Criteria for adopting from China
China has very strict criteria for prospective parents wanting to adopt their children. You must ensure you fulfil the requirements before choosing to adopt from China.
To adopt from China you must fulfil the requirements of the UK government as well as those of China.
The China Centre for Children Welfare and Adoption (CCCWA) is responsible for inter-country adoptions in China.
Age Requirements:
Both parents must be between the ages of 30 and 50.
Couples interested in adopting a special needs child must be between the ages of 30 and 55.
These ages will computed from the time that the
CCCWA officially logs the adoption application documents when they reach China ie post UK process
Marriage Requirements:
Chinese law does not recognise civil partnerships.
Married couples must have been married for at least two years.
If either partner has been divorced, the new couple must have been married for at least 5 years.
No more than two divorces are allowed.
Couples must adopt a child jointly.
At present single applicants are not allowed to adopt from China. There is a review in place at the moment to see if UK single women may adopt special focus children. It may take a couple of years for this initiative to be realised.
Family Requirements
The family must have fewer than five children under the age of 18, and the youngest is at least one year old (those adopting special needs children are exempted from this requirement).
Health Requirements
Both partners must be mentally and physically and mentally fit and not be suffering from any of the following conditions:
- AIDS
- Blindness in either eye
- Body Mass Index of 40 or more
- Chronic illnesses that require long-term treatment and which may affect life expectancy, including epilepsy, lupus, malignant tumours, nephrosis (?), epilepsy
- Dysfunction of non-function of limbs or trunk cause by impairment, incomplete limbs, paralysis or deformation
- Facial deformation of a serious nature
- Hearing loss in both ears or loss of language function (except in the case of adopting a child with this same condition)
- Infectious disease that is actively contagious
- Mental disability
- Mental disorders requiring medication for more than two years - depression, mania, anxiety neurosis
- Major organ transplant within ten years
Educational Requirements
Both prospective parents must have graduated from high school or have vocational training equivalent to a high school education
Income Requirements
At least one member of the couple must have a permanent and stable job.
The family's annual income must be at least $10000 for each person in the household (including the adopted child). This income is to exclude any benefits, pensions, unemployment insurance, government subsidies etc
The total value of the family assets must be at least $80,000.
Residency Requirements
You are not required to reside in China for a specified period prior to completing an adoption.
Other Requirements
Both parties must have a history of 'honourable behaviour' and 'good moral character' with no evidence of:
Domestic violence, sexual abuse, abandonment or abuse of children, use of drugs or any potentially addictive medication prescribed for mental illness or alcohol abuse (unless able to prove being sober for at least 10 years).
Neither partner may have a significant criminal record. Applicants with past criminal records will be considered on a case by case basis if there are fewer than three minor criminal convictions with none in the last 10 years and fewer than five minor traffic offences.
