Immigrant Daily

DOS Briefs Media on National Adoptions Day

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) through its Deputy Assistant Secretary for Overseas Citizens Services in the Bureau of Consular Affairs, Michele Bond has addressed the media persons on the eve of National Adoptions Day. Commenting on the importance of the subject, Ms. Bond said, “There are hundreds of Department of State employees who adoptive parents, foster parents, or adult adoptees. So this is an important and personal issue for State Department Staff.”

The Deputy Assistant Secretary asserted that as the U.S. central authority for Hague Convention on Inter-Country Adoption, the DOS “is deeply committed to promoting and facilitating adoption as a permanent, loving alternative for children who cannot remain in their birth families.”

While responding to a question from CNN’s journalist, Ms. Bond said China is not a problem country as far as adoptions are concerned and in Fiscal Year 2009, over 3000 children were adopted from China which is the largest number among all. Commenting on adoptions from India, Ms. Bond said, “we are working very closely with the Indian authorities to make sure that those adoptions that occur are taking place in full conformity with our law and Indian law. I think some of the problems that have come up have been when American citizens of Indian origin adopt in India, and without realizing that they shouldn’t, they sometimes adopt as Indian citizens instead of as Americans as foreigners.”

For complete information, please click: DOS Briefs Media on National Adoptions Day