Iranian immigrants divided by adoption regulations

CTV Montreal: Iranian pleads for adopted son An Iranian family granted residency in Canada cannot bring their adopted son to Quebec.

A family of Iranian immigrants is being split up because different regulations apply to adopted children.

Azam Jabbari, her husband and daughter have all been granted residency status to live in Canada.

But her adopted ten-year-old son, Paiman, has been denied.

"I'm here to ask people in charge to help me to have my son," said Jabbari.

The boy was homeless and living on the street five years ago, when Jabbari and her husband decided to adopt him--but they had already applied to immigrate to Canada.

The Canadian government awarded the Bahrami-Jabbari family their visas in 2014.

Jabbari's husband spent the following year travelling between Iran and Canada to care for the boy, before the Iranian government approved his adoption in 2015.

"I decided to start the sponsorship for my adopted son to bring him as a family member in Canada," said Jabbari.

However the request has been denied by Quebec officials.

Quebec will only recognize an international adoption if the family of origin gives up its legal rights.

MNA Amir Khadir said many countries approve adoptions without that restriction.

"But in many countries including Iran that's not a requirement. There still is a level of affiliation and it allows adoption so that is why Quebec is not able to recognize legally, give the title of adopted child," said Khadir.

The family, with Khadir's assistance, is asking Immigration Minister Kathleen Weil to intervene on humanitarian grounds.

Weil's office said she is aware of the case, but has no comment.

The family says it has until March 17, 2017 for Paiman's application to be approved or else they will all have to start over--or try to move to another province.