ANGELINA JOLIE - JOLIE AND MADDOX ARRIVE IN VIETNAM

LATEST: ANGELINA JOLIE and her son MADDOX arrived in Vietnam today (14MAR07) ahead of the actress' formal adoption of a three-and-a-half-year-old boy tomorrow (15MAR07). The 31-year-old and Cambodian-born Maddox, five; flew from New Orleans, Louisiana, to southern Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City airport late on Wednesday night. Jolie and Maddox were whisked into a car and driven to an undisclosed hotel, where they were to rest before Thursday's adoption ceremony. Notably absent from Ho Chi Minh City was Jolie's partner BRAD PITT, who is adoptive father to Maddox and Ethiopian-born ZAHARA MARLEY, two. The couple also have a biological child SHILOH NOUVEL, meaning the Vietnamese boy they are adopting would be their fourth child. Jolie filed the application for adopting the Vietnamese child as a single parent because she and Pitt are not married. Adoption officials in Vietnam said following the adoption ceremony, Jolie will meet with US consular officials, who have to approve the adoption before a passport can be issued for the youngster. Officials say if the paperwork is straightforward, Jolie and Pitt could have their new child in New Orleans by the weekend (17-18MAR07).