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In 1992 the Chinese government passed a law ratifying international adoption, and within seven years, China surpassed Russia as the international destination from which most parents adopt their children. By 2005, nearly 8000 Chinese children were adopted by American couples alone. The adoption process is orderly and systematic, with all aspects of adoption (including costs and the referral process) being regulated by the China Center of Adoption Affairs (CCAA) in Beijing. All adoptions must work through an agency approved by the CCAA.

The CCAA has established a finely structured system that makes the paperwork predictable and manageable, and they offer plenty of concrete information on how to compile your dossier successfully. The journey from beginning to end is, indeed, a long and arduous process, but we know of friends who have become proud and happy parents by journey's end.

The Orphaned Child's Profile

More than 95% of the children adopted from China are girls who were put up for adoption because of China's 'One Child Only' population control policy. 39% are under 1 year of age; 59% are 1-4 years old. Although they were abandoned after birth, these children generally were wanted while in their mother's womb, and their parents were most likely hoping to give birth to a male baby. Most of the birth mothers took good care of themselves and their unborn child, hoping that they would have a healthy, life-long relationship together. Very few Chinese women smoke or drink alcohol, so most babies start out with a relatively clean bill of health at birth and have their basic needs met in the orphanage. Adopted Chinese children tend to be free of long-term physical or emotional issues.

Because child abandonment is illegal, birth parents leave no trace of their identity, and adoptive parents receive a certificate of abandonment that proves that the biological parents have relinquished their parental rights through abandonment. There is no legal avenue for the birth parents to reclaim custody.

Basic Facts

Estimated Cost of Adopting: $20,000 to $25,000. USD

Age Requirements for Adopting Parents: Both spouses must be at least 30 years old and only one parent can be older than 55; parents over 45 may be referred toddlers and those over 50 will probably be referred school-age children. Singles must be under 50 to adopt a non-special needs child.

Family Status: Married couples preferred. Prior divorces permitted. A limited number of singles may adopt. Families must have no more than 4 children at home when they apply. Gay couples are not eligible. Both parents must be physically and mentally healthy and free from contagious diseases. Family income should exceed $35,000. USD per year.

Travel: At least one parent must travel to China to adopt. The average stay is 10-14 days. The child's visa will be issued at Guangzhou Consulates.

Timeline: Approximately 10-14 months after the completion of the dossier. There is a shorter wait for pre-identified special needs children and parents of Chinese ancestry.

Important Note: China is changing the adoption rules in May, 2007 - and they may change again.? Encourage anyone thinking about adopting to get the most current information.

The Step-by-Step Process

Step 1: Find an adoption agency specializing in adoptions in China. It must have affiliations with the China Center of Adoption Affairs. The CCAA maintains an extensive list of agencies on its website. Fees vary, as well as services.

Step 2: Complete a Home Study performed by a licensed social worker employed by a registered Chinese adoption agency. The home study requires four visits with the social worker who will assess your living situation and interview you.

Step 3: Assemble your Application Dossier, which includes a cover letter, certified copies of health documents, a criminal background check, your birth certificates, tax documents, and pictures of you and your home. All documents will need to be notarized, certified by your Secretary of State, and authenticated by the Chinese Consulate that is responsible for your home state or province. Most adopting parents take about three to six months to complete the paperwork.

Step 4: You complete and compile many of the dossier documents on your own, but it cannot be completed without your China Home Study Report and immigration approval. If you're American, the report is approved by the USCIS (United States Citizen and Immigration Services). Along with the forms and documents, you will include your preferences in age, sex, and health status of your prospective child. The CCAA will make an effort to meet the requests of parents; your files are matched with data logged with CCAA on that date and with the files of children who are ready at the time. Once your dossier is completed, your adoption agency will submit it to the CCAA.

Step 5: You should also submit an I-600A Form (Application for Advanced Processing of Orphan Petition) to the USCIS if you are American citizens.

Step 6: Wait for a referral. This is often the most difficult part of the process for prospective parents. It could easily take up to a year or longer. During this time, make sure your passports are current in preparation for your eventual trip to China, follow up with your adoption agency on occasion, and try to remain patient. At this point, you're getting close!

Step 7: Accept or refuse your CCAA referral. After the CCAA has approved your application and matched you with a child, they will send you a referral for a specific child. You will receive a picture and medical history, as well as a brief description (often in the form of a checklist) of the child's abilities and personality. Parent refusals are rare indeed, and second referrals are downright difficult to get.

Step 8: You travel to China to complete the adoption process. After you accept a referral, the CCAA will send you a sealed approval note. Plan on being in China 10-14 days to finalize the adoption. Be sure to have the required immunizations. Your adoption agency will contact your consulate in Guangzhou to schedule a immigration interview, so don't make plans until you have confirmed an appointment with the consulate.

Step 9: Proceed to the Civil Affairs Bureau in the province where your child is located. Once you arrive, a notary will interview you and certify the birth certificate of your child.

Step 10: You receive your child. Either the child will be brought to your hotel or you will make arrangements to pick him or her up at a local government building. Now is the time you finally meet your son or daughter, and you finalize the adoption process. You will be interviewed again and sign the adoption paperwork. You will also need to make a required standard donation of $3000. USD to the Children's Welfare Institute (CWI), the authorized institution for orphanages in China. In addition, you will be charged another $800. - $1500. by the CWI for the adoption paperwork. Then finally, you are the proud and legal parents of a new child and congratulations are in order!

Guangzhou Embassies Area

Step 11: Obtain a Chinese passport and exit permit for your child. After you receive the notarized birth certificate, you proceed to the provincial Public Securities Bureau to obtain your child's passport. Your adoption agency should assist you with facilitating the child's immigration into your home country.

Step 12: Obtain a medical exam for your child. Again, this will most likely be arranged by your adoption agency. Your child will need a medical exam from an approved health center to obtain an immigration visa. Usually, the exams are conducted back in Guangzhou, since you will be returning thee to pick up the visa.

Step 13: The consulate in Guangzhou will issue the visa, usually within 24 hours.

Step 14: You return home with your child. If both parents meet the child before the adoption is final, he or she will automatically be a citizen of your home country upon arrival. Otherwise, you will need to apply for your child's citizenship upon your return.

Step 15: The CCAA requires two additional visits by your social worker to confirm that both the child and parents are adjusting well. These will entail more interviews and more paperwork. Usually these visits will be between six and twelve months after your return from China.

Step 16: Congratulate yourselves on the expansion of your family! You now have your lifetime ahead of you to love and support each other. On vital link in you and your child's destiny has now been fulfilled!

Tips

 Research adoption agencies thoroughly. Investigate online adoption services and support groups.

 Once you get a referral, carefully review your prospective child's health history. Consider showing the health documents to a trusted pediatrician.

 When you travel to China, pack necessities such as baby wipes, various sizes of diapers, children's aspirin, and a variety of bottle and sip cups. Many of these items are difficult to find here, especially in rural areas.

 Also pack yourselves a copy of SPEAK E-Z CHINESE In Phonetic English. The authors have dedicated an entire chapter on what you will need to be able to say while traveling with infants. There are also free downloadable audio files available at this site to help you with correct pronunciations.

Warnings

 Adopting a special needs child can be significantly faster than other children, but be sure you are willing to make the extra commitment for the long term.

 Be careful with your passport and cash in China. As elsewhere, passports can fetch good money on the black market, and it would truly be a hassle to obtain a new one while you're dealing with everything else here.

 There are no "special deals" or alternative ways to adopt a child from China. You must go through an accredited agency that is affiliated with the CCAA. Any other possibilities are a scam and will result in a lot of heartaches and disappointment.

Suggestions

Be patient. There will be many hoops to jump through, and at the end, when you think you're almost done, a bunch more hoops will pop up. But, there will be a last hoop and then she'll be all yours. Be prepared. People will have lots of questions, and so will your child later on. Document the adoption process as much as possible and take many, many photos and video. You may want to keep copies of all the correspondence, electronic or otherwise, that deals with the adoption, as well as copies of the paperwork you collected for the adoption agency. This will be part of her adoption history and a family treasure.

Share the moment. If you can, consider inviting grandparents or extended family along for the handover. This is particularly good if you're adopting a second child. My son's grandparents came along and gave him enough attention so that he was happy to share with the new baby.