How a Vietnam Adoption Works

Good news. My agency received 2 referrals this week for healthy baby girls. That takes my number down to 42! Several of you have asked me how the adoption process works in Vietnam since each country has different rules and practices. Listed below is a summary of the steps. I am currently waiting to get my dossier together. However since the wait time is so long, our agency delays you putting your paperwork together until closer to a referral time. I hope they have me do it soon since I am coming up on 12 months on the wait list next month.

Basics on how the adoption process works:
• Application: The first step is the formal application to the agency and their approval
• Immigration Papers: Submit application to the CIS for the 171-H for government approval to bring an orphan into the U.S. (Lots of paperwork)
• Home Study: Visits (3) with a social worker to interview family and report on home environment. (Lots more paperwork)
• Waiting List: When you have the 171-H approval and the home study is completed you go onto a waiting list for referral of a child. Wait times vary tremendously. Currently, CHI is listing a wait time of 18-24 months for referral of a boy and over 2 years for a girl.
• Dossier: The dossier is the formal paperwork that gets sent to Vietnam. It includes things like employment documentation, physician letter, police clearance and more. Documents need to be notarized, state certified, and then authenticated by the Vietnamese Embassy in Washington, DC.
• Referral: The agency matches families up with a particular child at this point and sends available information (photos, medical data) to the family. After accepting a referral, the agency begins paperwork in Vietnam.
• Travel: Once a "Giving and Receiving" date is set, the family is scheduled to travel to Vietnam and bring home their child. Typically, this happens anywhere from 3-6 months after the referral is received.

Hope everyone has a great week!