Comments on: JCICS presents SoP to Vietnam

By: e.

e. — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 00:29:53 +0000

Does anyone know why this was not mentioned at the recent JCICS meeting in Washington — or included in the Standard of Practices? It just seems so sudden. Someone, or some people, must have recently determined this was a way to scale back the number of agencies working in Vietnam…because if they truly wanted agencies to become Hague-accredited, why didn’t they give them any advance warning and a chance to do so? On the DoS’s own website, they state that agencies working in non-Hague countries do not have to be Hague-accredited. That statement is still on their site: http://travel.state.gov/family/adoption/implementation/implementation_
2806.html
Now, one Embassy has decided to change the rules. Even if you are in favor of this move, does it seem like proper gov’t protocol?
It’s the same last-minute policy change as what they did with the I-600’s. The intention *might* be good, but the methods leave much to be desired.
I must state again that my agency says this is the first they are hearing of it and the deadline is 3 weeks away. I can see that some of the “usual suspect” agencies are non-Hague. But they’re not the only ones. Was this a way to get them out of Vietnam, even tho some decent agencies might be thrown out too?
My agency does a high percentage of SN and older kid referrals. Yes, they are a small agency but their heart is in the right place and they have a long history of SN work in Vietnam. It just seems terribly unfair. Not only to us PAPs but to the kids they place and care for.

By: Kathryn

Kathryn — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 18:13:19 +0000

I’m with CHI and I thionk it stems from some things that were done by a couple former employees, working with the Russia program. Those individuals are no longer with CHI as soon as they found out about their activities, but the damage had already been done.

By: Mindy

Mindy — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 14:48:00 +0000

CHI has applied for Hague accredidation. Thier case is pending and is up for review soon.

By: Sara

Sara — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 13:45:16 +0000

I think JCICS was referring to pending referrals from agencies that were not Hague accredited, if/when the VN MOJ decides to only license Hague accredited agencies. I don’t think they meant if the MOU is not resigned.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 12:40:57 +0000

Lis - I feel the same way. This really surprised me. Even though we may not have referrals by 9/1 it doesn’t mean we have not invested extensive time, money and emotional attachment to our adoptions from Vietnam already.

- M

By: Tracy

Tracy — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 03:40:53 +0000

Does anyone know the timeframe involved if Vietnam does join the Hague? Our own gov. signed in 1994 (I think), but it wasn’t ratified until 2007. Were we following Hague guidelines this entire time or only after the ratification? Since this sounds like a licencing issue (ie….VN may potentially only allow Hague agencies to work in VN), does anyone know how long agencies are typically already licensed for (ie…does it expire every year or do they have a 5 year license) and how will that effect any non-Hague agencies if their license is not due to expire prior to any proposed changes-will there be a grandfathering? Also, anyone have any idea why Children’s Hope Intl. is not on the Hague list, that surprises me since they work with China which is a Hague country.

By: Jena

Jena — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 19:39:00 +0000

As I read the quote above it says,”MOLISA(Vietnamese Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs) and MOJ(Vietnamese Ministry of Justice) reconfirmed their desire to implement the Hague Convention. Joint Council understands that the MOJ, as part of aligning practices with Hague standards, will permit the continuation of adoption licenses for agencies receiving Hague accreditation by the U.S. Central Authority.”
What that is saying is that Vietnam has intended to become party to the Hague, the MOLISA and the MOJ reconfirmed that. Logically, it would make sense only to continue lisences of agencies that are Hague accredited, since the agreement was not renewed. JCICS supports that position.

By: L

Sun, 09 Mar 2008 19:25:32 +0000

E, very interesting, and surely unusual protocol, at the least.

By: lis

lis — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 19:08:22 +0000

As a prospective adoptive parent with a dossier in VN for over 6 months now, I was disappointed to see that JCICS does not appear to be advocating that VN process all pending cases, including folks with dossiers in country, but only those cases in which referrals have been made. anyone have any more insight or info on this?
Lis

By: K

Sun, 09 Mar 2008 18:44:54 +0000

I am sorry I was referring to Ministry of Justice (MOJ) when I wrote VN DOJ. Again, it is clear that the Ministry of Justice is the licensing entity for agencies in VN.