How to Adopt a Chinese Baby Girl
- 1). Meet the age and marriage requirements set out by the China Center for Adoption Affairs. Both of the parents must be between the ages of 30 and 50 at the time of adoption, and in the case of adopting a child with special needs, between the ages of 30 and 55. Couples must have been married for a minimum of two years, or five years if one of the prospective parents was previously divorced.
- 2). Meet the income and health requirements set out by CCAA. Total family assets must amount to at least $80,000, and annual income must equate to $10,000 per family member including the adopted child. With regard to the health of the adopting party, they must have no mental disability. Also, they must not be blind, HIV positive, clinically obese or suffer from any disease that requires long-term treatment.
- 3). Meet the eligibility requirements set out by the Department of Homeland Security by filling out form I-800A, which is used to assess if a prospective adoptive parent is capable of providing care for a child. Information regarding criminal history, marital history, current children, and financial status must be provided about you and your spouse. Along with proof of identity and residency, a processing fee is required which amounted to $720 as of 2010.
- 4). Use the services of an accredited adoption service provider, which will not only be familiar with the Chinese adoption process but will abide by the legal conditions set forth by the Hague Convention. The adoption agency will take care of all the bureaucratic paperwork with the CCAA, who will in turn decide if you are eligible to adopt. A list of accredited adoption service providers may be found on the CCAA website.
- 5). Follow-up with the application during the referral phase. The CCAA, once approving your application, will find a prospective match for your family, and will provide you with you a letter of introduction about the child including health records. Within 45 days of the match, you may ask additional questions about the child and decide if you are able to meet the child's specific needs.
- 6). Fill out Form I-800, available from the U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services to obtain provisional approval to adopt a child. The application will be passed on the the nearest U.S embassy or consulate in China who will assess if there are any reasons why a visa should be denied to the infant. Upon approval, the consulate will send the CCAA an approval notice, who will in turn stamp and forward this information to the adoptive family.
- 7). At least one parent must travel to China to take custody of the child and her documents. A new birth certificate and Chinese passport will be required from the Public Security Bureau. A U.S immigrant visa is available from the nearest U.S. consulate or embassy. The immigration process for the child may be finalized when the baby is on U.S. soil.
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