Adoption

How Long Will it Take?

It is hard to predict with certainty how much time is required to complete an adoption in China. As of the publication of this flyer, adoptions were taking approximately ten to twelve months from the time the U.S. adoption agency submitted the paperwork of the prospective adopter to CCAA to the time the initial referral was sent by CCAA to the prospective parent(s) via their adoption agency. Special needs cases were taking longer. After the referral is sent and the prospective parent(s) accept the child, a period of four to eight weeks elapses before final approval to travel to China is given by CCAA to the parent(s). With regard to time required in China, once initial approval has been granted and adoptive parent(s) travel to China to finalize an adoption, the CCAA has advised local Welfare Institutes and Civil Affairs Bureau to try to complete the process, to the extent possible, within 15 days of the adoptive parent(s) arrival in China. The Chinese passport, exit permits, and U.S. visa process can take another 7-10 days after the adoption is finalized. Recent experiences provided by families who have completed adoptions in China indicate that they have been able to complete the process, including obtaining the U.S. immigrant visa for the adoptive child, in approximately two weeks.