Vietnam is a country and an adoption program that are very close to my heart. Five years ago, Josh and I were embarking on our very first adoption journey, and between our research, our hearts and our prayers, we were led to Vietnam. We brought home our daughter Maggie at the ripe old age of 3 ½ months, and although the process was a bit rocky at times, overall it was a wonderful experience.

For multiple reasons, including allegations of corruption and a program lacking in set procedures and guidelines, adoptions between the U.S. and Vietnam are just re-opening after being closed for just over three years. In that time the two governments have worked together to revamp the program and the system that will hopefully make it easier to untie waiting children with loving parents and make it more difficult for unscrupulous people to corrupt.

Vietnam is a beautiful country in Southeast Asia, which borders Cambodia and China. Because of poverty and social stigmas against unwed mothers, there are many children in Vietnam available for adoption.

Because the program is just reopening and a lot of the fine details do not seem to be quite worked out yet, and because when adoption programs are "new" things tend to change or be uncertain for the first few families, I am just going to give some basic information at this point.

For starters, one of the new regulations is that agencies have to be licensed in Vietnam to be able to place Vietnamese children. To obtain a license the agencies have to go through quite a process, including demonstrating their commitment to the country by volunteer work and humanitarian aid. Here is the list of agencies, which according to the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, have received their licenses from the Vietnamese government and the provinces that those agencies have been permitted to work in.


Adoption Center of Washington: Binh Thuan
New Beginnings: Vinh Phuc, Cao Bang
Families Thru International Adoption: Thanh Hoa, Quang Binh, Lao Cai
Orphans Overseas: Ha Nam
Vietnamese Orphans Relief Fund: Phu Tho, Da Nang, Quang Nam
Holt International: Da Nang, Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Hanoi
Asian Children's Services and Vietnam Humanitarian Corp: Ha Tinh, Bac Ninh, Bac Giang, Thai Binh
Faith International Adoption: Bac Ninh, Can Tho, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City
Carolina Adoption Services: Tuyen Quang, Phu Tho, Quang Ninh, Da Nang, Quang Nam
Children Hope International: Ho Chi Minh City, Kien Giang, Vinh Long
Children's Home Society and Family Services (CHSFS): Phu Tho, Ben Tre, Binh Thuan, Vinh Long
Adoption International: Ho chi MInh City, Binh Duong
Dillion International: Lam Dong, Ninh Thuan, Vinh Long, An Giang
International Assistance and Adoption Project: Da Nang, Quang Nam, Kien Giang, Soc Trang
Adoption from the Heart: Ho Chi Minh City
A.D.O.P.P.T: Phu Tho, Hung Yen, Ho Chi Minh City
Florida Home Studies and Adoptions, Inc.,: Ba Ria- Vung Tau, Ho Chi Minh City
*Please note that this list is added to frequently

In the past, Vietnam has been very liberal with who is allowed to adopt, without strict guidelines on age or family size, and that seems like it is not going to change. The adoption of two unrelated children at the same time has been permitted and that also appears to still be the case. Singles are permitted to adopt, but homosexual people are not. Children of all ages are available, including young infants.

A dossier of documents is required, and once that is submitted a family waits for a referral. Families travel typically about a month after referral and although the process used to require two trips to Vietnam by the adoptive parents, now only one trip, which seems like it will be about 2-3 weeks, is required.

For more detailed information regarding adopting from Vietnam, including fees, I suggest you contact several of the above listed agencies.

Here are several other resources for connecting with parents who have Vietnamese children and learning about adopting from Vietnam...
Families with Children from Vietnam
Chao Ban Vietnam Adoption Newsletter
Adopt Vietnam website
Great Rainbowkids article on Vietnam adoptions reopening
APV- Yahoo Vietnam Adoption group