I am excited to be seeing a couple of places online that have recently been dedicated to letting Viet Nam adoption agencies speak about their practices and on their own behalf. There are now two websites that are tracking adoption agency information and as they continue to grow, will be indispensable resources for anyone thinking about adopting from Viet Nam and researching adoption agencies.

The premise behind these projects is that the site owner contacted every adoption agency that is licensed in Viet Nam with a list of detailed questions. Each agency was informed... more

There are a lot of worried people in the Vietnamese adoption world that are unsure about how to really find out about an adoption agency. As I mentioned in my earlier post, some agencies have families who have been issued NOIDS (notice of intent to deny) and this has caused a sense of panic among PAPs (prospective adoptive parents.) It’s hard to know who to trust and which agencies are ethical, but we have the power to do as much research as possible and find answers to the tough questions. If you are researching or currently working with an adoption agency that you are unsure about, continue... more

The Viet Nam adoption community is going through a tough time right now. NOIDS (notice of intent to deny) have been issued, a province has been temporarily stopped from referring children for adoption, and there will be a summit held next Wednesday to address all of this. Now, more than ever, prospective adoptive... more

Due to the importance of working only with agencies that are licensed by Viet Nam to conduct Vietnamese adoptions, I’m once again listing the adoption agencies that are currently licensed. It seems that more and more non-licensed agencies are partnering up with or working under the umbrella of a licensed agency. If you are a prospective adoptive parent (PAP,) please, please, please do the research and only work with agencies that have been licensed to conduct adoptions in Viet Nam. Granted, that lovely license absolutely does not guarantee ethical or sound practices, so PAPs must be on their toes with their eyes and ears open.

Here are some posts of mine about how to choose an adoption... more

Prospective adoptive parents now have 42 adoption agencies that have been licensed by the Vietnamese Government to choose from. They are:

A.D.O.P.P.T Inc.: Phu Tho, Hung Yen, Ho Chi Minh City

Adopt International: Ben Tre

Adoption Center of Washington: Binh Thuan, Binh Duong

Adoption from the Heart: Ho Chi Minh City

Adoptions International Inc.: Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong

Adoptions Together, Inc.: Hoa Binh, Thanh Hoa

Alliance for Children: Thua Thien Hue

Americans for International Aids and Adoptions: An Giang

Asian Children's... more

There is talk going on in Viet Nam adoption circles about agencies who are claiming to have adoption programs in Viet Nam without holding a license from the Vietnamese government. Such agencies claim that they are working with / partnering with / or covered under the umbrella of a licensed agency. If you are thinking of working with an agency like this, it will be in the best interest of you and your future child to run in the opposite direction. Fast. Parents adopting from Viet Nam currently have... more

Choosing an agency to work with can be one of the hardest parts of the entire adoption process. As I have touched on before, it is extremely important to ensure that the agency you ultimately choose practices ethically. This means that children are legally relinquished or legitimately abandoned and no biological family members could be found; timelines are in order with the country’s procedures; fees paid by adoptive parents are in order with what the country specifies, and the agency properly documents all stages of the adoption process.

Here are some signs that your agency is an ethical one:

They must be licensed by the Vietnamese Government. Some agencies are “umbrellaing”... more

Choosing an adoption agency can be extremely stressful. It is an emotional and uncertain time in your life, and I want to help you lower your blinders and make decisions with your head; not just your heart.

First off, it is very important to find out an agency’s policies regarding what will happen if you change your mind once you’ve signed on with them. Many agencies state that the amount of money that will be refunded if you decide to leave them depends on which step of their adoption process you are in. Red flags may not be raised... more

The following is the list of adoption agencies licensed by Viet Nam's Department of International Adoptions. The agency name is followed by the province(s) that agency is licensed to work in.

1. A.D.O.P.P.T Inc.: Phu Tho, Hung Yen, Ho Chi Minh City 2. Adopt International: Ben Tre 3. Adoption Center of Washington; Binh Thuan, Binh Duong 4. Adoption from the Heart: Ho Chi Minh City 5. Adoptions International Inc.,: Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong 6. Adoptions Together, Inc., : Hoa Binh, Thanh Hoa 7. Alliance for Children: Thua Thien Hue 8. Asian Children's Services and Vietnam Humanitarian Corp:... more

How to Choose an Adoption Agency (Viet Nam specific)

Continued from Part One

Decide just how much hand holding you would like. Personally, I wanted a great deal of support through the entire process, and chose an agency that offered that. Some agencies (mine included) arrange your travel, submit your dossier and assist you the entire time in country. There are others who leave a lot up to you to figure out on your own. Be sure to find out exactly what the agency assists you with. I wrote about humanitarian work and ethical practices in part one, but strongly... more