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- The Process in the UK
- The Process in China
- Documentation Required
The initial process of adoption is generally the same regardless of the country to which you wish to apply. Details of the initial process can be found under General Information. The procedures may then vary depending on your chosen country and are detailed separately .......
Once the Department of Health (DOH) is content with the local authority's recommendation, a Certificate of Eligibility will be issued and signed by a senior DOH official. The Chinese authorities will not accept an adoption application without this Certificate.
You will be asked to send to the DOH the name and address of your Notary Public and the appropriate fees for the legalisation of your documents. The DOH will ask you to raise two International Money Orders for the service and translation fees set by the China Centre for Adoption Affairs (CCAA). Do NOT have your supporting documents notarised until asked to do so by the DOH. The notarisation of your documents will sometimes be arranged by the DOH themselves and applicants will be invoiced directly by their Notary Public.
The DOH will also arrange for the Certificate of Elligibility, Home Study, Police checks and medical reports to be legalised by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the Chinese Embassy in London.
Once this has happened the DOH will arrange for all paperwork and fees to be sent by courier to the CCAA in Beijing. These documents will then be logged in at the CCAA and this date will become your DTC date (Documents to China).
The CCAA will arrange for the documents to be translated by the Bridge of Love Adoption Service before they can be consider the application under the Adoption Laws of China. If you are eligible, the CCAA will approve the application and identify a child. Currently, the CCAA are taking 12 months to process applications. The processing time does vary however. Should you have any queries during this time about your application please contact the DOH who will liase with the CCAA.
Once the CCAA identifies a child for you, a photocopy of the child's medical report together with a photograph of the child will be sent to the DOH who will forward them to you by guaranteed next day delivery. Most photographs are in colour and show the child's head and shoulders. The DOH will notify your social services department of the child's referral.
The medical report will be written in Chinese and the applicants will need to arrange for this to be translated. Once this has been done you will then need to discuss it's content with your GP and social worker. If you decide to accept the child, you should complete and sign the acceptance form and return it to the DOH who will forward it to the CCAA by courier. Faxed copies are not acceptable to the CCAA.
If you feel unable to accept the child, you should give full reasons and state if you wish to have another child identified for you. You should return all the documents to the DOHwho will forward them to the CCAA. They will consider your reasons and wherever possible identify another child.
You must not travel to China until you have received your official invitation to travel. The CCAA will issue to the DOH the invitation to travel about 6 weeks after they receive the acceptance letter. The DOH will forward to you the invitation to travel by guaranteed next day delivery.
The invitation will be written in Chinese and will need to be translated. It will not tell you when to travel but will tell you where you must go in China (the invitation is valid for 3 months). The DOH expects marriedcouples to travel to China together to complete the adoption.
A copy of the invitation to travel should be presented to the Chinese Embasy when applying for your visitors visa. You are advised to contact the Chinese Embasy for information on the process. You must not travel to China on a Tourist Visa. If you do, you may experience problems when trying to leave China with the child.
You will need to take the original invitation to travel with you to China to present to the Chinese authorities. You will find it helpful to take at least four copies in case officials there need to retain a copy. You should also take with you a recent passport sized photograph, as the Chinese Authorities will require this.
There are a number of travel companies approved by the China National Tourist Administration which applicants can use. The DOH have listed those they are aware of but cannot make recommendations as to which one to use. You are advised to contact the China National Tourist Administration for information on other approved companies and to shop around to find the company which can best meet your needs.
The travel companies handle everything from arranging flights to providing english speaking guides to help you through the process. They will also advise you if the province has other requirements that are specific to them. You are likely to be in China for about 10 days.
The DOH will not be able to pass on any information about other people travelling to China to complete the adoption process.
Before you travel to China you may wish to check with your travel company and the British Embassy about any problems in the areas you will be visiting and the weather conditions. The Foreign & Commonwealth Office has a website (http://www.fco.gov.uk) which has useful travel information and a page on BBC2 Ceefax under Travel Section. When packing you should also think about what you need to take with you for your child.
The DOH understands that it is usual for you to meet the child a day or two after your arrival in China. The child may be brought to meet you either in your hotel or at the registration office of the provincial Civil Affairs Department. You will need to register your intention to adopt the child and may be asked to complete some forms and questioned on your personal information and why you wish to adopt. The child and the Director of the orphanage will be present. An adoption agreement between the orphanage and the family should be made. You will also be asked to make the required donation to the orphanage.
On the same day you, your child and the Director of the orphanage will visit a provincial notary to formalise the adoption. The adoption documents will be issued and you may be questioned again about why you wish to adopt, why you have chosen China, whether you are happy with the child and what future plans you have. It is possible that you will be asked to put your explanation in writing therefore you may find it helpful to have notes prepared in advance. You will also be asked to vow that you will never abandon nor abuse the child and take good care of her/him. The adoption documents - child's birth certificate, abandonment certificate, health and adoption decrees will be ready for collection in 2-3 days.
If the orphanage has not already applied for the child's Chinese Passport you will need to apply for it at the provincial public security department. It will be ready in 3-5 days. Your travel company will assist you in all your dealings with the Chinese authorities.
You are advised to ask for receipts for all payments. Please advise the DOH if you are asked to pay more than you had originally been quoted.
Documentation Required
1. Adoption Application addressed to the China Centre for Adoption Affairs which you, and in the case of a married couple, your spouse must sign. The application should include the following information for each applicant:
Your name, date of birth, place of birth and nationality;
Why you want to adopt a child and why particularly from China; as well as any requests or requirements regarding the child to be adopted.
Your promise:
- Not to abandon or abuse the adopted child,
- That the adopted child will enjoy the same rights as, if appropriate, your biological child/ren,
- To raise and educate the adopted child and provide medical care.
2. Copy of your birth certificate;
3. If you are single you must submit a statement attesting to single status and confirming that you are not homosexual;
4. Copy of your marriage certificate, if applicable;
5. Copy of your decree absolute if you have been divorced;
6. Copy of the death certificate of your spouse. if applicable. This will be required even if you have re-married;
7. Letter from your employers or employment agency stating your position in the organisation, the term of your employment and your annual salary. If you are self-employed the letter should come from your accountant and state your profession and income; If you are a self-employed accountant, unemployed or retired then please refer to the Factsheet.
8. Financial/asset statement. This is in a standard form and is in Appendix C of the Factsheet. W
9. Two full-faced photographs of yourself and six photographs reflecting your family's life. These may include immediate family and friends, the inside and outside of your accommodation. You are advised to explain the content of your photographs on the back.
10. Declaration by the appointed guardian consenting to be the guardian of the adopted child. (See Appendix B of the Factsheet
11. Photocopy of the page of your passport containing relevant personal details:
12. Certificate of General Physical Examination (Valid for 1 Year) See Appendix D and Page 11 of the Factsheet
The following documents will be provided by either your social services department or the Department of Health.
13. Department of Health's Certificate of Eligibility;
14. Homestudy assessment report;
15. Police reports. Additional police reports will be required if you have lived/worked overseas for over a year during the last 5 years. If your SSD is unable to obtain an overseas police check, you will need to provide an affidavit confirming that you have not committed any crimes during your stay in that country;
16. Medical report for each applicant;
17. HIV test result for each applicant.
All the above documents will need to be notarised with the exception of documents numbered 9 and 10. Please do not have your supporting documentation notarised until you have been asked to do so by the DOH.
Webmaster:
It is my experience that you will forward documentation
to the DOH without it being notarised. They will
then arrange for all documents to be notarised and the
notary public will invoice you directly.