Adoption

Fees

China Fees

Fees charged by Chinese authorities in connection with foreign adoptions may vary widely. There are, of course, standard fees.

1. Fees for authentication/legalization of documents by the Chinese Embassy or Consulate in the United States is $10.00 per document (A document may be a single page or multi-paged, the fee is for authentication of the seal).
2. The China Center for Adoption Affairs (CCAA) advises that its initial fee is $365.00(U.S.), plus $200.00(U.S.) for translation of the documents. (The translations can be done in the United States or China; however, the China Center for Adoption Affairs (CCAA) advises that the translations must be "correct" and that CCAA will "rectify" any errors which could account for some extra cost above the initial $365.00)
3. Fees for the issuance of the registration of the adoption by the Civil Affairs Bureau; $100.00 (U.S.)
4. Fees for issuance of the Chinese notarized certificate approving the adoption. The fee varies on a case-by-case basis.
   Note: In addition to the fee for the adoption itself, there are fees for death certificates and for any investigation the Notarial Office may conduct to verify the child's status and eligibility for adoption.
5. Fees for the Chinese passport-100 RMB (Approx. $12.00) for normal ten-day issuance (An additional fee of 100 RMB is charged for expedited issuance).
6.  After consultation with local price control administration authorities and local financial departments, individual Children's Welfare Institutes may charge from $3000 (U.S.) to $5000 (U.S.) as a combined donation to the institution and a fee for having raised and cared for the child prior to the adoption. Fees are handled by local officials outside of the Children's Welfare Institute and are largely based on real expenses in raising and caring for the child while in the institute.
7. The American Consulate General at Guangzhou advises that extra charges of up to $500 for transportation or expedited processing of documents have also been reported. Adoptive parent(s) should keep the U.S. Embassy and Consulate General apprised of any exorbitant fees.

U.S. Fees

1. There is an BCIS fee of $155.00 for an I-600 or I-600A petition. If you have a valid I-600A and file an I-600 within one year of the approval of the I-600A, no fee will be charged for the I-600 provided you are only petitioning for one child or for siblings. If you have a valid I-600A and within one year of approval of the I-600A are petitioning for more than one child and the children are not siblings, the I-600 fee will be charged for each additional child.
2. If you are having documents authenticated by the Department of State Authentication office, there is a fee of $5.00 per document.
3. The adopted child must have a medical examination performed by one of the U.S. Embassy or Consulate's panel physicians before the immigrant visa can be issued. The cost of this medical examination (approximately $15.00 (U.S.)) and accompanying immunizations ($30 (U.S.)) must be paid by the adoptive parent(s).
4. The fee for the immigrant visa is $200.00 and may be paid either in U.S. dollars or local currency. This $200.00 fee does not include medical examinations, costs of documents, the petition, etc. The U.S. Consulate does not accept personal checks or credit cards.
5. If you are having documents authenticated by a consular officer at a U.S. embassy or consulate, there is a fee of $10.00 per document.