers of sponsors for this level-5
At this level sponsors can enjoy being showcased in the event brochure and a mention at the event from our MC. Plus 2 event tickets!
Bronze-$500 Numbers of sponsors for this level- 15
At this level sponsors can enjoy being listed in the event brochure and having their name and logo showcased on T-shirts that will be worn by our volunteers at the event. Plus 2 event tickets!

March 23, 2012

Effective January 1, 2012, the Government of Bhutan temporarily suspended all intercountry adoptions pending approval of a new adoption law by the King. The adoption bill was drafted to clarify Bhutan’s adoption

procedures. The National Commission for Women and Children (NCWC), the Bhutanese government agency responsible for overseeing intercountry adoptions, is unable to estimate how long it will take for the adoption bill to be approved, but indicated it is not aware of any pending cases involving the adoption of a Bhutanese child by U.S. citizens. Prospective adoptive parents who believe the suspension affects their adoption of a child from Bhutan may contact the NCWC by email at admin@ncwc.org.bt to inquire about the status of their case. The NCWC indicated it will review each case on an individual basis.

Prospective adoptive parents may also visit NCWC’s website for additional information about adoptions in

Bhutan. Please also continue to monitor adoption.state.gov for updated information.

March 5, 2012

Prospective adoptive parents considering adopting in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) should be aware that the U.S. Embassy has received reports that a number of legally adopted children, including those with valid immigration visas to the United States, have not been promptly released by the orphanages to their new adoptive U.S. citizen parents or their legal representatives. In most cases, the orphanages have eventually released the children into the care of their adoptive parents or legal representatives. Police intervention has been reported in some cases at the request of both orphanages and adoptive parents.

The U.S. Embassy has limited authority to intervene in these situations, but encourages adoptive parents in such a situation to notify the Consular Section.

March 19, 2012

The Office of Children’s Issues wishes to provide a further update for U.S. citizens interested in intercountry adoptions with Cambodia.

The Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation recently announced to all embassies with diplomatic and consular missions in Cambodia that the Cambodian government has decided to delay the date that it will begin receiving adoption petitions until January 1, 2013. The Cambodian government is still working to establish the necessary internal child welfare structures to function as a Hague partner.

The Special Advisor for Children’s Issues, Ambassador Susan Jacobs, met with the host government officials in January 2012 regarding Cambodia’s ability to meet obligations for conducting intercountry adoptions. The United States continues to support Cambodia’s efforts to create a child welfare system and an intercountry adoption process that fulfills its obligations under the Hague Adoption Convention. We welcome Cambodia’s efforts to fully implement its new law on intercountry adoption.

Updated information will be provided on adoption.state.gov as it becomes available.

March 30, 2012

The Office of the Government of Laos announced on February 20, 2012, that the authorization to allow foreigners to adopt Lao children is suspended until appropriate regulations and procedures are
established on intercountry adoption. Updated information will be provided as it becomes available on adoption.state.gov.

April 11, 2012

The Romanian Office for Adoptions announced that its new adoption law went into effect on April 7, 2012.
The new law allows for intercountry adoptions of Romanian children by relatives of the fourth degree of

kinship, the spouse of the child’s natural parent, and Romanian citizens who are habitually resident abroad.

Please be aware that the U.S. law implementing the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and

Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (the Convention), the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (IAA), requires prospective adoptive parents to be U.S. citizens in order to be eligible to apply for intercountry adoption using U.S. procedures. This means that Romanian citizens legally residing in the United States will be able to adopt from Romania only if they or their spouses are also U.S. citizens.

Moreover, the U.S. Hague Adoption Convention accreditation regulations (22 CFR 96) provide that in each

Convention adoption case, an accredited agency, a temporarily accredited agency, or an approved person will be identified and act as the primary provider. More information on the role of U.S. accredited ASPs and the role of U.S. accrediting entities is available on the Department’s adoption website, adoption.state.gov.

The Department of State has provided information to the Romanian Office for Adoption about the U.S.

requirement for a primary provider to serve in each Convention adoption, explaining the critical monitoring and oversight role of U.S. accrediting entities in ensuring that ASPs remain in substantial compliance with the IAA and the Convention. We look forward to the opportunity to expand our cooperation with Romania as Convention partner countries.