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ReporttoCongresson

TheUnitedStatesCentralAuthorityUndertheHagueConventionon

ProtectionofChildrenandCo-OperationinRespectofIntercountry

AdoptionforFiscalYear2023

Sec.104oftheIntercountryAdoptionActof2000

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UnitedStatesDepartmentofStateWashington,DC20520

DearReader,

ThisannualreportprovidesanupdateontheDepartment’seffortsto

ensurethatintercountryadoptionremainsaviableoptionforchildrenin

needofpermanent,lovingfamilieswhenotherpathstoafamilyarenot

possible.TheOfficeofChildren’sIssues(CI),workingcloselywithcolleaguesaroundtheglobeandintheinteragency,promotedthisgoalinnumerous

countries.FromColombiatoIndia,fromMexicotoVietnam,dedicated

DepartmentstaffensuredthatU.S.familiesseekingtoadoptachildthroughintercountryadoptionhaveaccesstoaccurateinformationandsupport

throughouttheprocess.Atthesametime,worldeventsandcrises

continuedtohaveanimpactonintercountryadoptionsinmanycountries,andtheDepartmentsoughtsolutionsinthebestinterestsofthechildreninvolved.

RussiacontinuedtowageanunjustifiedandbrutalwaragainstUkraine,includingtheremovalofUkrainianchildrentoRussiaincontraventionofinternationallaw.Post-Covidbureaucraticdelayscontinuedtodelay

adoptionprocessinginthePeople’sRepublicofChina(PRC).Nonetheless,weworkedactivelytoovercomethesechallengesintheinterestsofchildreninneedofpermanentfamilies.

Therewerepositivedevelopmentsasaresultofourefforts.FiscalYear

2023witnessedlimitedresumptionsofintercountryadoptionsinUkraineandthePRC.Thereremainmanychildreninbothcountrieswhoareat

variousstagesoftheadoptionprocess,andwecontinuetoengagewith

bothgovernmentsaswellastheU.S.adoptioncommunityonbehalfof

thesechildren.InMexico,CIworkedcloselywithU.S.EmbassyMexicoCitytoreducebureaucraticobstaclestointercountryadoptions.

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Withthefullresumptionoftravel,theSpecialAdvisorforChildren’sIssues

andCIstafftraveledtheglobetomeetwithforeignadoptionauthorities,

non-governmentalandinternationalorganizations,membersofcivilsociety,andmanyotherstopromotetransparent,ethicaladoptions.Wetrainedour

colleaguesatU.S.embassiesandconsulatesandworkedwithothergovernmentstohelpstrengthentheircapacityandfostercloser

cooperation.

Inallthatwedo,ourfocusisonthebestinterestsofchildrenandensuringthatthoseinneedofafamilycanfindthelove,protection,andsupporttheydeserve.

AntonyJ.BlinkenSecretaryofState

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AnnualReportonIntercountryAdoption

TheU.S.DepartmentofState(theDepartment)servesastheU.S.CentralAuthorityunderthe1993ConventionontheProtectionofChildrenandCooperationinRespectofIntercountryAdoption(Convention).The

Department’sOfficeofChildren’sIssues(CI)submitsthisannualreporttoCongressasrequiredbySection104oftheIntercountryAdoptionActof

2000(IAA),toprovidedataonintercountryadoptiontoandfromtheUnitedStates.Thisannualreportcoversthefiscalyear(FY)fromOctober1,2022

toSeptember30,2023.

FY2023Overview

IntercountryadoptionisahighpriorityfortheDepartmentofState.CI's

twoadoptiondivisionsworktogethertosupportintercountyadoptionasanoptionforchildrenoverseasinneedofpermanency–afterdomesticoptionshavebeenconsidered–andtoadvocateforsafe,transparent,legal,and

ethicaladoptions.TheDepartmentworkstoremoveobstaclesto

intercountryadoption,whichcouldimpactthetotalnumberofintercountry

adoptions.However,CIdoesnotsetgoalsontheoverallnumberof

intercountryadoptions.Decisionsregardingtheplacementofchildrenfor

intercountryadoptionrestsolelywithauthoritiesinthecountryoforigin.CIencouragescountriesoforigintoconsidereligibleU.S.familieswhenthey

determinechildrenwouldbenefitfromintercountryadoption.

OverthecourseofFY2023,theDepartmentworkedtoaddress

impedimentstointercountryadoptionthroughproactiveengagementwithadoptionpartners.ThisincludedincreasedtravelduringFY2023,whichCIusedtoprovidetechnicalassistancetoadoptionauthoritiesincountriesoforigin.Thistravelalsostrengthenedourbilateralrelationshipwiththese

countries.CIstandsreadytoprovideassistancetoforeignpartnersandwillcontinuetoengagewithcountriesoforiginthroughFY2024.SeebelowformoredetailedinformationoncountryspecificengagementoverFY2023,

includingtheDepartment’seffortstoaddressimpedimentstoadoptioninspecificcountries.

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EngagementandOutreach

Travel

CIincreasedourdirectengagementwithoverseascounterpartsinFY2023,includingthroughtravelto17countriesoforigin.CIstafftraveledtoGhana,Coted’Ivoire,SouthAfrica,Burundi,Ethiopia,Nigeria,Thailand,Vietnam,

Cambodia,Nepal,Netherlands,Bulgaria,Colombia,Guyana,Honduras,ElSalvador,andMexico.Duringmanyofthesetrips,staffprovidedtechnicalassistanceonhowcountriescanfulfillthelegalrequirementstocompleteintercountryadoptionstotheUnitedStates.CIalsotrainedmanystaffofnon-governmentalorganizations,internationalorganizations,andU.S.

embassiesandconsulates.Throughoutthisreportingperiod,CIalso

consultedandcoordinatedwithotherreceivingcountriesthroughbilateralmeetingsandmultilateralforums.

July2023Workshop

InJuly2023,CIandU.S.CitizenshipandImmigrationServices(USCIS)heldaweeklongworkshoponintercountryadoptionsatU.S.Consulate

Johannesburg.Departmentstafffrom14U.S.embassiesandconsulatesthroughoutAfricaattendedthetraining.ParticipantslearnedaboutanddiscussedmanyaspectsofadoptionprocessinginAfrica,including

Conventionandorphanprocessing,theadjudicationofadoption-basedvisas,andtacticsforcombattingadoptionfraud.

NationalAdoptionMonth

InNovember,CIrecognizedNationalAdoptionMonthbyworkingwith

embassiesandconsulatesaroundtheworldtoraiseawarenessabout

intercountryadoption.CI

publishedanarticle

inStateMagazinediscussingCI’sadoptionmission,andwepostedsocialmediamessagesaboutthe

adoptionprocessfordomesticandoverseasaudiences.CIalsoheldatownhallmeetingwithadultadopteestodiscusstheirperspectives.

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OtherOutreach

CIconductedtargetedoutreachwithawiderangeofinternational

stakeholdersthroughoutFY2023,includingthroughvariousmultilateralsettings.CIrepresentedtheUnitedStatesintwomeetingswithcentral

authoritiesforotherEnglish-speakingreceivingcountries,andtwosimilarmeetingswithcentralauthoritiesfromEuropeancountries.InJune,CI

representedtheUnitedStatesintheHagueConferenceonPrivate

InternationalLaw’sWorkingGroupontheFinancialAspectsofIntercountryAdoption.

CIalsoconductedoutreachtodomesticadoptionstakeholdersinFY2023.

Everyquarter,CIbriefedcongressionalstaffersonissuesandtrendsin

intercountryadoptiontotheUnitedStates.InNovember,CImetwithASPsaboutadoptiontrendsinWestAfrica,andinMarch,CIconductedasimilarcallwithASPsaboutadoptionsintheWesternHemisphere.InMay,CI

presentedtotheAdoptiveParent’sCommitteeataconferenceinNewYorkCityanddiscussedintercountryadoptionwiththeAcademyofAdoptionandAssistedReproductiveAttorneys.OverthecourseoftheFY2023,CI

released40adoptionnoticesandpublishedregularupdateson

toprovidetimelyinformationoncountriesoforiginandadoptionprocesses.

Country-SpecificEngagement

Africa

RepresentativesfromCItraveledtoBurundiinFebruarytodiscusstheir

intercountryadoptionprogramandtomeetwithBurundi’sMinistryof

NationalSolidarity,SocialAffairs,HumanRights,andGender.Later,CImetvirtuallywithnewleadershipinthisministrytobuildonourrelationship

withadoptionauthoritiesinthecountry.

EswatinirecentlypassedlegislationdesignedtoimplementtheConvention.RepresentativesfromEswatini’sCentralAuthorityonintercountryadoption

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metvirtuallywithCIinJuly2023.TheCentralAuthorityhasexpressed

interestinreceivingtechnicalassistanceregardingtheirimplementationoftheConventionandCIwillworkwithU.S.EmbassyMbabanetoprovidethisassistance.

InJune,CImetwithcounterpartsintheGovernmentofLiberiatodiscusstheLiberianlegalframeworkandadoptionsafeguards,whichprovided

relevantinformationforadoptionprocessing.

CIandUSCIStravelledtoNigeriainSeptember2023tomeetwithconsularstaff,Nigeriangovernmentofficials,andlocaladoptionstakeholders.

Severalfactors,suchassystemicfraudandpoorrecord-keeping,have

contributedtosignificantlydelayedprocessingtimesandahighdenialrateinNigeria.CIissuedadoptionnoticesin

June2023

and

March2024

advisingprospectiveadoptiveparentstoreconsideradoptingfromNigeria.

Asia

IndiawasthelargestcountryoforiginforintercountryadoptionstotheUnitedStatesinFY2023.DuringFY2023,CIconductedthreebilateralengagementswiththeIndiangovernmenttoaddressavarietyof

intercountryadoptionpolicymatters.

ThePeople’sRepublicofChina(PRC)suspendedallintercountryadoptions

in2020duringtheCOVID-19pandemic.ThroughoutFY2023,the

DepartmentpressedthePRCgovernmenttopromptlyrestoreregular

adoptionprocessing.TheChinaCenterforChildren’sWelfareandAdoption(CCCWA)resumedcaseprocessing,butonlyforthosechildrenwhohadPRCtravelauthorizationsdatedpriortothe2020suspension.InFY2023,U.S.

ConsulateGuangzhouissued16visasfortheintercountryadoptioncases

processedbythePRC;thesewerethefirstintercountryadoptionsbetweenthePRCandtheUnitedStatesinmorethantwoyears.

TheDepartmentengagedwiththeGovernmentofthePRConintercountryadoptioninmanyways,includingaletterfromtheU.S.Ambassadortothe

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PRC’sMinistryofForeignAffairs’DirectorGeneralforConsularAffairs.TheSpecialAdvisorforChildren’sIssuesandtheDeputyAssistantSecretaryforOverseasCitizenServicesmetseveraltimeswithPRCEmbassyofficialstostresstheneedforclearandtransparentcommunicationandtopushfor

promptprocessingofpendingadoptioncases.CIandtheU.S.MissiontoChinaconsultedwithEuropeancounterpartswhoconductadoptionsinthePRCtodiscusstheireffortsinresumingadoptions.Despitethe

Department’seffortsandengagement,thePRCCentralAuthority

maintaineditssuspensionofnewintercountryadoptionsthroughoutFY2023.ThePRCdidnotrespondtorepeatedrequestsforinformationonpendingintercountryadoptioncasesandonthestatusofthePRC’s

suspension.

InMarch,theDepartment’sSpecialAdvisorforChildren’sIssuesmetwithrepresentativesfromtheEmbassyoftheRepublicofKorea(ROK)intheUnitedStatestodiscussadultadopteeissues.CIandU.SEmbassySeoulengagedregularlywiththeROKgovernmenttoaddresstopicsrelatedtoadoptionsfromthecountry.

Europe

InNovember2022,theCentralAuthorityoftheNetherlandssaidtheywill“phaseout”theirrelationshipwiththeUnitedStatesonintercountry

adoptions.TherehavebeennointercountryadoptionstotheUnitedStatesfromtheNetherlandsinthelastfiveyears.DeputyAssistantSecretary

AngelaKerwindiscussedthechangewiththeDutchCentralAuthorityin

December,buttheDutchgovernmentconfirmedthenewpolicywillremainineffect.ProspectiveadoptiveparentsintheNetherlandsarenolonger

abletoinitiateadoptionsfromtheUnitedStates,althoughtheNetherlandshascontinuedtoprocesscasesthatstartedbeforeNovember2022.InFY2023,Dutchfamiliescompleted11adoptionsofU.S.children.

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WesternHemisphere

Colombiawasthesecond-largestcountryoforiginforintercountry

adoptionstotheUnitedStatesinFY2023.CItravelledtoColombiainNovemberandcontinuedtohaveacooperativerelationshipwiththeColombianInstituteofFamilyWellbeing(ICBF).

InApril,CIandEmbassyHavanametvirtuallywiththeGovernmentofCuba

toexplaintheHagueAdoptionConventionandCI'sroleinadoption

processing.Cuba’sDeputyMinisterforJusticeexplainedtheirnationaladoptionlawsandexpressedinterestinfurthercommunication.

TheDepartmenthasbeenobservingthewayGuatemalahasimproveditsadoptionlegalframeworksince2007,whentheGuatemalangovernmentlaidtheframeworkandcreateditscentralauthority,theGuatemalan

NationalCouncilforAdoptions.Since2021theDepartmenthasengagedmultipletimeswithGuatemala’scentralauthorityandadoption

stakeholdersaspartofanongoingefforttoassessGuatemala’scapacityforintercountryadoptioncooperation.CIandU.S.EmbassyGuatemalaCity

metonmultipleoccasionsduringFY2023withtheGuatemalanNational

CouncilforAdoptionsandtheofficeoftheAttorneyGeneraltocontinuethisassessment.

CIsentadelegationtoGuyanainJanuarytomeetwiththeMinistryof

HumanServicesandSocialSecurity,theAdoptionBoard,andtheChildCareandProtectionAgency.Duringthetrip,CIprovidedtechnicalassistanceintheformoftraining,includingsessionsonimplementingtheConventioninGuyanaandspecificstepsforprocessingadoptionstotheUnitedStates.

ThesemeetingsclarifiedtheissuestheGuyanesegovernmentneedsto

resolvetomakeConventionadoptionspossiblewiththeUnitedStates.CIcontinuedtoprovidetrainingandinformationtotheGuyanesegovernmentthroughoutFY2023.

InMay,CItraveledtoMexicotoattendameetingwithMexico’sSecretariatofForeignAffairs(SRE),representativesfromthecivilregistryofficeand

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nationalpassportoffice,andstafffromMexico’sNationalSystemforFamilyDevelopment.SREagreedtocentralizeadopteepassportadjudicationstoreducewaittimesandadjudicationvariations.InJune,CIgaveavirtual

presentationonimmigrationproceduresandprocessesinvolvingadoptionswiththeUnitedStatestoover200attendeesfromtheSRE.

CrisesAffectingAdoptions

MultiplecrisesinFY2023affectedintercountryadoptions.Duringacrisis,

manyU.S.citizenswanttoopentheirhomesandadoptaffectedchildren.

TheDepartmentsharesthisconcernforchildrenwhoareexperiencing

hardshipinacrisisandworkshardtocompleteadoptionsforthesechildren,whenpossible.Duringtimesofcrisis,however,itcanbeexceptionally

difficulttodeterminewhetherchildrenwhoappeartobeorphanstrulyareeligibleforadoption.ItcanalsobedifficulttofulfillthelegalrequirementsforintercountryadoptionofboththeUnitedStatesandcountriesoforigin.Thismaybeduetodifficultygatheringthenecessarydocuments,verifyingachild’seligibility,orabreakdownincivilauthority.TheDepartmentworkstoovercometheseimpedimentstocompleteadoptions.

InFY2023,politicalcrisesinHaitisignificantlyimpactedsecurityand

stabilityinthecountry,leadingtomajordelaysinprocessingintercountryadoptions.CIworkedcloselywiththeHaitiangovernmenttoresolve

adoptionprocessingissuesinaccordancewithU.S.andHaitianlaw.The

DepartmentengagedwithHaitianauthoritiestohelpadoptedchildren

obtainpassportsthroughaspecialprocessthatreducedthelengthydelaysandavoidedthedangerouscrowdsatthepassportoffices.

Russia’sbrutalwaragainstUkrainecontinuestosignificantlyimpact

intercountryadoptionsfromthecountry.TheUkrainiangovernmenthas

maintainedafirmpositionthatintercountryadoptionsarenotpossible

duringmartiallaw.Sincethebeginningofthewar,theDepartmenthasonlyprocessedcasesthathadadoptionordersissuedbeforetheinvasion.In

June2023,theUkrainiangovernmentannouncedtheywouldbegin

processingintercountryadoptionsinlimitedcircumstances,includingforthe

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biologicalsiblingsofalreadyadoptedchildrenandforindividualsadoptingarelativeorstepchild.TheDepartmentcontinuedtoengagetheUkrainian

governmentonintercountryadoptionandcommunicatewithadoptionstakeholdersthroughoutFY2023.

SecondNational-LevelAccreditingEntity

AfterCIdesignatedCenterforExcellenceinAdoptionServices(CEAS)asanaccreditingentity(AE)inJune2022,CEASassumedtheAEroleonDecember1,2022.CEASjoinedIntercountryAdoptionAccreditationandMaintenanceEntity,Inc.(IAAME)asthesecondnational-levelAEwithresponsibilitiesto

accredit,approve,monitor,andoverseeU.S.adoptionserviceproviders

(ASP)handlingintercountryadoptioncasesintheUnitedStates.The

transitionfromonetotwoAEshasbeenmarkedbyexcellentcoordination,communication,andcollaborationbetweenCEASandIAAME.

AnewfeeschedulewentintoeffectforCEASandIAAMEonDecember1,2022.PriortoapprovingtheAEs’feeschedules,CIreviewedeachAE’s

budget,projectedrevenue,andanticipatedexpensestoconfirmtheymetregulatoryrequirements.CIalsoensuredthatthefeescover,butdonotexceed,thecostofaccreditationandthatapprovalservicesandfeesarechargedonlyforthosecosts.

IntercountryAdoptionInformationActof2019(IAIA)ReportingforFY2023

AsrequiredbytheIntercountryAdoptionInformationActof2019(IAIA),the

Departmentprovidesthefollowinginformationoncountriesthat

establishedormaintainedasignificantlaworregulationthatpreventedorprohibitedadoptionsinvolvingimmigrationtotheUnitedStates,andtheDepartment’seffortstoencouragetheresumptionofadoptions.The

DemocraticRepublicoftheCongo(DRC),Ethiopia,Kenya,Russia,and

LatviaestablishedormaintainedalaworregulationprohibitingadoptionstotheUnitedStates(Table8).TheDepartmenthascontinuedtoengage

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foreignauthoritiesinsomeofthesecountriestoencouragetheresumptionofintercountryadoptions.

?TheMinistryoftheDRCmaintaineditsLawNo.87-010oftheFamilyCodeinJulyof2016,whicheffectivelysuspendedallintercountry

adoptions.Thecountryalsomaintainsa2013banonexitpermitsforadoptedchildren.TherewasnosignificantengagementbetweentheDepartmentandtheGovernmentoftheDRCinFY2023.

?TheGovernmentofEthiopiamaintaineditslaw1070/2018,which

effectivelysuspendedintercountryadoptionsbyforeigners.In2020,theEthiopianFederalSupremeCourtCassationBranchruledthat

adoptionstoforeigncitizens“ofEthiopianorigin”wouldbeallowed.CItraveledtoEthiopiainFebruarytoascertainhowtheseadoptionsmaybeprocessed.AdoptionsfromEthiopiatoforeigncitizenswhoarenotofEthiopianoriginremainsuspended,however,andthe

Ethiopiangovernmenthasindicatedtherearenoplanstoliftthissuspension.

?Kenyamaintainedits2014moratoriumonintercountryandforeign

residentadoptions.In2022,theGovernmentofKenyaenacteda

revisedChildren’sAct,whichdesignatedtheKenyanNationalCouncilonChildren’sServicesastheCentralAuthorityforintercountry

adoption.ThislawalsoindicatesthatintercountryadoptionscouldbepossibleforKenyancitizenslivingoverseas–includingdualcitizens–orindividualswhohavepreviouslyheldKenyancitizenship.

AdoptionsforU.S.citizenswhohaveneverheldKenyancitizenshipremainsuspended.

?In2021,theparliamentofLatviasignednewamendmentsintothe

lawontheProtectionofChildren’sRights,whichsuspendedadoptionstoallcountrieswhichhavenotratifiedtheU.N.Conventiononthe

RightsoftheChild(CRC).SincetheUnitedStateshassignedbutnotratifiedtheCRC,theseamendmentseffectivelysuspended

intercountryadoptionstotheUnitedStates.Therewasnosignificant

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engagementbetweentheDepartmentandLatviangovernmentduringFY2023.

?Russiamaintainedfederallaw272-FZinFY2023,effectivelybanningintercountryadoptionofRussianchildrenbyU.S.citizens.TherewasnosignificantengagementbetweentheDepartmentandtheRussiangovernmentonintercountryadoptionduringFY2023.

Inadditiontothesesuspensionsbycountriesoforigin,in2010the

DepartmentdeterminedthatconditionsinNepalmakeitimpossibleto

properlyadjudicateimmigrantpetitionsandvisasforabandonedchildren.RepresentativesfromCItraveledtoNepalinFY2023anddeterminedthatthesuspensionshouldremaininplace.

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IAA§104(b)ReportElements:

?§104(b)(1):Tables1and2reportthenumberofintercountryadoptionsinFY2023involvingimmigrationtotheUnitedStates,regardlessofwhethertheadoptionoccurredundertheHagueAdoptionConvention.

?§104(b)(2):Table3reportsthenumberofintercountryadoptionsinFY

2023involvingemigrationfromtheUnitedStates,regardlessofwhethertheadoptionoccurredundertheHagueAdoptionConvention.

?§104(b)(3):InFY2023adoptionserviceproviders(ASPs)reportedten

disruptedplacementsforConventionadoptions,i.e.,casesinwhichtherewasaninterruptionofaplacementforadoptionduringthepost-placement(butpre-adoption)period.Table6summarizesthisinformation.

Inaddition,Table7summarizesinformationtheDepartmentofHealthandHumanServicessubmittedpursuantto§422(b)(12)oftheSocialSecurityActregardingdisruptionsanddissolutionsinvolvingchildrenwhowereadoptedthroughtheintercountryprocessandsubsequentlyenteredstatecustody.EachstateprovidedinformationtoHHSaboutChildandFamilyServicesPlangoalsandobjectivesthroughtheAnnualProgressandServicesReport

(APSR).Table7providesanoverviewoftheinformationeachstate

reportedtothenumberofdisruptionsanddissolutions,thetimeperiod,andreportingcapabilities.

?§104(b)(4):Table4reportstheaveragetimerequiredforcompletionofaConventionadoption.ThetimeiscalculatedfromthedayUSCISreceived

theFormI-800AapplicationtothedaythechildreceivedanimmigrantvisatotraveltotheUnitedStates.

?§104(b)(5):ThecurrentlistofaccreditedagenciesandapprovedpersonsisavailableontheDepartment’sintercountryadoptionwebsiteat

Adoption

ProviderSearch.

Thislistisupdatedregularlytoreflectchangestothe

accreditationofagenciesandapprovalofpersons.Table9liststheaccreditedagenciesandapprovedpersonsonSeptember30,2023.

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?§104(b)(6):TheSecretarydidnottemporarilyorpermanentlydebaranagencyorpersoninFY2023.

?§104(b)(7):ASPsreportedchargingbetween$16,380and$67,850for

adoptionservicesfromConventioncountries,withhalfcharginglessthan$40,045andhalfchargingmore.ThefeecategoriesreportedinTable5

includecountry-specificservices(foreignprogramexpenses,contributions,careofchildexpenses,andtravel/accommodations),homestudyexpenses,adoptionexpensesintheUnitedStates,translationanddocumentation

expenses,post-placementandpost-adoptionreports,andthird-partyfeesfortheConventioncountriesreflectedinTable1.ASPsreportedchargingbetween$890and$35,300forcountry-specificservices.

?§104(b)(8):InFY2023,thereweretwoaccreditingentities:IntercountryAdoptionAccreditationandMaintenanceEntity,Inc.(IAAME)andCenterforExcellenceinAdoptionServices(CEAS).Annualfeesforaccreditationof

agenciesandapprovalofpersonsrangedfrom$2,200to$7,700inFY2023.ThisreflectsthefeescheduleineffectonOctober1,2022,andtherevisedfeescheduleseffectiveDecember1,2022.IAAME’sandCEAS’sfee

schedulesareeachbasedontieredfeesaccordingtotheaveragenumberofadoptionsforwhichtheagencyservedasaprimaryprovider.Thefee

schedulesalsoincludemonitoringandoversightfees.InFY2023,

monitoringandoversightfeesfortheaccreditingentitiesrangedfrom$500

to$107,600.Accreditingentityfeeschedulesareavailableat

T.

?§104(b)(9-10):Table8listscountriesthat,inFY2023,establishedor

maintainedasignificantlaworregulationthatpreventedorprohibitedalladoptionsinvolvingimmigrationtotheUnitedStatesandthe

implementationdateofsuchlaworregulation.

?§104(b)(11):

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Note:Amoredetaileddescriptionregardingthestatusofintercountry

adoptionsfromtheDemocraticRepublicofCongo,Ethiopia,Kenya,Latvia,andRussiaisprovidedintheIAIAreportingsectionabove.

FortheDemocraticRepublicoftheCongo,therewasnosignificant

engagementbetweentheDepartmentandtheDemocraticRepublicoftheCongoonadoptionmattersinFY2023.

FortheFederalDemocraticRepublicofEthiopia,CIvisitedU.S.Embassy

AddisAbabaandcontinuedbilateralconversationswithcounterpartsintheGovernmentofEthiopiaabouttheimplicationsofa2020EthiopianFederalSupremeCourtdecisionwhichmayallowforeigncitizensofEthiopianorigintoadopt.

FortheRepublicofKenya,U.S.EmbassyNairobiheldbilateraldiscussionsonrecentKenyanlawswhichmayallowadoptionsforKenyancitizensliving

overseas,orpeoplewhopreviouslyheldKenyancitizenship.

ForLatvia,therewasnosignificantengagementbetweentheDepartmentandtheGovernmentofLatviaonadoptionsduringFY2023.

ForRussia,therewasnosignificantengagementbetweentheDepartmentandRussiaonadoptionmattersinFY2023.

?§104(b)(12):InFY2023,theDepartmentdidnotcarryoutanyactionthatprevented,prohibited,orhaltedanyadoptionsinvolvingimmigrationtotheUnitedStates.

?§104(b)(13):Notapplicablebecause,inFY2023,theDepartmentdidnotcarryoutanyactionthatprevented,prohibited,orhaltedanyadoptions

involvingimmigrationtotheUnitedStates.

?§104(b)(14):Theimpactofaccreditingentityfeesonafamilyvaries

dependingontheextenttowhichtheASPdirectlypassesthecostsontotheirclientsandthenumberofadoptionsfacilitatedperyear.The

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Departmentestimatesthetotalimpactofaccreditingentityfeesper

adoptivefamilyisbetween$568and$2,650foreachadoption.InFY2023,ASPsreportedchargingbetween$16,380and$67,850fo