CHINA ADOPTION PROCESS

Because China is Hague compliant, the following six steps must be followed IN ORDER to ensure all legal requirements are met.

1. Choose an Accredited Adoption Service Provider (ASP). Only Hague accredited agencies are permitted to provide adoption services in China.

2. Apply to be found eligible to adopt. This is accomplished by submitting a state approved, adoptive parent home study and accompanying documents to USCIS with the I-800A form. (Requirements for a China-specific home study are included with the dossier requirements).

• a. Once the adoptive parent has been approved to adopt by USCIS, the I-800A approval will be submitted with the dossier to CCCWA.
• b. Files matching the PAPs preferences will be ‘locked’ for 72 hours for review by the family.

3. Be matched with a child.

4. Apply for the child to be found eligible for adoption (This will be done concurrently with step 5).

• a. When the Adoptive Parent accepts the referral for a child, the family will apply to USCIS to adopt that particular child using the I-800 form.
• b. If the U.S. Embassy in Guangzhou determines the child meets the criteria to be placed for international adoption and is eligible to immigrate to the US, the consulate will issue what is called the Article 5 letter.
• c. Adoption agency submits Article 5 letter to CCCWA
• d. CCCWA issues a Travel Approval to the agency, this is forwarded to family
• e. Agency will submit an immigrant visa appointment request to the ACIVU (Adopted Children’s Immigrant Visa Unit)
• f. Travel to the city in China where the Civil Affairs Bureau with jurisdiction over the appropriate Children’s Welfare Institute is located.

5. Adopt the Child. All four of the above steps must be completed before the adoption can be legally finalized in China. Only after completing these steps can you proceed to finalize the adoption or grant of custody for the purposes of adoption in China.

• a. Role of the Adoption Authority
  • The provincial Departments of Civil Affairs, which are administered by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, issue the final adoption certificate.
• b. Adoption Fees
  • Fees charged by Chinese authorities in connection with foreign adoptions may vary depending on the province where the child is adopted. However, for each adoption, there are standard fees that adoptive parents must pay.
  • The authentication/legalization of documents by the Chinese Embassy or Consulate in the United States costs $10 USD per document, whether the document is one or multiple pages. The fee is for authentication of the seal.
  • The CCCWA fee is $1,480 USD, and the dossier and translation fee is $1,800. The translations can be done in the United States or China; however, the CCCWA advises that the translations must be “correct” and that CCCWA will “rectify” and charge for correcting any errors.
  • Fees for issuance of the Chinese-notarized certificate approving the adoption, birth certificate and abandonment certificate may vary based on province.
  • Chinese passports cost $25 USD for the normal 15-working-day issuance. Charges for expedited service differ by province.
  • Individual Children’s Welfare Institutes (where the child lived prior to adoption) may charge from $5000 USD to $6000 USD as a combined donation to the institution and a fee for caring for the child.

6. Bringing your child home: The following steps must be taken to travel back to the US with the child.

• a. Obtain a birth certificate.
• b. Obtain a Chinese passport. Your child will not be a US Citizen until he or she arrives in the US.
• c. Obtain a US Immigrant Visa.

Let our qualified staff assist you from sign up through post adoption! Contact us at 303.691.0808 for more information about this wonderful and long running program!