This is an update to the previous Adoption Notice posted on May 26, 2017.

Since June 1, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs (MOWA) resumed issuing documents to allow some adopted children with Federal First Instance Court (FFIC) approval to initiate their U.S. immigration processes. Those adopted children were able to obtain Ethiopian passports. The State Department has not received information from the Ethiopian government about which additional cases may be allowed to continue. To date, the Ethiopian government has not released an official statement on the suspension or the future of intercountry adoption from Ethiopia. The State Department will continue to advocate for intercountry adoption as an option for Ethiopian children in need of permanent homes. However, given the uncertainty of the future of adoptions in Ethiopia, we strongly encourage prospective adoptive parents to consider other countries. If you have questions about your pending case, please contact your Adoption Service Provider.

Please continue to monitor adoption.state.gov for updated information on intercountry adoption in Ethiopia. For questions about this notice, please contact the Office of Children’s Issues at Adoption@state.gov.