bringourchildrenhome.org/57601/59801.html Bring Our Children Home

Bring Our Children Home U.S. Department of Homeland Security U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Memorandum March 31,2008 TO: Field Leadership FROM: Lori Scialabba Associate Director Refugee, Asylum, and International Operations Directorate SUBJECT: DNA parentage testing for children in Vietnam that have been abandoned for adoption. Effective immediately the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) offfice in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, has determined that any prospective adoptive parent(s) seeking to participate in the "Orphan First" program for the adjudication of Petition to Classify an Orphan as an Immediate Relative (Form 1-600) will be required to submit a DNA test in order to establish a relationship between an abandoning parent and a prospective adoptive child. USCIS also recommends the submission of a DNA test to any prospective adoptive parent(s) who are not participating in the Orphan First program. USClS is taking this step in response to concerns regarding the adoption process in Vietnam and to ensure that all abandonment adoption cases are valid. The DNA matching test will confirm that the prospective adoptive child is matched with the birth parent who voluntarily consented to the adoption. In order to arrange for DNA testing for adoption cases where a birth parent has been identified, the Prospective Adoptive Parent(s) (PAP), Adoption Service Provider (ASP) or the attorney representing the PAP, must contact the USCIS office in Ho Chi Minh City once the child has been identified and a Form 1-600 has been accepted by USCIS. The USClS office will then give t...