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The Consular Section of U.S. Embassy Hanoi and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) office in Ho Chi Minh City are pleased to announce that effective October 29, 2007, all I-600 petitions to Classify Orphans as an Immediate Relative will be accepted by mail. As explained during the September 2007 Adoption Service Provider meeting, this procedure will take the place of the current I-600 interview. Special procedures apply for prospective adoptive parents who are currently in Vietnam or who have imminent travel plans.

I-600 petitions and supporting documents should be mailled to one of the following addresses:

For standard U.S. mail:
U.S. Consulate General
Ho Chi Minh City
PSC 461 Box 500
FPO AP 96521-0002
Attn: DHS/CIS-Adoption

For express service:
U.S. Consulate General
4 Le Duan St
District 1
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Attn: DHS/CIS-Adoption

I-600 Petitions to Classify Oprhans as an Immediate Relative should be accompanied by the following documents:

list of 4 items
list of 4 items nesting level 1
list of 4 items nesting level 2
. I-600 - include email address of the petitioner . Copy of approved I-171H . Referral photo of child and date received . Letter from licensed ASP stating that they are assisting the petitioner with the adoption.
list end nesting level 2
list end nesting level 1
list end

Additional documentation (Please provide three copies of each document.
Each copy should be accompanied by an English translation.):

ABANDONMENT:

1) Biological mother abandoned the child after giving birth in a hospital or medical center:

list of 9 items
list of 9 items nesting level 1
list of 9 items nesting level 2
. Birth Certificate of Child
. Hospital record of biological mother’s admittance to and report of discharge from the hospital . Request for authorities to locate the biological mother . Police report confirming that biological mother could not be located . Record of placing and receiving abandoned child into the orphanage . Decision receiving child into the orphanage - DOLISA . Request and proof of all public announcements concerning abandonment . Confirmation from Government Officials that the child has not been recognized by relatives and there has been no application for domestic adoption . Agreement to place the child for adoption with prospective adoptive parent list end nesting level 2 list end nesting level 1 list end

2) Child found abandoned:

list of 8 items
list of 8 items nesting level 1
list of 8 items nesting level 2
. Birth Certificate of Child
. Report of the child finder
. Report of certification of abandoned child . Record of placing and receiving abandoned child into the orphanage . Decision receiving child into the orphanage - DOLISA . Request and proof of all public announcements concerning abandonment . Confirmation from Government Officials that the child has not been recognized by relatives and there has been no application for domestic adoption . Agreement to place the child for adoption with prospective adoptive parent list end nesting level 2 list end nesting level 1 list end

RELINQUISHMENT

list of 7 items
list of 7 items nesting level 1
list of 7 items nesting level 2
. Birth Certificate of Child
. Statement from biological parent/s before government officials requesting to be allowed to relinquish the child - including the reason why it is necessary

. Commitment statement signed by biological parent/s and government officials relinquishing the child . If the biological mother claims she is unmarried - government confirmation that the biological mother is single and no registered marriage certificate on record.
. Record of placing and receiving relinquished child into the orphanage . Decision receiving child into the orphanage - DOLISA . Agreement to place the child for adoption with prospective adoptive parent list end nesting level 2 list end nesting level 1 list end

Processing time for the petitions will be approximately 60 days. Petitioners should not travel to Vietnam until they have received a provisional approval letter from the US Embassy in Hanoi. Upon receipt of this letter, petitioners may travel to Vietnam and have their Giving and Receiving Ceremony. Once the adoption is complete, an immigrant visa interview should be scheduled with the US Embassy in Hanoi, as there will no longer be a separate I-600 interview.

Please note that only the USCIS office in Ho Chi Minh City can review I-600 petitions. These petitions should not be filed with USCIS offices in the US.

Both the Department of State and USCIS in Vietnam have encountered inconsistencies in the documentation and circumstances regarding the relinquishment or abandonment of children for adoption. These irregularities may affect the eligibility of the child for classification as an orphan. They have also resulted in long delays for parents awaiting resolution of these issues while they are in Vietnam. In some cases, these circumstances have proved difficult to address or overcome for all parties involved.

As a result, we strongly encourage all prospective adoptive parents who do not have imminent travel plans to Vietnam to file their petitions according to the above instructions. However, we recognize that some cases will arise from petitioners traveling to Vietnam during the transition period.
Therefore
we will continue to schedule I-600 interviews until November 2, 2006. From November 5 through November 16, 2007, the Consular Section of U.S. Embassy Hanoi and the USCIS office in Ho Chi Minh City will only accept requests for I-600 interivews on a case-by-case basis. To request an interview during this period, please send an e-mail to hanoiadoptions@state.gov providing a justification as to why the I-600 cannot be submitted by mail. Beginning November 17, 2007, I-600 petitions will only be accepted by mail. A public announcment regarding the new procedure will be forthcoming from the U.S.
Citizenship
and Immigration Service at
www.uscis.gov

Best regards,

Hanoi Adoptions
Consular Section
US Embassy, Hanoi
Rose Garden Tower
170 Ngoc Khanh, Hanoi
Tel : 84-4-8314590
Fax: 84-4-8314578
Public email:
HanoiAdoptions@state.gov