[rmprhp]

The Lithuanian government enacted a new law on June 12, 2005 requiring accreditation of all adoption agencies representing families in Lithuania. Full compliance is required by December 12, 2005 for existing families. The english translation of the law will appear on the Ivaikinimo tarnyba (Lithuanian Adoption Service) website: http://www.ivaikinimas.lt/index.php?l=EN
sometime this week. If you read Lithuanian, I believe the law may already be posted in Lithuanian at the site (click on LT on upper right hand corner of the link above)

Please be sure to check with your agency that they, and you, are in full compliance of the new regulations. New applications for adoption will not be accepted until the agency representing the family is in full compliance.

Gina

[rmprhp]

As an addendum to the above post, the Lithuanian Adoption service will continue to accept applications from agencies which have previously signed a bi-lateral agreement with Lithuania. Only one US adoption agency is listed on the IT website as having a bi-lateral agreement and that is Main Street Adoptions. See http://www.ivaikinimas.lt/index.php?p=0&l=EN&n=25

Gina

[rmprhp]

There is now a second agency with a bi-lateral agreement, thus able to process new applicants. This agency is Bethany Christian Services.

Gina

[rmprhp]

I have received the official english translation of the new accreditation law. If you would like me to email you a copy, please let me know.
Gina

[rmprhp]

There is now a third agency with permission to process new applications: Adoptions From the Heart.

That brings the total to three US agencies: Main Street, Bethany and AFTH

Gina

[rmprhp]

The first round of Accreditation hearings has occurred in Lithuania. The Adoption Service has just released the following information:

Approved for Accreditation:
Our Children's Homestead, foreign representative Algis Miskinis

Agencies Denied Accreditation:
Carolina Hope Christian Adoption Agency, foreign
representative: Page Edmunds/ACI and Losys Law Firm

Decision Pending - Application Shortcomings Need to be
Addressed:
Main Street Adoption Service
Bethany Christian Adoption Services
Adoptions from the Heart
Hands Across the Water
Crossroads Adoption Service

This information can be found in Lithuanian at www.ivaikinimas.lt

Gina

[rmprhp]

Bethany Christian Services and Adoptions From the Heart have corrected the problems holding up accreditation and received their official approval from the Lithaunian government on October 18, 2005. www.ivaikinimas.lt

~Gina

[rmprhp]

The Lithuanian Adoption Service has approved 13 agencies, 8 of them in the US. You can see the listing of acredited agencies, contact information, who they use as foreign reps, and the fees charged by visiting the Lithuanian Adoption Service website : www.ivaikinimas.lt click on "Akredituotos uÏsienio valstybi˜ ∞vaikinimo institucijos"

Gina