Adopt Chinese Children

In China, children under the age of 14 in the following categories may be adopted:

• Orphans who have lost their parents;

• Abandoned children whose birth parents cannot be found;

• Children whose birth parents are incapable of providing for them because of unusual hardship.

When a foreigner adopts a child in China, his or her adoption shall be examined and approved by the responsible agency of the adopter's resident country and he/she shall satisfy the following requirements:

• Childless, neither birth nor adopted child;

• Capable of raising and educating the adoptee;

• No illness which is deemed as medically inappropriate for raising children;

• 30 years old and above:

When a married person adopts a child, he / she should get consent from their spouse;

Orphans, disabled children or abandoned infants may be adopted irrespective of the restrictions that the adopter shall be childless.

A foreigner must submit the following documents to the China Center of Adoption Affairs.

• Adoption application

• Birth certificate

• Marital status certificate

• Certificates of profession, income and property

• Health examination certificate

• Certificate of no-criminal record

• A home study report regarding the lifestyle, immediate and extended family, finances and reasons for adopting

• Certificate of child adoption approval issued by the relevant department of the adopter's country of residence

• Photos

The full adoption process mainly include following procedures:

1.Apply for an international adoption at the related organization in the adopter's resident country;

2.Obtain some relevant certificates

3.Prepare dossier and offer application to China Center of Adoption Affairs

4.Wait for the examination and, if qualified, the referral of a child (6-8 months)

Once you are matched with a child, a copy of the medical report of this child, along  with his/her photograph, will be delivered. The medical reports contain limited, basic information concerning the child's general health status. Sometimes there will be a short paragraph about growth and development. You may request more information before deciding whether to accept that child.

Travel to China and conclude a written adoption agreement with the person placing out the child for adoption.

When a foreign married couple adopts a child in concert, they should come to China together to go through the formalities; if one of the spouses cannot come for some reasons, a notarized and authenticated written power of attorney should be delivered by the other spouse.

Make an adoptive registration in the civil affairs department in the locality of the adoptee's permanent residence.

Adopter, adoptee and the person placing out the adoptee should be present together. Adopter is required to fill in the Registration Application for Adoption of Children in China. Furthermore, the Notice of Coming to China for Adoption issued by the CCAA, the identity certificates and photos of the adopters should be submitted to the registration organisation.

A registration certificate would be issued to the adopter within 7 days if the adoption registration organisation validates the adoptive relationship after examination.

The entire adoption process from the time you submit your formal paperwork (the Dossier) to you being united with your child currently takes approximately 12-14 months.

The adoption process is somewhat expensive since it contains all the costs involved in this process, such as fees spent in making copies of documents, obtaining documents and certifications and traveling. Today, the total cost of adopting a child in China is between 10,000 to 20,000 US$.