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China Adoption

China Fast Facts:

  • 2008 adoptions: 3,909 children
  • Age/Gender: 85% Female, 32% under 1 year of age in 2007.
  • Estimated Total Cost: $20,000 to $30,000 (see sample China adoption budget)
  • Profile: 95% girls; 32% under the age of 1 at the time of adoption (2007); all children eligible for adoption must be legally resident in one of China’s child welfare institutes. Some use of foster care.
  • Parents' Ages: Married couples must be age 30 to 49 (both spouses); couples 50 to 54 may be considered for special-needs children. Prospective adopters must be open to a toddler if over 45. The CCAA has also implemented restrictions on the health of applicants.
  • Family Requirements: Married couples only. Married a minimum of 2 years if a first marriage; 5 years if second or third marriage. No more than 2 previous marriages allowed for either spouse. No more than 4 children living in home. Both spouses must have H.S. diploma. Please check with your adoption agency for details.
  • Travel: At least one parent must travel to China to adopt. Average stay is 10-14 days. U.S. visa issued at consulate in Guangzhou.
  • Timeline: From completed dossier to referral, approximately 36 months, although agencies report lengthening wait times due to backlog of dossiers. Travel is three to six months after referral.
  • Route: Adopt through a US Hague-compliant adoption agency approved by the CCAA. No independent adoption.

China Adoption Directory

Find an adoption agency placing children from China in your state:

Adoption of children from China to the United States began in 1992, when the Chinese government passed a law ratifying international adoption. In 2008, Americans adopted 3,909 children from China, the second-largest number from any country outside the U.S. China is Hague-compliant, and prospective adoptive parents work through U.S. agencies approved by the China Center of Adoption Affairs (CCAA).

The CCAA has placed restrictions on marital status, health, education, income, and previous criminal history. While the adoption process was once predictable, the Chinese government has recently been processing referrals at a much slower pace, so families may experience waits of three years or longer.

More than 85 percent of children adopted from China are girls, because of China's population-control policies. Families who have adopted children from China have strong support networks throughout the U.S.

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