The US State Department has released its Annual Report on Intercountry Adoption for Fiscal Year 2012, showing that visas were issued for a total of 8668 children, down from a total of 9,319 for FY 2011. The most frequently represented countries of origin are China (2,967 children), Ethiopia (1,568), Russia (748), South Korea (627), Ukraine (395), Congo (240), Uganda (238), Nigeria (197), Colombia (195) and Taiwan (177). The report also indicated that there were 99 outgoing intercountry adoptions during the same period. See also Rachel Swarns, American Adoptions From Abroad at Their Lowest Level in Years (NY Times Jan. 24, 2013).

Also this month, President Obama signed S.3331, the Intercountry Adoption Universal Accreditation Act of 2012, which will take effect on July 14, 2014.  Here is the announcement from the State Department, and here is the text of the legislation.