Vietnam adoption referrals issued before September 1, 2008, have almost been fully processed toward finalization. The cases still pending are being handled by adoption officials and the U.S. Embassy. According to the Office of Children's Issues of the United States Department of State, prospective adoption parents and adoption service providers should not attempt to receive adoption referrals or accept adoption referrals from Vietnam.
The Government of Vietnam is currently working on new adoption laws, but will take some time to implement new adoption procedures. Many hope that this is a good step toward Vietnam being a party to the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption.
What caused the issues that led to the agreement between countries not being renewwed?
"Vietnamese criminal investigations and U.S. field reviews revealed evidence of child buying, including forged or altered documents, cash payment to birth mothers (for other than reasonable payments for necessary activities), coercion or deceit to induce birth parent(s) to release children to an orphanage, and children being offered for intercountry adoption without the knowledge or consent of their birth parents."
It seems that both countries wish for a transparent child welfare system that puts the interests of children first. According to the press release, the Vietnamese Government has concluded one of several investigations of adoption officials and all 16 officials from one province were found guilty and sentenced.