Adoption in China is Full and Irrevocable

WHO CAN ADOPT IN CHINA?

MARRIED COUPLES: Those who are at least 30 years old and who fulfil requirements demanded by Chinese and Spanish law. Couples may not be older than 55 at the moment of the child´s assignment.

Chinese law prohibits couples who are living together from adopting. Couples must be married in accordance with Spanish law.

Families with five or more children will not be admitted to the adoption process. It is not possible to adopt more than one child, except in those cases involving identical and non-identical twins.

Single parent families: Divorced, separated couples, and single people can adopt but only 8% of such files are processed. The age limit for single people is 50. Article 9 of Chinese law states that when a Chinese girl is adopted by an unmarried man, the age difference between the person adopting and the minor must not be less than 40 years.

               CHARACTERISTICS OF MINORS UP FOR ADOPTION:

Children who have been given up for adoption typically have been abandoned by their parents at birth and for this reason do not have a defined family background.

The CCAA age limit for children who are up for adoption is approximately between 8-9 months until 36 months.

The age for children up for adoption, according to the CCAA, can vary between 8-9 months up to 36 months if the adopting parent is not more than 50 years old. Those older than 50 may adopt children older than three years old. The Psycho-Social Report and Certificate of Suitability issued by the Autonomous Community shall be respected thereafter. 

THE WAIT

Once the adoption file has been mailed to China and has been legally approved by all public entities  (agencies that recognize AKUNA International) a waiting period is initiated for the assignment of the child varying between 6 and 8 months depending on the CCAA. During this period parents receive five required training modules that are led by AKUNA´s staff of professionals who have backgrounds in law, social work, medicine, pedagogue and psychology.

·         Group composition:                     5 families (approx.)

·         Session duration:                         2 hours

·         Session frequency:                      monthly

TRAVELLING TO CHINA

In the document entitled ¨Travelling Dossier¨ you can find all related  documentation, proceedings etc… regarding travel to China.

Once the assignment of the minor has been ratified, the law requires a  Travel Invitation Card be issued by the Chinese Center of Adoptions (parents not carrying this document cannot collect children in China). A travel visa is also required (download and cut form) and can be applied for in the Chinese Consulate (Calle Josefa Valcárcel, 40, 1ª. 28027 Madrid).

Parents will receive one final travel preparation module in which they will be given all necessary information regarding administrative proceedings, stay in China, and childcare.

STAY IN CHINA

Administrative process and stay are 15 days, five days shall be spent residing in the child´s province and another five days are necessary to fulfil the consulate inscription and apply for a Spanish entrance visa from the Beijing or Shanghai Spanish Consulate.

RETURNING TO SPAIN: REQUIRED FOLLOW UP 

All applicants should present to the Social Welfare Institution in their  Autonomous Community, a copy of required Chinese documentation referent to the adoption.

China also requires the presentation of two tracking reports regarding the adopted child in this country. The first is required six months after the child arrives in Spain and the other at the end of one year.

These follow-up reports are required according to standards set by the Community of Madrid decree from 6/2/2003, by which all ECAI functions are regulated. In Castilla-La Mancha reports are researched and given by ECAI professionals and in the case of AKUNA, by a social worker and psychologist. In other autonomous communities these tracking reports are carried out by the Department of Social Welfare. All required mailings are done through AKUNA, as required by CCAA.

For these follow up reports it is necessary to attach the following documents:

• Travel Invitation Card number (and photocopy of the same).
• Birth name and current name of the child.
• Child´s date of birth.
• Name of the adoption agency.
• A recent drivers-license sized photograph of the child.
• Medical data (health card number) and health condition of the minor.
• Name of the adoptive parents, address and organization that processed the adoption application.
• Date of travel to China to formalize the adoption.
• A health report including: intellectual development, treatment being received (if ill or otherwise disabled), establishment of family ties and adaptation to the adoptive family.  
• Photocopy of marriage certificate registered in the embassy.
• Photographs showing the family environment.