§ Mr. Andrew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many visas have been (i) applied for and (ii) issued since December 1989 in respect of Romanian children adopted by United Kingdom citizens.
§ Mr. SainsburyFour such visas have been applied for and one has been granted.
§ Mr. Andrew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will estimate the average time between applications for, and the issuing of, visas in respect of Romanian children adopted by United Kingdom citizens.
§ Mr. SainsburyOur visa procedures are designed to ensure that proper safeguards apply in cases of children brought to this country for adoption. These include inquiries into the child's circumstances overseas and reports by the prospective adopter's local authority. The length of time taken to complete these inquiries will depend on the circumstances of individual cases and it is not possible to estimate the average time for processing visa applications in respect of Romanian children adopted by United Kingdom citizens.