The In 2024, the People’s Republic of China announced that they will no longer process foreign adoptions. While international adoptions from China are not possible at this time, relative adoptions remain an option under Chinese law.
For many years, International Adoption Net (IAN) worked closely with the China Centre for Children’s Welfare and Adoption (CCCWA), advocating for children in need of families and guiding adoptive parents through their journey. Our experienced staff brought dedication, compassion, and years of combined expertise to families adopting from China.
China’s adoption program was one of the most established international adoption programs in the world. Governed by the CCCWA in China, and as a member of the Hague Convention, China ensured important safeguards to protect the best interests of children, birth families, and adoptive parents.
In August of 2024, the People’s Republic of China announced that it would no longer process foreign adoptions, except in cases involving relatives. In its official statement, China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs explained that the change was intended to align adoption policy with “international trends” and the spirit of international conventions, while strengthening domestic adoption options for children.
China’s long-standing one-child policy resulted in lower birth rates, an aging population, and a shrinking workforce. Since the end of the one-child policy in 2016, and the laws changing in2021, families were allowed to have as many as three children. These changes have led to fewer children being abandoned, and as the economy has grown, more families are now able to parent and raise their children. With the improvement of their economy, China’s child welfare systems have improved, adding more resources to care for orphaned and abandoned children within their country. Additionally, China has been focused on prioritizing domestic care for orphaned children, so they can be adopted by Chinese families or remain in their country of origin.
Since the announcement from the People’s Republic of China in 2024; The civil affairs departments across China will no longer carry out foreign adoption work except for foreigners adopting stepchildren and children of collateral relatives within three generations in China.
In order to adopt, prospective adoptive parents parents need to:
Additionally, since China is a party to the Hague Convention, adoptive parents must first be found eligible to be an adoptive parent by the US Government by filing the I-800A form with USCIS.
China Center for Children’s Welfare and Adoption CCCWA (https://www.cccwa.cn/)
Address
7430 East Caley Avenue
Ste 220
Centennial, CO 80111
Phone
1-800-982-3778
Email
info@internationaladoptionnet.org
Hours of Operation
Monday through Friday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM MT
