China
China Adoption FAQ
If you have a question about Gladney's China Adoption Program, ask it here! We'll post the answer to this page.
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Questions and Answers
Q:I am on an antidepressive. Could I still be a candidate to adopt from China if I have a doctor's note?
A: For China, prospective parents need to have been off medication for depression or anxiety for at least two years before beginning the adoption process.

Q: Is the current time frame for families waiting still 35 months from log in date?
A: Yes. The time frame is expected to increase somewhat over the next few months as well.

Q: Do you believe we will see a post-Olympic speed up in the rate of referrals?
A: It is difficult to determine what has caused the slow rate of referrals in China. There are many issues that affect this time frame.

Q: Does valve replacement (tissue transplant) fall under "major organ transplantation" when reviewing the 10 year post surgery requirement?
A: Yes.

Q: Has the CCAA communicated any reason for the severe delay in processing of paperwork during the past couple of years?
A: There isn't one clear reason why the wait ahs continued to get longer. We do know that China domestic adoptions have increased and more children are able to remain in their homeland.

Q: My wife is bipolar and has been on medication for 19 years. She has not had any relapses. Does this disqualify us from adopting?
A: China requires that prospective parents be healthy both physically and mentally and state that parents on medication for mental illness will not be allowed to adopt.

Q: Do you have to be married to adopt?
A: China will no longer allow singles to adopt. Couples must be married for at least 2 years unless on of the prospective parents has been married before. If so, then the current marriage must be at least 5 years.

Q: Do you believe that China is in the process of slowly closing down it’s non-special needs adoption program and becoming a special needs only adoption program?
A: At this time we are not aware of any change in their plans for placing children, all children, internationally.

Q: Does China allow parents to adopt who are on anti-depressants?
A: As of May 1, 2007, the CCAA (China Center for Adoption affairs) implemented new guidelines for prospective adoptive parents. One of the criteria states that parents must be in good health physically and mentally. In addition, they state that mental health conditions that are not allowed include medicine administration for severe mental disorder diseases such as depression, mania, or anxiety within the last 2 years.

Q: If one or both parent(s) is Chinese, does the adoption process get expedited?
A: Yes, they will still be expedited. However, it will not be significant at this time due to the slow process in China once the dossier is submitted.

Q: We have three biological boys in the home. Could we adopt two girls at the same time?
A: The CCAA, China Center for Adoption Affairs, will only allow a family to adopt one child at a time unless twins are available. However, twins will only be placed with childless couples.

Q: Are there any infant boys available for adoption?
A: Yes, there are infant boys available for adoption from China.

Q: Can singles adopt from China?
A: As of May 1, 2007, China will no longer place children with single prospective parents.

Q: I will turn 30 next year. Should I start preparing the documents and pursuing a home study now so that we can submit our dossier as soon as we are eligible?
A: Documents for your application and dossier as well as the home study are time sensitive. I wouldn't start on this paperwork until you are 2 or 3 months from your birth date.

Q: Can healthy, successful, single women under 45 still adopt under China's new adoption laws??
A: Unfortunately, China will no longer allow singles, regardless of age, health or gender, to adopt.

Q: Can we start to submit paperwork to adopt from China if we are pregnant knowing that the referral could take up to 2 years or is that not allowed?
A: China requires that the prospective parents' youngest child be at least 1 year old at the time the dossier is submitted. It is best to wait until about 6 months after you have delivered.

Q: When I submitted my dossier I was 49 and my wife 43. I'll be 51 in June and my wife is now 45. So does china use the age of when they received my dossier or my age when we receive our referral?
A: China considers the age at the time the dossier was sent and logged-in.

Q: If the mother is 30 and the father is 49 when the dossier is submitted but turns 50 before a referral is made, would they will be able to adopt an infant?
A: Yes, you should be able to adopt an infant as long as your husband is not 51 at the time the dossier is submitted.

Q: What is the CCAA's policy if one of the parents has medical issues while the other does not? Will they deny a couple who is in this situation?
A: The new guidelines established by the CCAA apply to both prospective parents. So if one parent has a medical issue but the other does not, they would be denied.

Q: Is adoption in China open or closed?
A: Adoption in China is open. However, new guidelines for prospective parents have been implemented.

Q: What does "both spouses have never come under any criminal sanction" mean exactly? Please elaborate on "criminal sanction."
A: This means that prospective parents hoping to adopt from China should not have any criminal records within the past 10 years.

Q: What are the new adoption laws in China in respect to parents health issues?
A: The new guidelines for China adoptions state that the couple should be in good health with no medical issues.

Q: What forms are required to get the child American citizenship?
A: Families will need to file for their child's citizenship by going to the CIS website at www.uscis.gov.

Q: What are the special needs children costs?
A: Gladney reduces our program fee from $6,000 to $4,000 for families adopting a special needs child.

Q: Will the Gladney Center not allow me to adopt a child from China if I become pregnant?
A: Should you become pregnant during your adoption, you will want to let your agency know before you decide anything. It is best for you and your unborn child to put your adoption on hold until after you deliver and then pick up the adoption where you left off.

Q: Do both parents have to be over 30 or can it only apply to one parent being 30?
A: Yes, both parents must be at least 30 years old to adopt from China regardless of the time that it takes to complete the adoption. This is a CCAA (China Center for Adoption Affairs) guideline, not a Gladney guideline.

Q: Can Japanese American's adopt from China?
A: Gladney has worked with other Asian-American families and it has not been an issue..

Q: I will be having neck surgery in a few weeks. Will that disqualify us from adopting from China?
A: Surgery doesn't disqualify a person from adopting. However, it is important for you to share information about the surgery and whether or not you have any other health concerns.

Q: Does China require that both parents have passports for the dossier, even if only one parent is traveling? Is there anything that China will accept in place of a passport for dossier purposes?
A: The dossier documents are not related to travel. So both parents will need copies of the passports for the dossier regardless of travel arrangements.

Q: For a first time adoption, is it possible to adopt twins?
A: Yes. The CCAA (China Center for Adoption Affairs) will only allow childless couples to adopt twins.

Q: What is the maximum combined age for adoption?
A: The guideline for the age of the adoptive parents is that one of the spouses must be 45 years old or younger to adopt the youngest child. If the oldest parent is older than 50, their age would be taken into consideration.

Q: I am 36 and my husband is 44. Would we still be able to adopt a younger baby from China?
A: Yes. As long as one of you is 45 years old or younger you may adopt a baby from China. Typically infants are between 10 and 15 months old coming home.

Q: I have read that you will work for U.K. residents that wish to adopt from China - is this true?
A: Yes. But only if one or both prospective parents is an American citizen.

Q: Can our child travel with us as well?
A: Families are allowed to have their children travel with them to China for the adoption. However, you will want to talk with your country assistant about this before making the final decision.

Q: Is there anyway of getting around the travel requirement of having to go to China? My husband and I couldn't take that much time off of work. Can the child be flown to Indiana?
A: It is Gladney's preference that both parents travel to the foreign country. However, we will work with couples should only one parent be able to travel.

Q: What are the fees to adopt from China?
A: For a detailed break-down of the fees, please click on "Get Started Today."

Q: I read on another agency’s Web site that if you become pregnant during the adoption, that the adoption will be terminated even if you have already been matched with a child. Is this an agency rule or the Chinese government?
A: The CCAA does not have this rule. However, an agency could decide that it is better for the family not to continue with the adoption until after the birth of the baby.

Q: My husband and I are in the U.S. with a J1 Visa and a J2 visa. Are we able to adopt from China from your agency?
A: U.S. Immigration requires that one parent be a U.S. Citizen to adopt internationally. Some foreign countries, like Kazakhstan, require that both parents be U.S. citizens.

Q: So if one parent is over 55, the couple cannot adopt a child at all?
A: One parent must be 45 years old or younger to adopt the youngest children from China. If one parent is older than 45, China typically takes into consideration the age of the youngest parent especially if the youngest is the prospective mother. If both parents are over 45, the child they are matched to will be older.

Gladney's guidelines for the age of prospective parents is that both parents must be 60 years old or younger to adopt.

Q: Can you tell me more about the potential maximum weight limit of adoptive parents that may be put in place by China?
A: At this time, no specific guideline has been established by the CCAA. It is not known as to whether or not they will actually implement a weight guideline for prospective parents. If this does occur, Gladney will provide the information on our Web site.

Q: Do both parents have to be 30 or older or does only one?
A: Yes, both parents must be 30 years old to adopt from China.

Q: Is it true (or not true) that China will not accept applications from married couples with a combined age that exceeds 100? We are looking for a girl under age 5.
A: To adopt from China, one parent must be 45 years old or younger to adopt the youngest child. The age of the spouse should be younger than 55. Families willing to accept older children may be older than 45 but younger than 55.