Before Applying
1. How long will it take?
From your first meeting with a social worker to start the home study process and initial application to the USCIS (formerly known as the INS) until travel, it is now taking approximately 48+ months.
a. The first step is to begin the home study process. For Massachusetts families, the US Citizenship & Immigration Service (USCIS) now requires your home study to be completed and sent in to the USCIS with the application (I-800a). A home study with this agency takes approximately 1-2 months to complete provided there are no unusual circumstances. Upon receipt of the I-800A and the home study to the USCIS, you should receive a fingerprint appointment. When your fingerprints are cleared and the home study is reviewed, you should hear the USCIS approval decision within 90 days. For additional information on applying to the USCIS, please visit their website at www.uscis.gov.
b. After USCIS approval, if we have all your documents and they are in good working order, it takes this agency approximately 3-4 weeks to have your documents notarized, certified and authenticated and then sent to China. Yes, we do this for you!
c. After China receives and registers your dossier, it is currently taking approximately 48+ months to receive a referral of a child from China.
d. After receiving your referral, it is now taking approximately 8 weeks or more to actually travel to China. The adoption trip takes about 12 - 16 days.
e. Once home from China, it takes another year to satisfy Chinese post adoption requirements. During the first 6 months, a social worker must visit you at least twice and must have at least 3 phone contacts with you. Then, there is another required visit at 1 year after placement. The China Center of Adoption Affairs requires that both post placement reports, as well as 5-6 pictures with each report, be submitted in a timely manner at 6 and 12 months. In addition, the 12-month report must be accompanied by a copy of the child's US passport or Certificate of Citizenship, so we encourage you to get this as soon as possible!
2. How much will it cost?
Please see a complete breakdown of costs in the "General Information" and "Steps and Fees" sections of this site. ALL FEES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
3. Are the children healthy?
Generally speaking, our experiences have been very good. The orphanages in China are managed by the Chinese government, which have high standards that must be met in order to be certified to place children out of the country. All children must pass a physical screening in order to be considered available for adoption and all children are immunized.
However, with that said, adoption from China can still be risky. The birth parents are unknown to us so there is no medical background information and there is no record of prenatal care for the birth mothers. Also, blood tests on babies under one year of age are sometimes unreliable.
Furthermore, because most of the children are in a group living situation, they may not get enough personal care. (Though in the medium and small orphanages the nanny to child ratio is about 1:5.) Thus, it is very possible to see some developmental delays, especially in mobility and language. BUT, the children tend to catch up very quickly!
Lead poisoning is another risk. Of the about 2000 children we have placed, about 20 children have been reported to have high lead levels (ranged from 13 - 62, the median being in the high 20s, low 30s). Talk to your doctor to find out what this means.
This agency sends a doctor along with each group traveling to China. However, this is not a guarantee of health. The doctor's role is to provide a third party opinion only on the general physical health of the child and to help with health problems related to travel. American doctors are not licensed to perform any lab work in or bring any medical equipment to China.
4. How old are the children and how does my (our) age affect the age of the child(ren) assigned to me (us)?
Variations in ages do exist. According to Chinese government policies, if the youngest parent is under the age of 45 at the time of assignment you can REQUEST a 12 month old or younger at the time of assignment. Factors that are taken into consideration are the ages of children already at home and the availability of healthy children in the orphanages at the time of placement.
If the youngest parent is between the ages of 45-50, you should anticipate a child between the ages of 18 months- 3 years old. China does not allow adoptions to applicants over the age of 50. It is very important to be flexible with the age range of the child you are requesting!
5. Where do the children come from?
There is one authorized central government agency called the China Center of Adoption Affairs (CCAA) that handles all the foreign related adoptions in China. Most of the children are coming from the central and southern part of China. About 50% of the children are in foster care at the time of assignment. The other 50% come directly form the orphanage.
6. Do you work with non-massachusetts families?
Yes. We are fully registered with the CCAA. We can place children in all of the 50 states of the U.S. However, we are only licensed to conduct home studies and post placement services in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine, Florida, Connecticut, and New Hampshire. Therefore, if you live outside of any of these states, you must obtain these services from an agency licensed in your state.
In Process
What documents are needed in China?
We have guides in China that walk you through every step of the adoption process and paperwork! We also have a "Travel Meeting" held about 2-3 weeks prior to your travel date where we go over everything. For out-of-state families, we go over everything via phone.
Do you recommend any particular books we should read and/or support groups we should join?
Yes. It is always a good idea to read about adoption and China and to meet with other families and knowledgeable individuals regarding the adoption process and family life after international adoption. Two wonderful organizations to connect with are the Adoption Community of New England, [formerly Open Door Society (ODS)] and Families with Children from China (FCC). Please see the "Support" section of this site for detailed information on these organizations. For a list of books please see the "Booklist" section of this site.
Does CAWLI offer any support services during the waiting process?
Yes! When your file is sent to China, you are considered a "Waiting Family." We at the agency truly feel that peer support is very beneficial during this exciting, yet sometimes frustrating period. When your dossier is sent to China, you receive a DTC date (Dossier to China). We ask that one parent out of every DTC month to volunteer to be a "point family" for their DTC group. Then, if interested, you can contact the point family and get to know others with whom you are likely to travel. How better to cope with this long wait period than with others who are experiencing the same feelings?
CAWLI has also begun Chinese Cultural Workshops for waiting families. These workshops are designed to educate families on the Chinese culture. The format is dedicated to prospective adoptive parents and broadening their awareness of the rich and historical culture of China. Although these workshops are not specific to adoption, per say, it provides waiting families the knowledge to pass on their daughter's heritage to embrace within their family.
What about support services after our adoption from China?
When you return form China, you will be provided information on how to re-legalize your adoption, how to obtain a passport and a social security card, as well as information on citizenship. You will meet with your social worker during the one year period upon which you will be home, who will offer support as well. You will also receive information on services your child may need, such as Early Intervention Services. In addition to our services, we will encourage all families to maintain close ties with their travel group. Your children will most likely know each other longer than you as adults will know them! CAWLI also has a yearly Chinese New Year's Party every February. This has become a wonderful event to gather all of our lovely families together. Last year we had over 1000 people enjoy great food, Chinese dancing, dragon dances, games, etc.
Travel
After receiving a referral of a child, how long does it take to leave for China?
About 8 weeks.
How long is the trip?
Approximately 12 - 16 days. The families travel in a group to Beijing, where there is much sightseeing to be done. (This part of the trip can be skipped if desired.) From Beijing families then travel to the local city where the child is from, Guangzhou, and then Hong Kong.
Does the agency make the travel arrangements?
Yes. However, feel free to make your own international arrangements.
How many, and what type of gifts are recommended to bring?
4 - 5 small American-made items are recommended to bring per family. $5 - $10 per piece is enough to spend for the men and women. Some suggestions are ties, face and hand creams, lipsticks, vitamins, t-shirts and travel books.
You should also bring one small bag of donations for the children in the local orphanage. New clothes, blankets and stuffed animals are preferred.
How much money should we bring to China?
It will cost approximately $6500-7000 American for the adoption expenses in China. (For more information on costs, please see the "General Information" section of this site.) You should bring clean, crisp $100 bills for this purpose. For personal expenses, about $500 American is recommended.
After Travel
When I come home does my child become an American citizen automatically?
Yes! The Child Citizenship Act states your child will be an automatic citizen as soon as you arrive in the States. However, we strongly encourage you to obtain both a US Passport and a Certificate of Citizenship. This process will be explained to you once you return home. USCIS is in the process of trying to streamline this for you!
Is the adoption full, final and legal in China?
Yes! However, it is strongly recommended that you re-legalize the adoption in your state to obtain a US issued document stating that you have parental rights to your child. Even though the adoption is legalized and finalized in China, it is a very important part of your child's adoption process. This will also enable you to receive a birth certificate in English which makes life easier for her down the road. This is an easy, and often times, fun process, which you will complete with guidance from your social worker during the post placement period! For more information on the re-legalization process, contact your local probate court and speak with the adoption clerk.
Will you help us get our child's passport and another additional documents when we return home?
Yes!
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Our agency submitted our application for the accreditation right after the form became available and became Hague Accredited in 2007. High service is our agency’s goal since we started the agency. We passed the COA accreditation in 2003 and Lillian, our director, is a COA peer reviewer. We think the Hague Convention is important and we are fully ready for Hague accreditation. While there is a cost associated with the Hague accreditation, our agency is determined not to raise our adoption fees. We take pride in our responsible financial management style and we will continue our practice of efficiency and effectiveness. Our program has the lowest total cost in the country since we started and we are committed to stay with the course for future.
