Thursday, January 12, 2012

Everyone Is Waiting for Exit Permits to Flow

Updated Blog

I have been getting many questions from a lot of readers wanting to know when the EP process for the year 2012 will begin as everyone is anxiously waiting for The Call. 

As the new year has dawned, the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) has not issued any new Exit Permits (EPs) yet.  This is typical in a new year as MOHW usually starts to flow the EP process by mid-January to late January.  So the agencies are all waiting for the go ahead signal from MOHW.

The MOHW is working out some guidelines that need some clarifications.  They are examining the issues of recent cases of forced deportations by the US on the adoptees that were legally adopted into the US, but somehow the parents overlooked to finalize the adoption process and to file for the US citizenship for them.  MOHW is wanting to prevent this from happening and they are reviewing the process of citizenship acquisition process.  Also, there is the issue of giving priority to Korean heritage families, where questions remain as to who would qualify and what process is needed.  This has not been clearly spelled out yet, thus not able to implement priority service to Korean heritage couples yet.  There is also the review due to the changes in the adoption law that requires the family court in Korea to handle both the domestic and the overseas adoptions.  So they need to figure out different responsibilities shared between the MOHW and the family court. 

MOHW has not yet assigned the quota numbers to the agencies yet.  In the past they let the process flow and let the agencies know what their quota would be later, but the agencies do not know what direction the MOHW will take. 

The bottom line is this.  I think the wait is going to be a little longer this year, but hopefully not too long a wait.  I did request MOHW if it isn't possible to start the EP process while all the changes are being made, but I think they are understaffed.

The adoption agencies in Korea and in the US - they are all waiting, just like many of you are.  So Everyone is Waiting for the EP process to flow again.  The agencies will be more than happy to hear from MOHW to start the EP process again.  Hopefully it won't be long.  I will post new information as they come my way.
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15 comments:

  1. IP JourneyJanuary 13, 2012 at 5:07 AM

    Thanks for the update Steve!

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  2. BlomgrensJanuary 13, 2012 at 5:24 AM

    Thanks for taking the time to share what you know! We appreciate your inside scoop.

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  3. boxerloverJanuary 13, 2012 at 8:29 AM

    Thanks!

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  4. AnonymousJanuary 13, 2012 at 8:47 AM

    Thank you for advocating on our behalf. Praying they will let the EP process begin quickly. I wish they would just start with smaller batches & just keep some movement happening while they iron all of the details out.

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  5. AnonymousJanuary 13, 2012 at 9:31 AM

    Thank you for the information. For those of who thought we were travelling last year and then told just hang on for Jan/Feb this wait is beyond painful. And for those who have waited longer or just in the process - the unknowns are so scary. We ache knowing how scary the transition is going to be for them when they come home since they will be so much older. I pray the ministry takes your advice and gets the EPs started - getting one child to travel home each week at a minimum would be a blessing!

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  6. Rebecca MerryJanuary 13, 2012 at 9:57 AM

    Thanks for the update! At this point any news helps ease our fears especially those of us with kiddos waiting for those golden EPs to continue medical treatment!

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  7. AnonymousJanuary 13, 2012 at 12:06 PM

    Thanks for the update- we've been waiting 13 months now, this wait for EPs to begin is so hard, the last 2 weeks have been torture. Any news is nice at this point, and it's good to know the reasons behind the delays. Praying they will begin taking EPs next week!

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  8. AnonymousJanuary 13, 2012 at 12:14 PM

    Thank you for the update! I'm confused as to why they didn't look into this last month so as to not delay the process this month. Or why they would hold off EP process rather than referral process. Most countries hold off on handing out referrals until things get sorted out, but they will process children already matched.

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  9. Holly L-BJanuary 13, 2012 at 1:40 PM

    The Korean government, to my knowledge, doesn't control the referrals - the individual agencies do. So, the only thing the government can restrict is the emmigration permits.

    I also just heard one US agency reporting that no EP submittals will happen this month. I'm not sure which agency it is, or which Korean agency they partner with.

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  10. AnonymousJanuary 21, 2012 at 7:33 PM

    Holt has said no EP's will be submitted this month. They hope for it to start in February. I suspect that Holt is holding onto referrals until the EP situation picks up because I know of a family who was told over a month ago they would get a referral "any second now" and they have yet to receive one. Officially, Holt says they are still doing referrals, but I just feel like something is up.

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  11. AnonymousJanuary 23, 2012 at 11:15 AM

    SWS has said "the first several months." Hopefully they were overestimating. Thank you to Steve for the update. It's nice to understand the issues better.

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  12. AnonymousJanuary 28, 2012 at 6:45 PM

    Thank you for the updates.

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  13. AnonymousFebruary 1, 2012 at 12:11 PM

    Any news yet???

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  14. AnonymousFebruary 15, 2012 at 1:24 PM

    Holt has said the EPs will be accepting in Feb? Is this true?

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    Replies
    1. Steve MorrisonFebruary 15, 2012 at 1:44 PM

      Sorry that I don't have any news on this. If Holt is saying that, and if that is affirmative, then this is a positive thing.

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