Overview

In a Nut Shell: The Low-Down on Adopting From Vietnam

Prior to the moratorium imposed by the Vietnamese government, and pending the implementation of the Protocol signed by Vietnam and the U.S., the following information applied to adopting from Vietnam:

Children Available: Healthy infants 6 months old and older (both boys and girls) are available for adoption from Vietnam. Special needs children and older children are also available for international adoption.


Parent Requirements: There are no age restrictions on parents. Couples, single men, and single women are eligible to adopt from Vietnam.

Travel Requirements: Two trips are required. The first trip requires a one-week stay; the second trip requires a two- to three-week stay.

Time Frame: From first application through child placement averages 17 months.

Number of Children Adopted by Americans in 2003: 382

Additional Information: Families with no children must be open to a child of either gender. The children available for adoption from Vietnam live in orphanages. Some regions of Vietnam may not allow adoption by large families.

Credits: The International Adoption Guidebook, © Mary M. Strickert