Continued from Part One

April 6, 2005: The U.S. Department of State issued this notice concerning negotiations between the U.S. Department of State and Viet Nam’s Department of International Adoption to resume adoptions to the U.S.:

On April 6, Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Maura Harty spoke with Dr. Vu Duc Long, Director of the Department of International Adoptions, concerning both countries’ interest in finalizing a bilateral agreement on intercountry adoptions. Dr. Long informed Assistant Secretary Harty that the Government of Vietnam would... more

When many people think of Viet Nam adoptions, they instantly think of Operation Babylift. Operation Babylift took place in 1975 when over 2000 children were evacuated out of war torn Viet Nam to be adopted by families world wide.

In the late 1990s the United States resumed its adoption relationship with Viet Nam and many children were brought home to their families. This relationship continued until 2003. As you research adopting from Viet Nam you will surely come across many references to the “shutdown”. This shutdown was a 3 year moratorium on international adoptions by Viet Nam that continued until 2005. It is commonly thought that... more

My time spent in Viet Nam was life changing. Not only did I meet my daughter, but I was able to experience her amazing country. I would like to share a view of Viet Nam with you each week. If you've already been to Viet Nam, I hope these views bring back happy memories. If you're waiting to travel, I hope they make you feel more connected to the country you'll soon be experiencing for yourself!

The exchange rate and dealing with Vietnamese dong took a little getting used to. Good think my husband is a quick thinking, good with numbers kind of a guy! When we were there $1 US converted to approximately 15,000 dong. When we converted large amounts of US dollars for even larger amounts... more

Different agencies may have a different demographic of children available for adoption. Agency X may only work in one province and their baby center (orphanage)houses ten children. Agency Y may be licensed in three provinces and one of their centers is a large, government run facility. You have every right to ask agencies all about their baby centers and the children that they currently have available for adoption.

Here is some information about the children available for adoption from Viet Nam:

Although there are both boys and girls free for adoption, your wait may be slightly (or significantly, depending on your agency) shorter if you request a boy. Infant,... more

This information is taken directly from the United States Department of State Website (updated August 2006.) As mentioned in my previous post on how to choose a country, please bear in mind that some agencies may enforce their own requirements that are not necessarily those of Viet Nam.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR ADOPTIVE PARENTS:

According to the Vietnamese "Law on Marriage and the Family," adoptive parents must be at least 20 years older than the children they wish to adopt. Only one single person or one married couple may adopt. S/he or they must meet all of the following... more

Some adoptive parents I know say that they 'just knew' where their child was. It just 'felt right' to them. I completely understand because I was drawn to Viet Nam, but deciding on where you will adopt from is not necessarily a simple process and can leave you with many more questions than you had when you started.

I began by reading the book Adoption for Dummies. It was a current edition and outlined many of the most popular programs in plain English. I was brand new to the world of adoption and this book was not over my head at all. I know it can be so overwhelming and confusing, but I can attest... more