• Families may state a gender preference in the child they would like to adopt, however, Dillon can make no guarantee that a family will receive their preference since we usually receive more referrals of boys than girls for placement.  Please contact Dillon's Vietnam Program Director for more information.
   

• Heterosexual married couples and single women, who are living alone, between the ages of 25-55, are eligible to adopt

  • Applicants between the ages of 25-44 at the time of a child referral will be given preference to adopt an infant (0-12 months)
     

  • Applicants between the ages of 45-49 at the time of a child referral may adopt a toddler between 1 - 3 years old
     

  • Applicants who are 50-55 at the time of a child referral must be open to adopting a child 3 years or older
     

• The age of the older parent will determine the age range of the child that the couple is eligible to adopt
   

• No more than 15 years age difference may exist between husband and wife's ages
   

• Couples must be married a minimum of 2 years
   

• Previous divorce is accepted
   

• Second marriages must be a minimum of 3 years
   

• Single women must have previously adopted through Dillon International OR live within our 6-state service region to be eligible to adopt from this program (6-state region includes Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas and the southern California counties of Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego, and Imperial.)
   

• U.S. citizens in all 50 states are eligible to adopt from this program

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• Infants, toddlers, and older children are available for adoption as well as some children with a variety of special needs
   

• Minimal medical and social information is available on most children
   

• Families may state a gender preference in the child they would like to adopt, however, Dillon can make no guarantee that a family will receive their preference since we usually receive more referrals of boys than girls for placement.  Please contact Dillon's Vietnam Program Director for more information.

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PLEASE NOTE:  This is a new program and families will need to anticipate changes to time frames and the process as the adoption program develops.

• Families complete a home study and then submit their dossier for the Vietnamese government's approval
   

• Wait time for a referral once a family's dossier has been submitted is approximately 6-9 months
   

  Dillon's most recent group of happy families right after their "Giving and Receiving Ceremony."

• After acceptance of a child referral, a family can anticipate traveling to Vietnam in approximately
  3-6 months to receive their child and complete their child's adoption
   

• Families must travel and only one trip is required to receive their child 
   

• Families should plan on a
  2-3 week trip to Vietnam to bring their child home
   

• Although one spouse may travel to receive the child as long as he/she is the USCIS petitioner, Dillon International requires at least two adults must travel together to receive the child
   

• Single mothers are required to have a travel companion accompany them
   

• Families are responsible for their own travel arrangements to & from Vietnam.  Dillon will arrange for all in-country travel and lodging in deluxe hotels.
   

• Families will travel individually or in small groups and will be accompanied by a bi-lingual Dillon representative, who will assist them with the various steps in completing the adoption process
   

• Families will have opportunities for sightseeing and shopping
   

• Register the child's adoption in the U.S. after completing 3 post-placement visits with the family's caseworker, which usually takes 6 months

SPECIAL NOTE on US CITIZENSHIP:  If both parents travel to receive their child and complete the adoption in Vietnam, the child will become a U.S. citizen upon entering the United States.  If only one parent of a married couple travels to Vietnam, their child will become a U.S. citizen upon registration of the adoption in the United States.

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Children are received at various ages and placed in an orphanage supported by Dillon International.  Children become available for adoption primarily because of the extreme economic disadvantages of their birth family or the social stigma of single parenthood.  Dillon International is giving support to orphanages in several provinces.  This support ensures better nutrition, medical care, tuition for school and general welfare for the children.

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Overall authority for Vietnamese adoption policy rests with the Ministry of Justice’s Department of International Adoptions (DIA) in Hanoi. In addition, however, the Public Security Department, Justice Department and People’s Committee of the child’s Vietnamese province of residence also have their own important roles in the process.

The laws and regulations regarding U.S. citizens adopting children from Vietnam may be found by visiting the U.S. State Department's website.

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Agency & International Fees = $17,650*

Travel expenses = $4,650 to $5,680

Specific fees are only due after a particular service has been rendered in the adoption process and are considered non-refundable after payment has been received.  All fees are subject to change and services are charged at the rate that is current at the time of billing.

Other fees and expenses families will incur during the adoption process include

• home study and post-placement services,

• USCIS fees, and

• out-of-pocket expenses related to the family's state of residence and the country adopting from.  

Dillon International has relationships with licensed home study providers across the U.S. and can assist families living outside our service area in locating a licensed agency near them for these services.  For families living in Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and southern California (counties of Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego, and Imperial), Dillon International will provide their home study and post-placement services.  Dillon's home study & post-placement fees = $2,700 (in California slightly higher)

For a complete breakdown of expected fees and services for Dillon's Vietnam program, please see the Explanation of Fees and Services in Dillon's adoption application packet.

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*Each family adopting with Dillon International will also be required to pay a $400 Refundable Deposit which will be returned in a lump sum after the family provides Dillon with the following:
1) proof of their child's U.S. final adoption decree/ registration
2) copies of their child's in-country adoption documents (exception for Korea)
3) proof of their child's Social Security Number
4) proof of their child's U.S. Certificate of Citizenship
Families must provide this documentation within three (3) years after their child arrives home in order to receive their refund.

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• Dillon International believes that post-adoption support fosters an overall positive adoption experience for both adoptee and adoptive family
   

• Our long-term experience has shown us that adoptees develop a better sense of identity, purpose, and boost in their self-confidence from an understanding and appreciation of their birth heritage
   

• The agency provides a variety of activities and events to allow an adoptee and his/her family to celebrate his/her birth heritage
   

• Dillon International also provides counseling and assistance to young adult adoptees who want to search for additional background information about their adoption or their birth family
   

• For more information on specific heritage events, visit the post-adoption section of Dillon's website

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• Small travel groups, therefore, families receive more individualized attention during their stay in Vietnam
   

• Bi-lingual Dillon representative will meet each Dillon travel group at the airport and accompany Dillon families throughout their stay in Vietnam
   

• Dillon staff regularly travel to Vietnam and therefore, are very familiar with the details of the trip in order to best prepare families for a comfortable trip with no surprises
   

• Excellent post-adoption support!

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