Adopting a Child from P.R.C.

Getting Started

We want to give you a brief synopsis of the process that awaits you if you pursue a foreign adoption in China. We would caution, however, that this is only an outline; every situation and every detail has not been included in the following discussion. For further details, we recommend the use of an agency that specializes in foreign adoptions. Many families adopting overseas employ the services of an adoption agency to assist them throughout the entire process. (If you have resided in China for one year or more please contact our office for more details regarding ex-pats residing in China desiring to adopt.)

This process, while involving some overlap, breaks down into three main phases, each administered by a different government entity. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) directs the first or petition stage. Second is the foreign adoption itself, governed by the host government’s laws and regulations on adoption. In China, the China Center of Adoption Affairs (CCAA) oversees this process. Finally, the State Department (of which ACIVU is a part) adjudicates the immigrant visa for the child’s travel to the United States.

1. DHS Application Stage
2. Foreign Adoption in P.R.C.
3. Processing the Visa in Guangzhou