China Adoption Program
Chinese Holiday
Schedule 2008
Letter from
our Director regarding the status of adoption in China as of December 2007
General information
Map of China
Through the China Adoption Program, HOPE for Children has placed
hundreds of Chinese orphans with caring families across the United States. The China adoption program continues to grow
and remains our largest program.
Please contact Melinda Szegedi,
Melinda@hopeforchildren.org, our Family and Events Coordinator, with questions about the China program.
Children in need of homes
Most of the children in China placed for adoption are girls who have
been orphaned or abandoned. The children are generally healthy and
extensive current health records are usually available. The ages range
from 6 months to 12 years, although most of the children we have placed
have been between 1 and 3 years old. Some boys and twins are
occasionally available, although it is rare. The orphanages make every
effort to present children who most resemble the age and description
requested by the couples. However, as with every international adoption,
the exact characteristics requested may not always be available.
Research has shown that children adopted from China, whether in foster
care or from orphanages, have adjusted very well to their new families.
HOPE for Children, is
approved by the China Center of Adoption Affairs (CCAA) to place children for
adoption. Further, HOPE for Children is also authorized to place
children with special needs from China. The special needs may range from
cleft lip and palate to missing or extra digits to severe handicaps.
Many of the conditions these children have can be corrected with simple
surgery, medical treatment, or therapy.
Find out more about HOPE for
Children's China program.
Adoptive parent requirements
All adoptions are facilitated in The People's Republic of China through the non-profit organization, China Center of Adoption Affairs (CCAA). China requires prospective parents
to be married and both spouses must be at least 30 years of age and no
older than 50 to adopt. Parents may be 55 to adopt from the
Waiting Child Program.
Please
click here to review
the current regulations for adoptive parents wishing to adopt from
China.
Travel information
 The
Chinese government requires that at least one of the adoptive parents
travel to China to adopt their child. HOPE for Children recommends that both parents travel together, but it is not required. Parents stay in China for approximately 10 - 12 days during which time they will complete the necessary paperwork to bring their child back to the United States. HOPE for Children prefers that several parents travel together to a particular orphanage to help obtain group discounts on travel, as well as provide a support group during the adoption process in China. From the time the parents enter China, HOPE for Children has a bi-lingual representative to guide them through the entire process. As available, HOPE for Children provides western accommodations during your stay in China.
Process to adopt from China
Free/No Obligation Orientation: If you have an interest in learning about our adoption programs at HOPE for Children and want to get all your specific questions answered, the best way to do that is to
attend an informational meeting or contact Melinda Szegedi,
Melinda@hopeforchildren.org,with questions.
A. Formal Adoption Application
To get started we will need your completed Adoption Application. The non-refundable fee for the application and processing is $275
(Click here to download Application). When we receive your Adoption Application, we will send you the Dossier Preparation Packet. The Dossier Preparation Packet contains detailed instructions regarding getting the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) approval, initiating your Home Study and preparing your dossier. Your adoption dossier is a set of paperwork about your family. It includes your home study report and information about your health, background, occupation, financial status, and home. HOPE for Children will furnish you with a complete list of documents along with the directions to complete them. Your dossier will not be complete until your home study is written and all necessary documents have been submitted to the USCIS and approved. Your International Family Consultant will be available to help you through the entire process.
B. Home Study
(Georgia Residents): Once you've received your Dossier Preparation Packet, a HOPE for Children representative will contact you to schedule a home study. The home study consists of three visits as a couple (if applicable) and one visit with each spouse individually. At least one visit must take place in your home.
Home Study (Non-Georgia Residents): Non-Georgia residents will need to schedule a home study to be completed by an agency licensed in your state. Once the completed home study is received by HOPE for Children, a home study supplement may be conducted by HOPE for Children. Your International Family Consultant can help you locate a reputable agency to conduct your home study.
C. Letter of Approval
When your home study has been successfully completed and all the documents required have been received, you will receive a letter of approval from HOPE for Children.
D. Child Match
After your dossier is completed and sent to China, the next step is receiving a referral of a child. Upon acceptance of the referral, plans will be made to arrange your trip to China to pick up your child.
- Time Frame: Currently it is taking approximately 36+ months from the time your dossier (adoption application to the Chinese government) is sent to China until receiving a referral of a child from China
(this applies to non-special needs adoptions only; special needs
adoptions are considerably faster,
click here for more
information).
- Finalizing Your Adoption: If both parents see the child in China
before he or she is adopted, the child's adoption will be full and final
in China, however, we strongly recommend re-adoption or domestication
once you return to the U.S. This will give you a U.S. birth
certificate for your child. HOPE for Children will also send you final instructions for post placement reports and visits and a suggested list of attorneys who can help you re-adopt your child in the U.S.
Costs
The total cost for an adoption from China depends on your state of residency, travel costs, escort costs, and professional fees. For a complete fee schedule as well as adoption process information, please complete the
Online Request Form.
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