Chinese Adoptions
Chinese Adoptions
Today more American families choose to adopt from China more than any other country. Since the early 90′s, Americans have adopted over 50,000 children from China. Parents who adopt from China consistently give the same reasons for choosing Chinese adoptions.
Children from China are available from the age of 6 months through 13 years of age. The average age of children adopted to parents in the age bracket of 30-44 is between 8-10 months old. Most of the children who are adopted however, are not less than 7 months old.
Both girls and boys are available but approximately 95% are girls. Boys are available for adoption, but many are older than 4 years of age and need a loving and permanent home.
Chinese adoptions offer a very stable adoption process. The governments of the United States and China have maintained a very good relationship for decades and the China Center of Adoption Affairs (CCAA) have matched children with parents using a steady and reliable process many times. Parents who adopt from China will not have to wait to be selected by the birth parents. The CCAA will match the parents and child based upon eligibility and personal characteristics of the family and child.
With regard to parental rights, the biological parents and family members have 3 months to come forward and claim the child. If no one comes forward to claim the child all parental rights are dissolved and the child will be taken to an orphanage where they will become available for adoption. Chinese adoptions are finalized for married couples when both parents travel to china to complete the adoption. All legal rights and responsibilities for the child are passed on to the adoptive parents.
The Chinese adoption program will only require one trip to China and the parents will receive their child 3 to 5 days after arriving in Beijing. The new parents will begin care immediately for their child. It is recommended that both parents make the trip to China, but they only require one parent to spend 12 to 14 days to complete the adoption.
With Chinese adoptions, if both parents make the trip, the adoption is finalized in China, however, if only one parent travels, the child will need to be re-adopted in the United States.