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 42 licensed agencies that they can choose to work with; there is no logical reason to not choose one of them.

If the thought of illegal and unethical practices are not enough to scare one away from working with an umbrella’ed agency, consider this: adoption cases through unlicensed agencies (even if they have an umbrella agreement) are receiving a higher level of scrutiny by the Vietnamese government and cases may be held up or possibly rejected. Why would anyone want to open themselves up to the possibility of this happening? Is having a super young baby and no travel wait times really worth it? I hope the response is “no”, but know better. All I can do is continue to urge prospective adoptive parents to only work with licensed agencies.

Some of these agencies who are partnering with licensed agencies claim the reason to be
a financial one; that they can’t afford the licensing process. Ok – do you really want to be working with an agency who does not have the means or stability to complete the smallest, most mundane task? How on Earth will they handle the paperwork and red tape in both the US and Viet Nam systems? And since they have no license, how will they be able to help you when your paperwork is deemed questionable at your Embassy interview? And honestly, if I were researching agencies I would write off any agency who would offer an umbrella agreement to another agency. Why would they offer their license and their reputation to an agency that they will have no control over? Dollars and cents perhaps, but it’s certainly not for the well being of the kids.

Uneducated PAPs (prospective adoptive parents) or those choosing to turn a blind eye are the sole reason that umbrella’ing even exists and we need to do our best to stop it. PAPs need to know the ramifications of working with unlicensed agencies. They may lose the child they have fallen in love with; they may have to stay in Viet Nam for much more time than originally planned; Viet Nam may grow weary of such agreements and close down the program again. Working with a licensed, reputable agency with a strong history in Vietnamese adoptions is the ONLY way to go to protect both children and families.




Related Link:
Licensed Adoption Agencies in Viet Nam
How to Choose an Ethical Adoption Agency
Red Flags - What to Look For When Choosing an Adoption Agency