International adoption has been a blessing to many families for many years. Countries from which Americans (and other countries) adopt require that adoptive parents submit post adoption reports at specific intervals after the adoption takes place. Adoption Agencies continue to urge adoptive families to comply with these requirements, and the Department of State has recently spot-lighted the importance of compliance with these requirements. Please read on for more details published by the Department of State.
“Post-adoption reports to the children’s countries of origin not only demonstrate U.S. families’ commitment to adopted children’s welfare, but also help intercountry adoption programs remain open as a viable option for children who cannot find permanency in their countries of birth. Many countries require adoptive parents to provide information regarding the progress and welfare of children after they join their new families through submission of these reports. Post-adoption reports provide assurance to the authorities of the child’s country of origin that children who are placed with permanent families in the United States are receiving appropriate care and protection.
The specific requirements vary from country to country, are sometimes quite detailed, and may extend until adopted children turn 18 (or even older in a few rare cases). Information on country specific requirements can be found on our website on the following page: Post-Adoption Reporting Overview. U.S. regulations require Adoption Service Providers (ASPs) to include the country of origin’s post-adoption reporting requirements in the contract with the prospective adoptive parents and make good faith efforts to encourage them to submit the reports. For information about post-adoption reporting requirements, please check the post-adoption section of the country-specific pages on our website. You may also find helpful information about Post-Adoption Requirements and Obtaining U.S. Citizenship on our website.
Missing or delinquent post-adoption reports can negatively impact ASPs seeking authorization to work in affected countries, as well as U.S. citizen parents seeking to adopt in the future. The consequences of failure to comply with post-adoption reporting requirements are significant, particularly for thousands of children in need of permanency who would be adversely impacted if intercountry adoption programs are suspended or closed.
The Department of State encourages prospective adoptive parents to be aware of these obligations at the outset of their adoption process, and in consultation with their ASP, consider their willingness to comply with post-adoption reporting requirements prior to identifying the country from which they wish to pursue adoption.”
