UPDATESe.

• October 10th - Joint Council's Position Statement on Vietnam Special Needs Children has been released. Please see our Vietnam page for more information.
   

• October 8th - The processing of adoptions in Colombia has been temporarily halted. Please see our Colombia page for details.
   

• October 6th - Please support Joint Council's efforts to help the I600A/I800A Transition Cases. Visit our I600A page for more information.
   

• October 3rd - The Kazakhstan Consulate has released a statement on inter-country adoptions from Kazakhstan. Please see the Kazakhstan page for details.
   

• October 2nd - Joint Council has released FAQs on the incidents of contaminated
  formula in China. Please see our China page for more information.
   

• October 2nd - The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services has released FAQs on the Hague Inter-country Adoption Process. Please see our Hague page for more information.
   

• September 29th - The U.S. Department of State has released the latest statement by CNA on the halting of cases. Please see our Guatemala page for details.
   

• September 24th - On September 17, 2008, the House of Representatives unanimously passed H.R. 6893, the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act (H.R. 6893). For more information, please see our Adoption Legislation page.
   

• September 10th -  At this time, we are not asking families to call or e-mail the Joint Council office in support of our advocacy efforts regarding the I600A approval process. For more information on our work in this area, please see our China page.
   

• September 4th - Joint Council delegates met with NBC officials during their recent visit to Washington, D.C. For details of what was discussed, please see our Hague page.
   

• September 1st - The Memorandum of Agreement between the United States and Vietnam expires on September 1st, 2008. To read Joint Council's statement, please see our Vietnam page.
   

• August 20th - The American Bar Association (ABA) has passed a resolution in support of intercountry adoption as an integral part of child welfare. For a summarization, please see our Adoption Legislation page.
   

• August 19th - The Department of State has released a statement on births in Tu Du Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City. For more information, please see our Vietnam page.
   

• August 19th - Senators John McCain and Barack Obama spoke of the world orphan crisis during a recent interview. For details, please see our Adoption Legislation page.
   

• August 12th - Joint Council recently traveled to Ethiopia to meet with government officials regarding the provision of children's services. For more information, please see our Ethiopia page.
   

• August 11th - Joint Council has received the response issued by the Department of State to the Members of the United States Congress who signed the letter to Secretary Rice. To read the letter, please visit our Vietnam page.
   

• August 6th - As part of our International Relations Initiative, Joint Council led a delegation to Haiti the week of July 28, 2008. For  more information, see our Haiti page.
   

• August 1st - A congressional briefing is being held today for congressional staffers regarding Guatemala and Vietnam. For details, please see our Guatemala and Vietnam pages.
   

• July 29th - Joint Council participated in a meeting on July 28, 2008, with the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Department of State, Trace International, and the National Council For Adoption on the subject of transparency and due diligence reviews in intercountry adoption. For more information, please see our Hague page.
   

• July 29th - Joint Council participated in a briefing on July 26th on issues related to international children’s services with particular attention to intercountry adoption in Guatemala. For details of what was discussed, please visit our Guatemala page.
   

• July 28th - Joint Council has issued a statement on its participation in a briefing hosted by 60 congressional offices, as well as recent Hague-related discussions in the Vietnam National Assembly. For more information, please see our Vietnam page.
   

• July 21st - Joint Council has issued a response to the Department of State update on our  Vietnam page.
   

• July 18th - The U.S. Department of State has issued an update on the status of adoptions in Vietnam. Please see our Vietnam page for more information.
   

• July 16th - During the week of June 30 - July 7, 2008, Joint Council led a delegation of child welfare organizations to Addis Ababa and Rwanda. For more information, please see our Ethiopia page.
   

• July 11th - The Department of State, Office of Children's Issues is in the process of creating a new intercountry adoption website and is looking for input by means of a survey. To access the survey, please visit our Hague page.
   

• July 8th - The letter to Secretary Rice in support of the recommendations found in A Child's Right Campaign for Vietnam, as well as the list of congressional signatories, are now available on our Vietnam page.
   

• July 7th - The Joint Council office's phone problems have been corrected - thank you for your understanding.
   

• July 1st- The Joint Council office is currently experiencing phone problems - although we are working to correct the situation, we advise that anyone unable to reach a Joint Council staff member (or leave a voicemail) via phone also send an email follow-up to info@jcics.org.
   

• June 30th - We are no longer asking families to call and e-mail their representatives for the Child's Right Campaign for Vietnam. Thank you for your support!
   

• June 26th - President Bush held a meeting with the Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung at the White House, during which the parties discussed inter-country adoption. For details, please visit our Vietnam page.
   

• June 23rd - Joint Council is asking you to call and e-mail in support of the Child's Right Campaign for Vietnam. For more information, please see our Vietnam page.
   

• June 18th- The U.S. Department of State has announced that PGN plans to release previously approved adoption cases. Our Guatemala page has the latest information.
   

• June 16th - The Department of State has released the FAQs: Responses to Questions Raised with Us on Adoption from Guatemala as well as a Guatemala Adoption Reform Fact Sheet. Please visit our  Guatemala page for more information.
   

• June 13th - Joint Council has released an update on the status of the Child's Right Campaign, as well as our upcoming trip to Vietnam. For details, please see our Vietnam page.
   

• June 10th - The U.S. Department of State has issued a statement on the bilateral agreement with Vietnam, which expires September 1st. Please visit our Vietnam page for more information.
   

• June 9th - The U.S. Department of State has publicized a flowchart for incoming cases under the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption. Please visit our Hague page for details.
   

• June 6th - Joint Council has released a statement on the approximately 230 cases released from PGN today. Please see our Guatemala page for more information.
   

• June 5th - Joint Council has issued an update on the status of the approximately 2,600 pending adoptions currently being reviewed.  Please visit our Guatemala page for details.
   

• June 2nd - On May 27-28, 2008, Joint Council Guatemala Representative Roberto Echeverría, President Tom DiFilipo and Caucus Co-chair Chris Huber conducted meetings with the key Guatemalan child welfare stakeholders. For a summary of their achievements, please visit the Guatemala page.
   

• May 29th - Joint Council Representatives Tom DiFilipo and Bruce Mossburg have returned from their meetings with elected officials in Guatemala. Joint Council will release an update on their advocacy work next week.
   

• May 28th - The U.S. Department of State has issued a statement regarding last week's visit to the Semillas de Amor (Seeds of Love) foster care home by PGN. For more information, please visit our Guatemala page.
   

• May 26th - On May 2, 2008, the Nepali Cabinet approved new terms and conditions to govern the intercountry adoption process, but it is not yet known when adoptions may resume. Please see our Nepal page for additional information.
   

• May 22nd - Joint Council has issued a statement regarding the recent earthquake in China and concerns about adoptions in the wake of a natural disaster. Joint Council also wishes to express its condolences to the Chapman family, tireless advocates for children, who recently lost one of their three Chinese adopted daughters. For more information, please visit our China page.
   

• May 21st - Joint Council has officially launched A Child's Right Campaign for Vietnam. We are asking for the support of our members and their families to help make this initiative a success. For more information, please visit our Vietnam page.
   

• May 16th - Joint Council has issued a statement on the ongoing review of all pending adoption cases, birthmother interviews, and raids on Semillas de Amor in Guatemala. Please visit our Guatemala page for additional information.
   

• May 8th - On April 16th-19th, Joint Council traveled to Guatemala to meet with key stakeholders. For more information on this trip, and the latest State Department update on Guatemalan adoptions, please visit our Guatemala page.
   

• April 25 - Joint Council is now accepting applications for the Margi Miller International Children's Services internship for Summer 2008. For more information, please visit our Job Bank page.
   

• April 3 - The Council on Accreditation has issued a letter to Tom DiFilipo, President & CEO of Joint Council, further clarifying the process by which COA accredits/approves adoption service providers. For more information, please visit our Hague page.
   

• April 2 - The U.S. Department of State has issued an article which discusses the intercountry adoption process in light of the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption, which officially went into force on April 1^st. For more information, please visit our Hague page.
   

• April 1 - The Council on Accreditation recently submitted a letter to Tom DiFilipo, President & CEO of Joint Council, regarding the rolling nature of Hague Accreditation specific to Vietnam. For more information, please visit our Vietnam page.
   

• March 28 - Joint Council has issued an update regarding the implementation of the Hague Convention in Guatemala. For more information, please visit our Guatemala page.
   

• March 25 - Joint Council has released an announcement regarding our meeting with Kazakhstan Ambassador to the United States Erlan Idrissov on Monday, March 24th. For more information, please visit our Kazakhstan page.
   

• March 22 - Joint Council is pleased to announce that the Department of Homeland Security has reopened the comment period for an additional 60-day period regarding implementation for the Hague. For more information, please visit our Hague page.
   

• March 22 - Joint Council will hold a meeting with the Kazakhstan Ambassador to the United States Erlan A. Idrissov on Monday, March 24, 2008. For more information, please visit our Kazakhstan page.
   

• March 19 - Joint Council has issued an update about Hague Accreditation. For more information, please visit our Hague page.
   

• March 19 - The U.S. Department of State has issued an updated regarding Liberian adoptions. For more information, please visit our Liberia page.
   

• March 17 - Joint Council can confirm the suspension of dossier processing by the Kazakhstan Embassy and Consulates. For more information, please visit our Kazakhstan page.
   

• March 7 - The Executive Committee of the Board of Directors is pleased to clarify Joint Council's position regarding the current Vietnam negotiations. For more information, please visit our Vietnam page.
   

• March 7 - Tom DiFilipo, President & CEO of Joint Council, has issued an update regarding his ongoing International Relations Initiative visit to Vietnam. For more information, please visit our Vietnam page.
   

• March 6 - Joint Council has issued important updates regarding the 2008 Medical Institute & Conference in Washington, DC. For more information, please visit our Annual Conference page.
   

• March 3 - Joint Council has issued a statement regarding the recently issued list of Hague-Accredited Adoption Service Providers by the U.S. Department of State. Please visit our Hague page for more information.
   

• February 14 - Joint Council is pleased to formally release our Standards of Practice for Vietnam. For more information, please visit our Vietnam page.
   

• February 14 - The Guatemala National Council for Adoptions ended the registration period for transition adoption cases on February 12, 2008. For a detailed update, please visit our Guatemala page.
   

• February 8 - The U.S. Department of State has issued an update regarding the registration of in-process adoption cases in Guatemala by Tuesday, February 12th. For more information, please visit our Guatemala page.
   

• February 5 - The U.S. Department of State has issued an update regarding the registration of in-process adoption cases in Guatemala. For more information, please visit our Guatemala page.
   

• February 5 - The U.S. Department of State has set February 29, 2008 as the Uniform Notification Date (UND) of applicants granted accreditation or approval to provide services in Hague Convention adoptions. For more information, please visit the USDOS website.
   

• February 1 - Joint Council can confirm that the Central Authority in Guatemala has recently stopped accepting registrations of in-process adoptions. For more information, please visit our Guatemala page.
   

• January 29 - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has issued an update regarding the new Guatemalan adoption legislation. For more information, please visit our Guatemala page.
   

• January 29 - The U.S. Department of State has issued a warning regarding adoptions in Vietnam as well as a press release which further addresses their concerns. For more information, please visit our Vietnam page.
   

• January 19 - Joint Council has issued an update addressing several developments regarding Guatemalan adoptions, including the appointment of new members to the Central Authority, the availability of registration forms for in-process adoptions and detailed information regarding U.S. Senator Norm Coleman's correspondence with Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom. For more information, please visit our Guatemala page.
   

• January 16 - The U.S. Department of State has issued public warning regarding adoptions initiated on or after December 31, 2007 in Guatemala. For more information, please visit our Guatemala page.
   

• January 16 - The U.S. Department of State has issued a public notice regarding adoption quotas in Ukraine. For more information, please visit our Ukraine page.
   

• January 14 - Joint Council has issued a thorough update on the current status of adoption cases in Guatemala. For more information, please visit our Guatemala page.
   

• January 4 - Joint Council has issued an update regarding the current processing of adoption cases in Guatemala. For more information, please visit our Guatemala page.
   

• January 3 - Joint Council has issued an update regarding our Vietnam Standards of Practice. For more information, please visit our Vietnam page.
   

• December 27 - Joint Council has posted an update regarding the SDAPRC's quota for intercountry adoptions to the United States for calendar year 2008. For more information, please visit our Ukraine page.
   

• December 21 - Joint Council has issued an additional update with regards to the Guatemala 5000 Initiative and our most recent assessment to-date.  For more information, please visit our Guatemala page.
   

• December 14 - Joint Council has issued an update with regards to the recent legislative action in Guatemala. For more information, please visit our Guatemala page.
   

• December 7 - As part of the Joint Council Guatemala 5000 Initiative and our ongoing assessment of the situation in Guatemala, Joint Council has issued a new update. For more information, please visit our Guatemala page.
   

• December 4 - Joint Council has issued an official summary of our Vietnam Summit which was held on November 28th in Washington, D.C. To review a copy of the summary, please visit our Vietnam page.
   

• December 3 - A new adoption law was introduced in the Guatemalan Congress last week with legislative debate primarily focused on the date in which the Hague Convention will enter into force in Guatemala. For more information, please visit our Guatemala page.
   

• December 3 - It is Joint Council’s understanding, through communications with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) at the end of the day on Friday, that an additional comment period for the USCIS Hague Regulations will be granted.  The initial comment period will close on Monday, December 3, 2007 and a second public comment period will be announced shortly.   We will publish details on the second public comment period as they become available. Joint Council extends our appreciation to our colleagues at USCIS for positively responding to our collective request.
   

• November 26 - Joint Council is saddened to announce that the expected introduction, reading and vote this week on an adoption law into the Guatemala Congress will not take place. For more information, please visit our Guatemala page.
   

• November 26 - Joint Council has been invited to speak at the Russian Ministry of Education and Science’s International Conference on the Protection of Rights for Orphans and Children Without Parents. For more information, please visit our Russia page.
   

• November 26 - On Friday, November 16, 2007, President Bush signed the final instrument of ratification for the Hague Convention.  As a result, the following key events and corresponding dates can be expected.
  
  December 12, 2007 - The Department of State will deposit the Instrument of Ratification
  March 12, 2008 – The Accrediting Entities (the State of Colorado & the Council on Accreditation) will inform each applicant in writing whether the Adoption Service Provider's/Person’s application has been granted or denied or remains pending.  This date is commonly known as the UND (Uniform Notification Date).
  April 1, 2008 – The Convention goes into force for the Untied States. 

  Please note that the UND will constitute the initial “list” of ASPs/Persons that are approved to facilitate Hague adoptions.  While this is the initial list, additional ASPs/Persons can and will be added as they receive their accreditation by Colorado or COA.
   

• November 26 - Joint Council has secured a larger meeting facility for our Vietnam Summit to be held November 28 that will enable us to accept 20 additional participants.  Please visit our Vietnam page to learn full details, as well as to see the change in meeting location.
   

• November 20, 2007 - Joint Council has reached capacity for the Vietnam Summit being held November 28th. Please visit our Vietnam page to learn more and to see if your organization needs to take further action to confirm its space.
   

• Joint Council is pleased to announce the details of our Vietnam Summit for adoption service providers to be held on Wednesday, November 28th in Washington, D.C. For more information, please visit our Vietnam page.
   

• November 12, 2007 - Joint Council has released an updated assessment on issuing referrals for Guatemalan adoption. For more information, please visit our Guatemala page.
   

• November 7, 2007 - Joint Council is pleased to report that members of the Guatemalan Congress, including numerous party chiefs, have submitted a new legislative proposal for implementing the Hague Convention. For more information, please visit our Guatemala page.
   

• November 6, 2007 - Joint Council is very pleased to report that the Nepali Cabinet has approved the completion of the over 400 adoptions which have been suspended since April 2007. For more information, please visit our Nepal page.
   

• November 3, 2007 - To view a copy of the letters sent by the over 200 members of the United States Congress to Guatemalan President Oscar Berger and UNICEF, please visit our Guatemala 5000 page.
   

• October 31, 2007 - Through our collective efforts, the Guatemala 5000 Initiative has resulted in over 200 Members of Congress supporting the completion of all in-process adoptions via their signature on letters being sent today. To learn more or to view a press release from the Co-Chairs of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, please visit our Guatemala 5000 page.
   

• October 25, 2007 - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has issued an additional update regarding all Form I-600s filed on behalf of a Vietnamese child.  For more information, please visit our Vietnam page.
   

• October 24, 2007 - Joint Council has issued a new update concerning the revised I-600 procedure in Vietnam, which includes provisions for families in Vietnam or those with imminent travel. For more information, please visit our Vietnam page.
   

• October 23, 2007 - Joint Council has been in communication again today with both U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) and the U.S. Department of State (USDOS) regarding the effective date of the new I-600 filing procedures. For more information, please visit our Vietnam page.
   

• October 22, 2007 - Joint Council President & CEO Tom DiFilipo has issued a new update concerning the Guatemala 5000 Initiative, which specifically addresses Joint Council's advocacy efforts with the U.S. Congress, Guatemalan President Oscar Berger, and UNICEF. For more information, please visit our Guatemala 5000 page.
   

• October 22, 2007 - Joint Council has issued an update regarding U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) plans for a new initiative related to I-600 filings in Vietnam. For more information, please visit our Vietnam page.
   

• October 18, 2007 - Joint Council recently presented at the CARA Conference in India and the Ethica/Evan B. Donaldson Ethics & Accountability Conference in Washington, D.C. For a copy of President & CEO Tom DiFilipo's remarks, please visit our International Relations Initiative page.
   

• October 16, 2007 - Joint Council's October 15^th announcement, below, has been amended to include an attachment of our most recent direct communication with the Office of Guatemalan President Oscar Berger.  Please visit the news section of our Guatemala 5000 webpage.
   

• October 15, 2007 - Joint Council has published a summary update regarding Guatemala in the news section of our Guatemala 5000 webpage.  We thank everyone for their continued efforts in this campaign and will continue updating our website with developments.
   

• October 8, 2007 - Joint Council is excited to announce a revision to our Call to Action in response to important changes in the Guatemala 5000 Initiative, including an updated UNICEF response and a proposed amendment to Bill # 3217. For the latest news, please visit our Guatemala 5000 page.
   

• October 5, 2007 - We are pleased to announce that the Hague Permanent Bureau (HPB) has now joined with Joint Council, the U.S. Department of State and others in agreeing that transition cases should be allowed to proceed to completion without interruption. For more information about the Hague Permanent Bureau, UNICEF Guatemala's current response to the changes in Guatemala, and Joint Council's early assessment of Bill # 3217, please visit our Guatemala 5000 page.
   

• October 4, 2007 - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has issued an interim rule establishing new procedures for adopted children under the Hague convention. The Interim Rule can be read in full, as well as a Press Release announcing new procedures and a Question & Answer guide.
   

• October 4, 2007 - The U.S. Department of State has just issued an open letter to adoption service providers, particularly those pursuing accreditation under the Hague Intercountry Adoption Convention. The open letter can be read directly by clicking here.
   

• October 3, 2007 - Joint Council has confirmed that the Guatemalan Congress passed Hague compliant legislation today. For more information, please visit our Guatemala 5000 page.
   

• October 1, 2007 - The U.S. Department of State has issued a new statement, suggesting support for the continuation of Guatemalan adoptions already in progress. For more information, please visit our Guatemala 5000 page.
   

• September 27, 2007 - The Joint Council on International Children's Services and the National Council for Adoption have issued a press release responding to the announced changes in Guatemalan adoptions by the U.S. Department of State. To review the press release or for more information, please visit our Guatemala page.
   

• September 5, 2007 - Joint Council staff and the Board of Directors met with the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in conjunction with our in-person quarterly Board meeting. For up-to-date information on specific countries, please visit their respective Joint Council page: Ethiopia, Kenya, Russia, Nepal, India, Vietnam, China, Korea, IRI, and Guatemala.
   

• August 13, 2007 - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has published the following Frequently Asked Questions and Press Release on the new fee structure and free I-600A extension.  The FAQs and the Press Release can be accessed directly from the USCIS website. 
   

• August 2, 2007 - Joint Council just received confirmation during a call with Assistant Secretary Maura Harty that the U.S. Embassy will require a second DNA test effective August 6, 2007 for adoptions from Guatemala.  This new procedure will apply to adoption cases finalized by Guatemalan authorities and submitted to the Embassy on or after Monday, August 6^th.   Additional details and the U.S. Department of State's notice may be accessed via our Guatemala page.

• August 1, 2007 - The CDC recently posted a notice regarding a Hepatitis A risk associated with Ethiopian adoptees, in response to several reported cases in children and adults linked to adoptees from Ethiopia.  The complete notice, which contains additional information on the disease and recommendations, may be accessed via our Ethiopia page.
   

• August 1, 2007 - The U.S. Department of State has posted frequently asked questions regarding the current status of adoptions in Nepal.  The full document may be accessed via our Nepal page.
   

• August 1, 2007 - The U.S. Department of State has posted a notice regarding the possible delays of issuance of new Ukrainian passports. To access the complete text of the notice, please visit our Ukraine page.
   

• July 9, 2007 - The U.S. Embassy in Moscow issued a posting regarding European transit visas for adoptive parents returning to the United States accompanied by children adopted from Russia. To access the compete posting, please visit our Russia page.
   

• July 6, 2007 - Joint Council is pleased to announce that the Russian Ministry of Education has issued accreditations for several agencis to resume adoption services in the country.  For more complete infomation, please visit our Russia page.
   
• June 25, 2007 - Joint Council is currently seeking interns for Fall 2007. For more information about the opportunity, please visit our Job Bank page.
   
• June 21, 2007 - Joint Council is has announced a Call for Presentations for our 2008 Medical Institute & Conference to be held from April 8 - April 12, 2008. For more information, please visit our 2008 Conference page.
   
• June 20, 2007 - Joint Council is pleased to announce its International Relations Initiative travel and advocacy plans for Summer 2007. For more information, please visit our IRI page.
   
• June 14, 2007 -  Joint Council is pleased to announce the screening of the documentary Children on the Other Shore at the Tribeca Film Center on June 26, 2007 in New York City. For more information, please visit our Member's Activities page.
   
• June 13, 2007 - The U.S. Department of State has issued a statement on the status of intercountry adoption and the Hague Convention in Guatemala. For more information, please visit our Guatemala page.
   
• June 04, 2007 - The USCIS Final Rule regarding the immigration fee structure has been published in the Federal Registrar. The Final Rule can be accessed directly by clicking here. The Final Rule makes clear that no biometric fee will be charged for an update of an approved Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition.
   
• June 04, 2007 - Joint Council is pleased to announce that Kenya is the 71^st country to become party to the Hague via accession on February 2, 2007.  The Convention entered into force in Kenya on June 1, 2007.
   
• May 30, 2007- Joint Council has confirmed that US Citizenship and Immigration Services has finalized a fee structure for immigration applications and petitions. The full press release can be accessed on the USCIS website. Joint Council will continue to review the rule once it is published in the Federal Register tomorrow.
   
• May 23, 2007 - Joint Council is pleased to report that on Tuesday, May 22^nd, the Guatemalan Congress held a special session during which the Hague Convention was reaffirmed.  The reaffirmation included an amendment creating an effective date of January 1, 2008. For more information, please visit our Guatemala page.
   
• May 18, 2007 - The Consular Section in Moscow has informed Joint Council about an upcoming change in procedure to obtain visas for adopted children. For more information, please visit our Russia page.
   
• May 16, 2007 -The U.S. Department of State has issued a statement regarding Guatemala, the Hague Convention, and U.S. law. To view a copy of the most recent statement, please visit our Guatemala page.
   
• May 16, 2007 - The U.S. Department of State issued a statement on May 14, 2007 regarding the the suspension of intercountry adoptions by the Nepalese Government. For more information, please visit Joint Council's India page.
   
• May 11, 2007 - Build-A-Bear Workshop® has recently issued a Press Release about partnering with Joint Council and the Stuffed with Hugs: Hugs Sweet Hugs event on Saturday, May 19th. The press release can be viewed here.
   
• May 10, 2007 - Joint Council has confirmed that the Guatemalan Congress passed the first reading of the reaffirmation of the Hague Convention and corresponding amendments on Tuesday, May 8^th. On May 9^th the Guatemalan Congress passed the second reading , with the third and final passage expected Tuesday, May 15^th. For more information, please visit our Guatemala page.
   
• May 02, 2007 - As part of Joint Council's International Relations Initiative, Tom DiFilipo, President & CEO, traveled to Guatemala the week of April 22-26, 2007. Meetings were conducted with UNICEF, representatives from the United States Department of State, as well as members of the Guatemalan Congress. Please visit our International Relations Initiative page for more information.
   
• April 30, 2007 - The U.S. Department of State has issued an update on adoption agency accreditation delays in Russia, specifically addressing that no U.S.-based adoption service providers (adoption agencies) are currently accredited with the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation. For more information, please visit our Russia page.
   
• April 19, 2007- A notice was posted by the U.S. Department of State regarding the deadline for initial accreditation or approval for agencies in order to be accredited or approved when the Hague Convention enters into force. To view the notice, please visit our Hague page.
   
• April 6, 2007- The US Embassy in Kyiv has issued a notice regarding the resignation of four officials from Ukraine's State Department for Adoptions and Protection of the Rights of the Child (SDAPRC). For more information about how these changes affect adoptions from Ukraine and to view the notice, please visit our Ukraine page.
   
• March 23, 2007- On Tuesday, March 20, 2007, the Parliament of Ukraine passed bill # 2562 On Legislative Amendments to Ukraine's Laws. For more information about how these changes affect adoptions from Ukraine, please visit our Ukraine page.
   
• March 20, 2007- The United States Department of State has issued a notice regarding a change in the processing of "Pink Slips" by the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala. To view the notice, please visit our Guatemala page.
   
• March 20, 2007- Joint Council President & CEO Tom DiFilipo has issued a complete update on Joint Council's recent activities and initiatives. To view the update, please visit our JCICS Newsroom page.
   
• March 16, 2007- The Joint Council on International Children's Services has issued a press release regarding recent happenings in Guatemala adoption. To view and download the entire release, please visit our Guatemala page.
   
• March 15, 2007- Joint Council President & CEO Tom DiFilipo was recently interviewed by Channel 9 news for the greater Washington, DC area, one of several media and press interviews Mr. DiFilipo has completed in the previous weeks on behalf of Joint Council and the children we serve. To view Mr. DiFilipo's most recent interview, please visit the Channel 9 site.
   
• March 15, 2007- The U.S. Department of State has issued a frequently asked questions document for prospective adoptive parents of Guatemalan children. To view the complete FAQ, please visit our Guatemala page.
   
• March 9, 2007- The U.S. Department of State has issued two notices regarding adoption service providers seeking to become accredited/approved. To view the notices, please visit our Hague page.
   
• March 8, 2007- Due to technical difficulties, USCIS Guatemala has been unable to respond to any inquiries since last Friday, March 2^nd.  For more information, please visit our Guatemala page.
   
• March 8, 2007- The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv has issued a notice regarding current intercountry adoption procedures and requirements of the the central adoption authority of Ukraine - the State Department for Adoption and Protection of Rights of the Child (SDAPRC). To view the complete listing, please visit our Ukraine page.
   
• March 8, 2007- The U.S. Department of State has issued the Final Rule on Reporting Non-Convention and Convention Adoption of Emigrating Children. The entire publication of the rule can be found on Joint Council's Hague page.
   
• February 22, 2007- The U.S. Department of State has issued a notice on their website and is strongly urging American prospective adoptive parents contemplating pursuing adoptions in Guatemala to carefully consider their options at this time. The full notice can be accessed on Joint Council's Guatemala page or on the State Department’s website.
   
• February 16, 2007- Joint Council can confirm that the Presentation of the Protocol on Good Adoption Practices originally scheduled for today, Friday, February 16, 2007 has been postponed.  The postponement has been confirmed with both the Guatemalan and U.S. governments. At this point, Joint Council has no information on when or if the Presentation will be rescheduled.
   
• February 16, 2007- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services posted a Public Notice on their website regarding the new Chinese Government requirements.  Since any family who filed an Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition (Form I-600A) before December 21, 2006 were unaware of the CCAA’s new requirement, USCIS offices will exercise discretion to expedite adjudication of any Form I-600A filed before December 21, 2006. The full Public Notice is posted below and can be accessed by clicking here.
   
• February 12, 2007- To date eight bills have been introduced into Congress which, if passed, would impact children’s services. Please visit our Legislation Matrix  and Adoption Legislation pages for more information on each bill, its sponsor, the intent and action to date.  Joint Council will continue to monitor the progress of these various bills in the coming months.
   
• February 8, 2007 - The Council on Accreditation will be hosting a Hague Evaluator Training scheduled as a pre-conference activity in conjunction with the Joint Council Medical Institute and Conference in San Antonio. For more information, please visit our Annual Conference page.
   
• February 7, 2007 - The U.S. Embassy in Guatemala announced that it does not plan to schedule immigrant visa interview appointments for adopted Guatemalan children March 18 – 21, 2007 during the Annual InterAmerican Development Bank Governors Assembly. For more information, please visit our Guatemala page.
   
• February 1, 2007 - The Department of State, Office of Children’s Issues recently issued Frequently Asked Questions aimed at those seeking accreditation and a new flyer on Guatemalan adoptions.  Both are available at the following links: http://www.travel.state.gov/family/adoption/convention/convention_3130.html and http://www.travel.state.gov/family/adoption/country/country_389.html.
   
• January 29, 2007 - Joint Council staff and the Board of Directors met with the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on Monday in conjunction with our in-person quarterly Board meeting. For up-to-date information on specific countries, please visit their respective Joint Council page: Ukraine, Russia, Vietnam, Cambodia, India, and Kazakhstan.
   
• January 8, 2007 - The Council on Accreditation (COA) has issued a call for peer reviewers to process the 300+ Hague accreditation evaluations. Accordingly, COA hopes that by incorporating reviewers with intercountry adoption experience as peer reviewers, the adoption community can better enable adoption service providers to institute Hague Accreditation standards and realize the objects present in the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000. For more information about how to become a Hague evaluator, please contact Vanja "Sandy" Glusica at HagueEvaulator@coanet.org.