Citizenship is granted automatically only when both parents travel to the foreign country (or a single parent travels to the foreign country) and see the child prior to the adoption. These children are granted an IR-3 visa which provides them with automatic citizenship upon entering the United States. All others enter the United States on an IR- 4 visa which requires the parents to apply for citizenship by submitting an N-600 form to the USCIS.

We are mentioning this now because it has come to our attention from talking with some parents that they have not applied for citizenship for those children that were not granted automatic citizenship. It is important that this be done as soon as possible after you return home. The law was changed several years ago. If you adopted before 2001 and have any doubts about your child's citizenship you should contact the USCIS.

For more information about citizenship for your child go to http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/publicaffairs/backgrou nds/cbground.htm or call the National Service Center at 1-800-375-5283.

A reminder to everyone who has adopted from Vietnam that your yearly reports are now due. The reports are due every year at this time until your child reaches the age of 18. in the past we have sent reminders out as a courtesy but still we only get about 50% of the reports that are due.

All parents sign an agreement when they adopt their child in Vietnam to provide these reports. These are very important to future adoptions as it demonstrates to Vietnam that the trust they placed in you and all parents was correct.

You may download a copy of the reporting form by going to Vietnam Reports. Once you have logged in go to the Vietnam section.

A reminder that post placement reports are due at 6 months and 12 months after you return from China. China takes these reports and your agreement to provide these very seriously. If you have any doubts about what is required in these reports Click Here, log on to our site and click on Post Placement reports in the China section. If these reports are not in on time we will have to hound you relentlessly and we don't want to do that and you don't want us to do that.

If you are behind in your reports get them in as soon as possible but DO GET THEM IN!!!!

There have been several problems with dossier documents recently that we need to bring to your attention.

1. When referring to China in any document always refer to it either as China or the Peoples Republic of China. Do not refer to it as the Republic of China which is Taiwan. The Chinese Embassy will not touch a document that has Republic of China since they do not acknowledge that such a country exists. So, it is best to just always refer to it as China.

2. Marriage licenses and birth certificates must be recently issued from the state. The Chinese Embassy has been refusing those documents that are over one year old.