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This is the 9th edition of the La Vida Connection available on-line. The electronic format has allowed us to make great improvements in the newsletter including: full color pictures of children recently adopted; no limit on the length of the newsletter; flexibility for the inclusion of special effects; the use of color print throughout; and faster delivery to families. If you have family or friends who would be interested in receiving a notice by e-mail when we publish the newsletter each quarter please ask that they send us a request by e-mail. If you know any former La Vida families for whom we may not have a current e-mail address, please ask that they provide it to us so that we may notify them as each issue is published on the web. Please make sure that we have your current e-mail address so that we can keep you informed. Please also remember to notify us whenever you change your e-mail address so that we may continually have current information. Currently enrolled La Vida families that have not provided us with an e-mail address will be notified by regular mail when each issue of the newsletter is published on the web. Upcoming Television on China and From China
Employer Adoption Benefits For free materials you can use to convince your company to offer or expand adoption benefits log on to www.adoptionfriendlyworkplace.org or http://www.adoptivefamilies.com/articles.php?aid=1480
Share the Joy of a Trip to China With each family's permission, La Vida photographs adoption trips as they are happening and posts the photos on our web site. This is a wonderful way for family and friends here in the U.S. to follow the group's progress, see the activities that are happening, and get a chance to see the beautiful new children and happy parents. Please be sure to visit often to see the most current trip to China as well as archives of past trips. Adoption Stories Sought We are looking for your adoption story! La Vida would like to include your individual family’s story in an upcoming newsletter. If you would like to submit your story, please send it to us via e-mail (info@lavida.org). You may also submit a photo to include with your story. Photos may be received via e-mail or you may submit an original photo and we will be glad to return it to you. Please send us an e-mail request for an outline that may help to get you started. Chinese Visa Requirements The Chinese Embassy and Consulates are firmly enforcing the regulation that any child born in China must submit their Chinese Passport along with their U.S. Passport when applying for their first visa for China. The Chinese passport has the corner clipped to indicate that it is invalid and then is returned with the rest of the documents. This only applies the first time you are applying for a visa for China for your child.
Seeing Your Family Grow We always enjoy receiving updated pictures of your child(ren)! Thanks for keeping us up to date. If you would like us to include an updated photo of your child or family in our next newsletter please send us an e-mail or a note addressed to the attention of Mary Carr. Photos may be received electronically or original photos may be submitted.
Adoption Fees Can Now Be Paid With The Ease Of A Credit Card In order to help families to more flexibly afford the adoption process, we now have the capability to accept credit card payments for adoption service fees and costs through the submission of your dossier (aka: country application). Your Visa or MasterCard may be used to pay certain fees associated with the cost of adoption. This is another way for families to move forward without being held back due to finances. For more information about affording adoption please click here. For more information on this service, please do not hesitate to contact Lisa Johnson. Save The Date For The Next Chinese New Year / Vietnamese Tet Celebration - 2007 The Year of the Pig
Chat Room for La Vida Families Formed A La Vida family has established a chat room to provide a forum where La Vida families who have adopted or are in the process of adoption can offer support and share experiences. This is a parents only group and agency staff are not members and do not participate in the group. You will need an e-mail address and to designate a password in order to join. Please visit http://groups.msn.com/LaVidaFamilies/welcome.msnw to learn more. Tax Credit Increase There are tax benefits available to offset the expenses of adopting a child. The U.S. Congress passed legislation that was signed by President Bush in June of 2001. The bill, H.R. 1836 – the Tax Reconciliation Bill, includes provisions that provide for an adoption tax credit for families adopting children either in the United States or internationally. Highlights of the Adoption Tax Credit include :
Families with adjusted gross incomes up to $159,450 qualify for the full credit. For families with incomes above this amount and up to $199,450 the credit is reduced. The tax credit will be adjusted annually for inflation.
Regulations For Obtaining a Certificate of Citizenship The Child Citizenship Act (CCA) was implemented on February 27, 2001. Under the law, all foreign-born children adopted by U.S. citizens will automatically acquire U.S. citizenship by operation of law as soon as the following conditions are satisfied: At least one adoptive parent is a U.S. Citizen; the child is under 18 years of age; there is a full & final adoption of the child (that is recognized by the U.S. Government); both parents personally see and observe the child prior to the adoption (in the case of married parents); and the child is lawfully admitted to the United States as an immigrant. If the child is a citizen by operation of this law, there are two documents that you might wish to receive for your child: (1) a Certificate of Citizenship; and (2) a U.S. Passport. The Certificate of Citizenship is a document issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service indicating that your child is a lawful citizen of the U.S. The U.S. Department of State issues the U.S. passport, and it is desirable or necessary if the child travels outside of the U.S. Families wishing to apply for a Certificate of Citizenship currently may continue to file the form N-600 (Application for Certificate of Citizenship on behalf of an Adopted Child), the same form that has been previously used for the naturalization of an adopted child. This form should be completed and submitted to the USCIS along with the proper documentation and application fee. Please click here to download the N-600 form. To download the PDF files linked from this page you must have Adobe Reader installed. If you do not have a current version of Adobe Reader installed on your computer click this button to download version 8.0.
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Applying For Your Child's Social Security Number As soon as you return home, you can apply for a social security number for your child. This social security number is required for many purposes, including: deducting your child as a dependent on your income tax return; setting up ownership of bank accounts, stocks, trusts, etc. for the child; for the child to earn any income; and other important reasons. This application is made on behalf of your child through your local Social Security Administration. While the child’s adoption documentation that you return home with should be sufficient for you to receive a SS #, many families wait to apply until they have re-adopted the child and changed the child’s name. By doing so, families eliminate the need for a second step of changing the child’s name with the Social Security Administration (if the child’s name is later changed from the foreign name to an American name).
The Social Security
Administration offers this detailed
guideline which covers how to obtain a social security number for a
child adopted from China. Please keep in mind, based upon feedback
from families, many social security administration employees at local
offices are not aware of exactly what is required. As a result many
family's applications have been rejected. La Vida's recommendation is
that you follow these guidelines and bring them with you when you submit an
in-person application. Include a copy of these guidelines when you mail in your
application. If you follow the guidelines and an employee does not
accept your documentation then we suggest you contact your local
congressional office and request assistance. |
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We Love To Have Visitors
Please remember that if you are in the King of Prussia area to stop in and
visit us. We love to see new little faces as well as familiar ones too. |
We
are excited to announce that La Vida is looking forward to seeing you at
our Chinese New Year / Vietnamese Tet Celebration on Sunday, February 18,
2007 at the
Valley Forge Convention Center in King of Prussia, PA. Please mark your
calendars and be prepared to have a fun filled day with our staff in King of
Prussia, PA. Invitations to our guests were mailed the week of
December 25, 2006.