Adoption and Immigration Process

The adoption and immigration process of a Vietnamese child is as follows:

Initial contact

The first step, after you think over the option of adopting a Vietnamese child, is to contact the relevant authority either of the province, state or territory where you reside. It is a good idea to ask them what kind of documents or process you will have to go through, especially with regard to immigration process which allows you to take the child with you back home.
Photo: visaplace.com 

Adoption assessment and home study

The assessment will help both your government and the government of Vietnam to determine whether you can provide an appropriate environment where your child can grow and grow well. Each province, state or territory maintains a list of certified homestudy agencies, which have the ability to evaluate your specific case. Elements to be assessed include: physical and psychological health, motivations, family history, parenting capacity, to name a few.

Prepare all the necessary documents

In your home country, prepare all the documents as far in advance as possible. The volume of paper work can be a major cause of stress. Here is a list of documents you need to collect. Make extra copies since you will need them sooner or later:

• Birth certificates
• Marriage certificates
• Bank statements
• Pass-port sized photos
• Passport and copies of passports
• Tax return
• Immunization certificates: with updated tetanus and polio
• Health insurance: check if they include your adopted children
• Verification of employment
• A binder that has all the receipts and email exchange with your agency

Please note that all documents issued by your government need to be notarized

Find an agency and send your application

There are more adoption agencies than you can imagine, both in Vietnam and in your home country. It might be good to browse through the experiences of previous adoptive parents and go with a positive feedback one. Here is a list of Vietnam adoption agency. The agency is helpful in sharing with you relevant information about the process, and may send the application on your behalf to the overseas authority. Public agency will cost you next to nothing, and private agency can cost you as much as thousands of dollars. In general, you will need to submit the following documents to the Vietnam Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Foreign Affairs (MOLISA):

• Document issued by your home country, which authorizes the adoption and states clearly the reason for adopting a Vietnamese child (Letter of Approval by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services).
• Document issued by your home country, which certifies that your physical and mental health and financial status are sufficient to ensure a good upbringing environment for your adopted child (a detailed homestudy report).
• An application form for child adoption, which states clearly your name and address, the reason for adopting, and the name and age of the adopted child. In the case that you do not yet know the name of the adopted child, you can send a letter of interest to MOLISA for assistance.
• Note that all documents written in English need to be translated into Vietnamese with full notarization.

Immigration application

Most parents will apply for the immigration status of their future child prior to travelling to see them. Please refer to the immigration authority of your country for information about the detailed process. Your agency may also be a good source to consult.

Travel to Vietnam

Please double check the required amount of time you need to spend before you make your travel reservations. Also allow enough time to complete all the left-over bureaucracy process. After your application to adopt a Vietnamese child has been approved, you will need to come to MOLISA office and:

• Present the documents or permits from the home country that allows you to bring the adopted child back with you
• Agree to send annual report with attached photos to MOLISA, until he or she reaches 18
• Agree to send the adopted child to school in due age
• Agree to be responsible for all costs related to the adoption procedure.