NCFA Media : Archived News

Intercountry Adoptions Increase for 11th Year in a Row: China Adoptions Rise Dramatically Despite SARS-related Travel Suspension; Problems with Romania, Vietnam, and Cambodia Persist

The U.S. Department of State recently updated its report on “Immigrant Visas Issued to Orphans Coming to the United States,” by adding figures for fiscal year 2003, which ended September 30, 2003. This report provides authoritative data regarding the number of children adopted internationally by U.S. parents, which increased this past year by 1,517 children, from 20,099 in 2002, to 21,616 in 2003.

“It is encouraging that international adoptions by U.S. parents continued to increase in 2003, for the eleventh year in a row. More than ever, children in need around the world found loving, permanent families through adoption by U.S. parents,” said National Council For Adoption (NCFA) President Thomas Atwood, about the State Department figures. “But the fact that one country, China, with an increase of 1,806, accounted for more than the entire increase, and that other countries stagnated or declined, indicates that intercountry adoption continues to face obstacles that block many children from enjoying the benefits of family life.”

According to NCFA’s analysis of the State Department data, the increase from 2002 to 2003 was 7.5 percent, greater than the 4.5 percent increase from 2001 to 2002, which was about half the 8.6 percent increase from 2000 to 2001. The 2003 increase was still substantially lower than both the 10 percent average annual rate of increase that occurred in the preceding five years and the 12 percent average annual rate of increase in the preceding ten years.

China adoptions by U.S. parents increased dramatically, 36 percent, from 5,053 to 6,859, due in part to China’s humane elimination of its quotas in 2003, and to staff additions to its adoptions office, the China Center of Adoption Affairs. This increase is greater than the overall increase in intercountry adoptions. It is particularly impressive, considering the SARS-related travel suspensions that temporarily stopped adoptions from China last year.

Russia, Guatemala, South Korea, and Kazakhstan continued to show their commitment to serving children through international adoption, with moderately increased or steady numbers. Adoption of Haitian children by U.S. parents increased by one-third, from 187 to 250. Azerbaijan appeared on the list of the top 20 countries of origin for the first time.

Problems with several countries in particular inhibited what might have been greater increases in international adoptions. Due to the European Union’s imposition of anti-adoption contingencies on Romania’s admission into the European Union, this once adoption-friendly country continued to dash the hopes of its children in orphanages, with only 200 adoptions by U.S. parents in 2003, compared with 1,122 in 2000. If enacted, the E.U.-imposed draft adoption law currently under consideration would effectively end international adoptions from Romania. Hopefully, child advocates in Romania will be able to amend this legislation in ways that put the interests of children first.

From 2002 to 2003, Vietnam adoptions decreased by half, from 766 to 382. Many Vietnamese children are still waiting for the negotiation of a bilateral agreement between Vietnam and the U.S., before their adoptions can move forward. Cambodia also continued its decline, with the number of adoptions by US parents being cut in half, from 254 to 124, due to the ongoing U.S. suspension of Cambodian adoptions. Although Ukraine’s adoptions declined by more than one-third, from 1,106 to 702, they are expected to increase again in 2004, in part because of the new policy of allowing the U.S. embassy in Kiev to issue visas, rather than sending parents to Warsaw for visas. India and the Philippines held steady at 472 and 214, respectively, but considering the many children in need there, those numbers could be much higher. Until the United States ratifies the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption, which is not expected to happen until 2006, other countries, such as Brazil and Bolivia, are proceeding slowly or not at all in servicing adoptions by U.S. parents.

Many foreign adoption authorities have strong preferences for placing their country’s orphaned children with nationals. The international adoption community respects this preference, and accepts the policy of seeking adoptive parents domestically before turning internationally. The first, best choice for placing these children is an adoptive family within their country of origin. But too often, an excessive nationalist pride leads to the long-term institutionalization of children, who are clearly not going to be adopted domestically, but could be part of a true family through intercountry adoption.

“The message contained within the latest State Department figures is that intercountry adoption continues to grow and have a bright future; but we can, and must, do better, for the sake of the countless children around the world in need of families,” said Atwood. “We must continue to work toward the day when national borders and excessive nationalist pride no longer prevent children from having their own loving, permanent family.”

# # # # #