What Is...The Vietnam Dossier?

The Vietnam Dossier is the collection of documents that make up the adoptive family application to adopt from Vietnam. Each individual document of the dossier must be certified by the appropriate State, certified by the Consulate/Embassy of Vietnam, translated, and then submitted to the Department of International Adoptions (DIA) in Hanoi for review.

Vietnamese Law - Decree 68 (PDF, Article 41)/ Decree 69 (PDF, Clause 10)/ Circular 8 (PDF, Part III) - governs the requirements for the documents that need to be submitted. The following 11 documents (8 for single applicants) are required:

1. Application to Adopt (PDF Form)
2. Copy of Applicant's Passport picture page (one for each applicant)
3. USCIS Form I-171H or I-797C approving applicant's I-600a orphan petition
4. International Adoption Homestudy
5. Medical Clearance/Recommendation from Physician (one for each applicant)
6. Criminal Clearance/Background Check from local police station (one for each applicant)
7. Financial Statement (PDF Form)
8. Marriage Certificate**

(**Though not specifically identified in Vietnamese law I have found that the DIA does require, in lieu of the marriage certificate, a written statement from single applicants).

Four of the dossier documents are time sensitive and could expire if too much time lapses between the date the document is signed and the date the dossier is submitted to the DIA. Though the time period usually stops tolling when the documents are submitted to the DIA, applicants should be prepared to re-submit some of the documents if the time to referral is more than 6 months. The documents that do have expiration dates are as follows:

1. I-171H or I-797C is valid for 18 months. The FBI fingerprints associated with this approval are valid for 15 months.
2. International Adoption Homestudy is valid for 18 months.
3. Medical Clearance/Recommendation is valid for 6 months.
4. Criminal Clearance/Background Check is valid for 6 months.

Comments

[abuzz]

Melissa,

The DIA only looks at the date of the signature and notary to determine the date of the document. The intent behind the request for a medical examination and approval letter is to determine the current health status. I would recommend that you schedule the medical examination to be within 6 months.

[melissa]

Does the medical tests themselves have to be within 6 months or just the doctors signiture on the form?

[abuzz]

Mary,
Decree 69 outlines the dossier requirements for prospective adoptive parents. Part 10.1.F reads, "The written certification of the applicant's income proving that he/she can afford child adoption." Though this was initially fulfilled by submitting a letter of employment, the Financial Statement is currently the form that must be submitted to the DIA.

[Mary]

My agency did not mention a Financial Statement. Not yet anyway. We did not receive our first package yet.