Vietnam and US to resume adoptions

Vietnam and the United States will resume limited intercountry adoptions, both nations said on Friday, six years after a ban was imposed because of allegations of widespread baby-selling and children offered without the consent of their birthparents.

Under the new agreement, US residents will be able to adopt children with special needs and those over 5 years of age.

Adoptions will resume "soon" once the Vietnam government announces which US-based adoption service providers are authorized to represent US parents, the US embassy said in an advisory to journalists announcing a media event to discuss the intercountry adoptions.