We just heard today from CWA (our international agency), that Ethiopia government is now requiring parents to travel twice. This means double the cost in flight and travel as well meeting our little girl and then having to leave her in Ethiopia until we go back, possibly up to 6 months later.
Here is a copy of the email we just received today from our case manager:
Dear CWA Ethiopia Program families:
We have just received word from our CWA Ethiopia staff that effective today, March 1st on the Ethiopian calendar, all prospective adoptive families must travel to Addis Ababa for the Federal First Instance Court hearing. (This applies to all cases being submitted to court as of today; cases already submitted prior to today are exempt). This decision was announced by the Ethiopian government, and applies to all adoption agencies currently working in Ethiopia. There has been discussion of this change for some months, and the change is attributable to previous "revocation" cases in Ethiopia adoptions (i.e. cases in which parents decline to bring children home after a successful court hearing). We have no further details at this time, so please bear with us while we await further news. Case managers will talk with families individually as we learn how this will impact your specific adoption.
On a positive note, if parents see their children before court the child will be eligible for an IR-3 visa, thus making the child a U.S. citizen immediately upon arrival in the United States.
Patricia Ward
Ethiopia Program Director
We have just received word from our CWA Ethiopia staff that effective today, March 1st on the Ethiopian calendar, all prospective adoptive families must travel to Addis Ababa for the Federal First Instance Court hearing. (This applies to all cases being submitted to court as of today; cases already submitted prior to today are exempt). This decision was announced by the Ethiopian government, and applies to all adoption agencies currently working in Ethiopia. There has been discussion of this change for some months, and the change is attributable to previous "revocation" cases in Ethiopia adoptions (i.e. cases in which parents decline to bring children home after a successful court hearing). We have no further details at this time, so please bear with us while we await further news. Case managers will talk with families individually as we learn how this will impact your specific adoption.
On a positive note, if parents see their children before court the child will be eligible for an IR-3 visa, thus making the child a U.S. citizen immediately upon arrival in the United States.
Patricia Ward
Ethiopia Program Director
This is not the news we wanted to hear. This only delays the process and keeps the children in orphanages longer. When we first signed up for international adoption, and one reason we chose Ethiopia was because it was one of the international programs that did not require more than a one time travel.
We will be talking more about the impact of this change on our process. Please keep our agency, the Ethiopian Government, as well as us in your prayers as we navigate these changes and the impact it has on the next year.
God Bless
Heather
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