VICTOR GROZA

Chinese International Adoption

Adopt from China- A Helping Hand Adoption Agency
http://worldadoptions.org/adopt/china/adoptchina.php
A Helping Hand Adoption Agency is a Christian, non-profit organization dedicated to ministering to orphans around the world through adoption. They specialize in international adoptions from China, Guatemala, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine. This web site has information on why you would want to adopt from China, recommendations to decide if a Chinese Adoption would be appropriate for you, an explanation of the adoption process. In addition, the site gives other important information you would want to know about a Chinese Adoption.

Adopting.com International Adoption Information and Support by Country
http://www.adopting.com/countries.html#China
Here you will find everything prospective adoptive parents need to know about adopting. This includes information on how to get started, links to hundreds of adoption agencies, facilitators and attorneys, letters to birthparents from families looking to adopt a newborn, support groups, information on Adoptees' rights, emailing lists, newsgroups, bulletin boards and waiting child photolistings. This web site has everything you need to know to help you choose the path to adopting that is right for you can be found on the internet, and if it is out there, it can be accessed from Adopting.com.

America World Adoption Association
http://awaa.org/home/
America World Adoption Association is a Christian based, nonprofit organization, dedicated to helping families adopt children from around the world. Their website includes information on the requirements and costs of adoption, an explanation of the travel details, and a link to other important literature one might want to know about China.

Chinese Adoption- Agencies Photo listing International Adoption Agency Chinese
http://chinese.adodption.com/
This website provides additional links to Chinese international adoption related web sites, and specific information about international adoption organizations. In addition, there is an explanation of the laws and regulations involved in adoption.

Chinese Children Charities- Chinese Adoption International
http://www.chinesechildren.org/Inex.htm
This site is dedicated to prospective adoptive families, and friends who are concerned about Chinese children. There is information about the qualifications, the process, facts and figures. Additionally, there are post-placement resources.

Great Wall China Adoption
http://www.gwcadopt.org/index.htm
Great Wall China Adoption is a licensed, not-for-profit child placement agency specializing in China adoption. They provide adoption services to singles and couples. Their service fee is one of the lowest of all China adoption programs. Included on the web site is information about their next workshop, where you can learn about the general procedures, watch videos about the orphanages in China, and the trip to China.

Holt Programs in China
http://www.holtintl.org/china/chinaproj.shtml
This site offers general information about the Holt program in China. This information includes an explanation of the main child projects in Chine, the time interval, costs, and often asked questions. In addition, the site gives a detail description of the adoption process in China and has parent feedback of their experiences. The site is well organized and user-friendly.

International Adoption -China
http://adoption.about.com/cs/intlchina/
This web site includes resources and information for present and future adoptive parents of children from China including agencies, legal considerations, and procedures. It is laid out in an organized fashion and has a link to everything you would want to know about a Chinese Adoption.

The national adoption information clearinghouse
http://naic.acf.hhs.gov/pubs
The National Information Clearinghouse is a comprehensive resource on all aspects of adoption. Included on this website are all of the possible adoption agencies working in China and their contact information.

US Department of State. China International Adoption
http://travel.state.gov/adoption_china.html
This website includes information relating to the legal requirements of adoption in regards to China. The information is set up as a guide for United States citizens who are interested in adopting from China. The information on the web site is clearly written and informative.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT CHINESE INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION

Q:   Why should I adopt internationally from China?

A:  This question may be the most asked question when people start looking into international adoption. What makes adopting from China different then any other countries? According to the Helping Hand Adoption Agency, each year in China, thousands (perhaps even millions) of children, mainly girls, are put up for adoption or are simply abandoned. The two main reasons for this are number one couples are allowed to have only one child by law, and number two boys are culturally preferred over girls as boys are thought to be better able to provide for parents as they age. The result is often thousands of girls who need a good, loving home. In addition to infants being available, Chinese orphans need a home. They are adopted by Americans because many American couples want a child. Americans also look to China because Chinese adoptions do not "fall through" because of an interfering birth parent as sometimes happens in the United States. Finally, China does not have a residency requirement, like some countries, and allow older couples to adopt. If you would like to find out more about this subject, please feel free to look around on the web site at, http://worldadoptions.org/adopt/china/adoptchina.php.

Q:   What kind of information should I know before adopting a Chinese Child?

A:  There are many different web sites available on the internet to give you guidance and instructions to consider before you choose to adopt. The ten web sites mentioned above will give you details to the process of adopting from China, who can be eligible for adoption, travel details, an estimate of the cost of adoption, and general cultural information about China that will help you raise your adopted child in America without loosing their Chinese heritage. The Holt Programs in China website http://www.holtintl.org/china/chinaproj.shtml has a section devoted to frequently asked questions. The Great Wall China Adoption Agency, www.gwcadopt.org/index.html, even has workshops so they can personally meet people who are even thinking of adopting to be able to answer any questions they might have.

Q:   Where can I find Chinese Adoption Resources?

A:  Before, during, and after an international adoption there are many resources available for a family to utilize. The America World Adoption Association, http://awaa.org/references has a program to connect families interested in a Chinese adoption to families that have completed the adoption process. The Chinese Children Charities web site, www.chinesechildren.org/Index.htm has post- placement resources. You will find information regarding your child's health, the United States requirements of how you need a proof of citizenship, social security number, and birth certificate, and the agency's requirement of two post-placement reports covering the first six and second six months of placement. On www.adopting.com/countries.html#China, there is a listing of support groups, travel advice, mailing lists, and places to connect with other families who have adopted from China in order to share cultural information and support in common experiences. Additionally, listed here are humanitarian organizations for children in those countries.

Q:   How do I know what adoption agencies complete Chinese International Adoptions?

A:  The National Adoption Information Clearinghouse http://naic.acf.hhs.gov/pubs/ir_dsp.cfm?cntryID=1, has compiled a list of adoption agencies as a public service for families who are interested in adopting from China. The web site also suggests that you check with a state licensing specialist, the state Attorney General's office, and the local Better Business Bureau in the state where an agency operates to determine if any complaints have been filed by other applicants. The web site has the different agencies arranged in alphabetical order and includes adoption agencies from all over the United States that work with Chinese adoptions. Additionally, the web site and email addresses, and contact information is included in the list of adoption agencies.

Q:   Where would I find information about the legal requirements in international Chinese adoptions?

A:  When deciding to adopt a child from China, it is important to know the adoption laws and regulations for China as well as the United States. On www.chinese.adoption.com, the adoption laws and regulation links are easy and accessible. This web site also has a link to download the Citizenship and Immigration Forms. Adopting and placing parents need to know about state and federal laws governing adoption. On http://adoption.about.com/cs/lawsreform/ you can find information about consent to adopt, advertising law, and other laws that differ from state to state, as well as laws that affect all U.S. adoptions. There is also a glossary for legal language used in connection with adoptions. The third web site that would be good to find information about the legal requirements of Chinese International Adoption is http://travel.state.gov/adoption_china.html. On this web site, you can find the official Chinese International Adoption Laws and Regulations. For instance, within the document, you can examine what kinds of children are available for adoption, the correct adoption procedures in China, and the age and civil status requirements.