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PROGRAM BRIEF FOR ADOPTION IN VIETNAM

1.   Both boys and girls are available for adoption - from infants to older.  Although boys are more numerous.

2.   Children are given up for adoption usually for reasons of poverty. All children are adopted from orphanages and welfare organizations. They have a medical examination and HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and Syphilis tests prior to placement.

3.   After you receive your CIS (immigration) approval (form I-171H) you will get on the wait list for a referral. We will then tell you when it is time to put your dossier together. The dossier is only good for 6 months so we do not want your dossier to expire.  Once you submit a dossier to CHI, we will submit it to the adoption center in Hanoi.  After you are referred a child from Vietnam you will travel to pick up the child 4-5 months later.  Families open to adopting boys are being assigned within 4-6 months after the dossier is submitted.  For girls, the wait is much longer probably close to 18-24 months.  Wait times can and do change depending on the number of families waiting and the number of referrals received each month.

4.   We will arrange all travel and you will be met and assisted the entire time in Vietnam by one of our bi-lingual CHI Representatives. You will find them quite caring and knowledgeable about the whole adoption process.

5.   Only one trip is now required to Vietnam.  Families are usually in country for 2-3 weeks.  You will first fly to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) to complete your adoption paperwork and receive the child's visa.  If you are adopting outside of HCMC, you will drive to the province where your child is located and spend a few days in the province.  All families will fly to Hanoi to finalize the adoption in the American Embassy before returning home with your child.

 REQUIREMENTS

1.   Vietnam's age requirement is that parents must be 20 years older than the child. Usually adoptive parents are between 25-55 but exceptions may be made for older or younger on a case-by-case basis.  CHI requires that both parents are at least 23 years old.  Families under 50 years old can adopt an infant 0-12 months.  Adoptive parents 50-55 years old can adopt a child 1-3 years old; 55-60 can adopt a child 3-5 years old and adoptive parents over 60 must be open to a child over 5 years old.

2.   Singles are allowed to adopt, single men case by case.

3.   Persons with two divorces are permitted to adopt.

4.   Couples who have 5 or more children in the home are allowed to adopt, they must prove that they make enough income to support a large family.

5.   PROCEDURE

1.   Fill out the application which can be downloaded in our forms section.

2.   We will send you a Vietnam Adoption Guide which gives step by step procedures and you will be assigned your personal CHI Adoption Counselor to guide you through every step in preparing your paperwork. Also you will have 24 hour a day access to CHI Family NetŪ which gives you detailed instruction about preparation before during and after the adoption.

3.    When your paperwork (Dossier) is finished,

  1. We will send it to our staff in Vietnam who will work with adoption authorities.
  2. They will work with the government in Vietnam to identify a child for you. That is called a referral and a picture and medical and all available information will be sent.
  3. Upon your acceptance of the referral, you will travel to Vietnam 4-5 months later to bring your child home.  All arrangements will be made by CHI.
  4. Normally, 2-3 weeks are needed in Vietnam for the finalization of the adoption. However, if delays occur, parents will be required to stay longer.
  5. You will fly home! CHI will be available to you for any service needed after the adoption is complete.

 COST

1.   The estimated total cost of the adoption but NOT including travel is:  $16,017-$16,257.

2.   The estimated cost for travel (hotel and airfare; two parents traveling): $5010.

3.    The estimated total cost of adoption and travel (for two people) is: $21,027-$21,267.

This does not include INS (CIS) application fee, local home study, fees for certification and translation/authentication in Vietnamese Embassy, or post-placement reports.

 

Steps 1-2-3  for adopting in Vietnam.

Download  the Adoption Guide for All Programs and the Vietnam Profile.