Effective August 6, 2010, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) announced the suspension of new adoption cases for children identified as Abandoned in Nepal. The primary concern with these cases is the documentation of the abandonment. DOS feels the origin of the child cannot be adequately determined and the child’s adoptability cannot be assured. The DOS will continue processing adoption petitions for those children referred to an American citizen prior to August 6, 2010. However, the review of these cases will be vigorous and it is expected that some might not be ultimately approved. It appears that cases in which children were relinquished will continue to be processed.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that prospective adoptive families may do a one-time transfer their Immigration approval (I-171h) to another country at no cost. The full announcement on the suspension and Q&A can be found at: USCIS Announcement & USCIS Q&A
We will update families as more information is made available. If you have any questions please contact Mary Beth King.