Foreigners to pay more to adopt Vietnamese kids

Foreigners who are not permanent residents in Vietnam should pay more when adopting Vietnamese children, according to a parliament’s sitting on Wednesday.

However, the fees should be approved by the National Assembly, the unicameral legislative body, not the government, representative Nguyen Thi Kim Thuy from the central city of Da Nang told the meeting.

Regulations regarding these fees should be watertight so as to prevent children trafficking and clear enough so as to help adopters prepare the money in advance, according to Thuy.

Most representatives agreed on the bill, but were concerned that it may contain loopholes, allowing people to abuse it to benefit themselves.

Under the proposed adoption bill, new fees include procedure charges, costs of raising the children from when they are put forward for adoption until all necessary procedures are completed, and “reasonable fees” to be paid to staff of centers where they are housed.

Currently, adopters are only required to pay adoption registration fees.

Draft makers said the bill was born from studies on countries like China and Thailand, which already charge US$4,000-7,000 as brokerage and then pay the related agencies.

The Hague Convention of 1993 also allowed people involved in adoption procedures to receive fees, they said.

Once the draft is approved by the National Assembly, it will take effect from next January 1.