Wait It Out

I have asked my case manager if I am in the position to perhaps look at another adoption country. She has advised me to wait it out to see what the decision will be in March before making a switch. We do not have many choices if a switch becomes necessary, but we would keep going to try to adopt if Vietnam closes. There is another email address for us to get our desire for the program to remain open to the State Department. All of us would appreciate anyone who could help support us in obtaining this goal by emailing the following address.

AskCI@state.gov

Also, updates from our agency will be coming in every two weeks instead of once a month until we know the decision made in March. There is a final draft letter that will be ready by the end of the week which will hopefully help the situation. This letter "Vietnam Standards of Practice" will be signed by all agencies who are members of the JCICS(Joint Council on International Children's Services)to endorse the set of standards used in Vietnamese adoptions with the US. The letter will be presented to the Vietnamese Government and the State Department. The JCICS hopes that it will help coordinate the ways agencies work in compliance with conditions set forth by the adoption agreement thus encouraging a renewal of the "Bilateral Agreement" due to expire the end of August. The JCICS will also be attending a conference call with officials of the State Department and USCIS but the date of the call has yet to be announced.