CAS is sponsoring a Heritage Trip to China, learn more here!
Quick Reference
Children:
Age: 10-24 months
Parent Requirements:
Age: 30-49
Marriage: 3 years if there are no former marriages; 5 years in current marriage, if there has been a prior divorce
Children in home: 4 children or less; the youngest child should be at least one year old
Estimated Process Timeline
From Dossier to referral: 29-38 months
From referral to travel: 7-9 weeks
Travel: 10-14 days
Children Available
The children available from China are 95% girls.
This is a result of China’s effort to control population by imposing a one-child policy that penalizes families for producing more than one child. Because of a strong preference for boys, in many cases, a baby girl will be abandoned to clear the path for the arrival of a son.
Keeping with Chinese heritage, the son, when grown, would care for his parents in their elder years. All children in China who are available for adoption reside in welfare homes or orphanages.
Infants typically range from 8 to 14 months at time of referral.
The health of the children has generally been excellent; however, families should expect minor physical, emotional or developmental delays often associated with institutional care.
Eligible Applicants
The Chinese Center for Adoption Affairs (CCAA) has modified their eligibility requirements for adoptive families. The changes will apply to all new applicants. Due to the changes, CAS will no longer accept applications from single parents.
- Married Couples 30-50 years of age at the time the child is placed. CAS is accepting applications from couples ages 30-48 years old.
- Parents with prior marriages must have been married to their current spouse for at least 5 years.
- First time married couples must have been married at least 3 years.
- Parents must have a Body Mass Index under 40.
- A family member must have stable employment.
- Families must demonstrate a minimum gross income of $10,000 per household member.
- No more than 4 children currently in the home, the youngest must be at least 1 year of age.
- Certain past criminal records and current medical conditions may exclude applicants.
- Parents cannot belong to a religion that forbids medical care such as blood transfusions and immunizations
Program & Process
Carolina Adoption offers a personal and predictable adoption. Our China program staff will assist you with all steps of your adoption. Our highly experienced facilitators are an extended Chinese family who escort you throughout the adoption process in China.
Required documents are submitted to the Chinese government for approval. The time frame from submission of documents until referral is currently approximately 36+ months.
A child referral consists of name, photograph and medical report, including Hepatitis B test results. China typically does not test for HIV.
Travel is approximately 8-10 weeks after referral. Groups of families travel together to China for a trip of approximately 14-18 days and are met and escorted throughout their stay. The facilitator makes all travel and accommodation arrangements in advance.
The Country
China has a history of over 5000 years and is a country of great contrasts, with vast rural regions and congested cities.
The Chinese are credited with inventing calligraphy, ceramics, football, golf, noodles, ice-cream, opera, and philosophy.
In the past two centuries China has undergone huge social and economic transformations.
If you are interested in adopting from China, contact Trudy Tobias, China Program Coordinator.
Further Reading
Adoption-Centered
A Ghost at Heart’s Edge: Stories and Poems of Adoption—Susan Ito, et al.
Grace from China—Jacqueline A. Kolosov
Adoption Nation: How the Adoption Revolution Is Transforming America—Adam Pertman
The Lost Daughters of China: Abandoned Girls, Their Journey to America, and the Search for a Missing Past—Karin Evans
When You Were Born in China: A Memory Book for Children Adopted from China—Sara Dorow & Stephen Wunrow
A Passage to the Heart: Writings from Families with Children from China—Amy Klatzkin
Adopting in China: A Practical Guide/An Emotional Journey—Doug Werner and Kathleen Wheeler
For Kids
I Love You Like Crazy Cakes—Rose A. Lewis, Illustrated by Jane Dyer.
Kids Like Me in China—Ying Ying Fry, et al.
Over the Moon: An Adoption Tale—Karen Katz
Adoption Is Another Word for Love—Nancy McGuire Roche
LifeBooks: Creating a Treasure for the Adopted Child—Beth O’Malley
I Don’t Have Your Eyes—Carrie A. Kitze
Moonbeams, Dumplings & Dragon Boats: A Treasury of Chinese Holiday Tales, Activities & Recipes—Nina Simonds, et al.
At Home in This World, A China Adoption Story—Jean MacLeod
When You Were Born In China—Sara Darow
Long is a Dragon: Chinese Writing for Children—Peggy Goldstein