Vietnam is very flexible regarding age the age of the
adopting parents, length of marriage, previous divorce, and number of children already in
the adopting family. The ONLY limitation by Vietnamese law is that "adoptive parents
must be at least 20 years older than the children they wish to adopt.
HOWEVER, many agencies put on their OWN set of
requirements and restrictions on adoptive parents. If you are interested in adopting from
Vietnam and you do not meet the requirements of the agency that you are considering, FIND
ANOTHER AGENCY!!!
Children from infants up to age 15 can be adopted. There
are many infants and some sibling groups available. Both males and females are available.
Most parents want to adopt a daughter. This means that
there is a greater demand for girls than boys and the wait for a girl is therefore longer
than the wait for a boy.
Some agencies will not let clients select the
perspective parents select the sex of the child they adopt. If you feel strongly about the
sex of your child, you will need to find another agency.
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This varies by agencies; however most agencies costs are
between $9,000 and $12,000, plus travel.
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Right now, at least one parent must travel to Vietnam
for approximately 2-3 weeks. It is preferred that both parents travel, if possible.
Most agencies only require the parent(s) to make a
single trip. However, some agencies may require parents to make two trips. If time-off or
"$$$" are a concern, be sure to ask perspective agencies about this before you
sign a contract.
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One of the very first things you will need to do as part
of the adoption process is to complete a homestudy. The homestudy is always required as
part of your dossier; since it takes from 3-4 months to complete a homestudy, you should
begin this as soon as you have decided that you want to adopt. You can start this before
you have selected an adoption agency. However, if you have decided to work with an
adoption agency in your area, they will probably do your homestudy for you. If you decide
to use an adoption agency out of your area or out of your state (this is commonly done),
then it will be necessary for you to contract with a local social worker/agency to so your
homestudy. The social worker/agency that you chose should be familiar with working with
international adoptions, and the requirements for Vietnam in particular. You will also
need to make sure that your adoption agency will accept a homestudy done by the social
worker/agency that you have selected. Expect to pay between $750 - $1000 for the
homestudy. If your agency requires post placement services, this may cost an additional
$500 - $800.
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When an adoption agency receives a request from a
client, the agency contacts one of the orphanages that the agency is contracted to work
with and supports. The orphanage checks to see if they can locate a child of the right
age, sex, etc. that the prospective parents have requested. When a child is identified,
the agency asks the client if the child is acceptable. If so, the agency, working with the
orphanage, starts the process of having the adoption approved by the Vietnamese
government.
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Depending on the type of child requested, the referral
may be immediate (after the homestudy is complete). There are many children waiting, and
it is not uncommon to receive an immediate referral. If a child is not immediately
available, the wait is usually 1-4 months. Since most requests are for girls, the wait for
girls is longer than for boys.
After referral, it will take from 3-4 months to get all
the approvals from the Vietnamese government and for travel to be arranged.
International adoption is full of uncertainties. Please
understand that governments frequently change procedures and time frames are often
impacted. Also, in Vietnam, each province has different regulations that may also impact
the time that it takes to complete your adoption. Although I have heard of adoptions being
completed in as little as 4 months (homestudy to travel), a typical adoption from the
beginning of the homestudy to travel can take from 9 to 12 months. (Note: a typical
homestudy takes about 3 months.)
Although the road my be difficult and often frustrating,
every new parent I have talked to assures me that it is all worth it!!
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Send mail to willa.cree@asu.edu
with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: February 21, 1998
