[matjones]

Hi Everyone,

My wife an I are looking into adoption from China. We currently live in San Francisco. My wife was born in Hong Kong, and moved to the US when she was 11. She is now a US citizen and also has her Hong Kong ID card. We are wondering if it's possible to adopt as though it were a domestic adoption within china, without having to go through an adoption agency here in the US.

Has anyone ever researched this or in the same situation.

Thanks

Mat

[An Song Tao]

If you were born in China or lived there for more than a year, you would be eligible for an expedited adoption. The wait time would be 1-2 months after LID, I believe. The CCAA website has more information on this exemption. You can access it through the Chinese government web portal, http://english.gov.cn . Good luck! A lot of people here will be jealous of your short wait!

[AmoyGirl]

I had no idea that if you lived in China for more than a year you could qualify for an expedited referral! I just checked out the website An Song Tao provided (thanks for the link, by the way), and it does say that foreigners who have lived in China (working or studying) for at least a year are eligible for an expedited referral. I wonder if you have to be living there currently, or if past residence would qualify? Hmmm...

Morgan

[aristo]

I assume since you both are US Citizens and that your adopted daughter will become a US Citizen, that you will need to follow the requirements of any other US citizen trying to adopt in China.

The only good fortune is that your wife was born and raised in HK, which will qualify your DTC to be expedited.

For the record, our DTC was also expedited, but based solely on the fact that both my parents were born and raised in Canton, China. They immigrated to the US in the 1960s. My wife and I were both born in the US....so it is still possible to be expedited by other means (besides residing in China for a year, etc.).

Good luck.

[matjones]

Thanks for the info. I was hoping that there was someway to deal directly with China without having to go through a US agency (saving a little money). Probably wishful thinking.

From your experiences, how long does the adoption process take from submitting the paperwork.

Mat

[aristo]

After DTC, and if you are expedited....it should take roughly 2-3 months to get your referral.....then about 2 months after accepting your referral, you will be flying to China.

[jane_mi]

hi, Mat,

My husband and I both are chinese in US and plan to adopt from china. So I have read the adoption law in china side. Chinese gov doesn't alllow domestic asoption as long as one of the couple is a foreigner. and I think you know China doesn't allow multiple citizenship either. Since your wife is already a US citizen, she is not a chinese any more.

China adoption is not very expensive. the total cost within 20K. but IRS gives more than 10K tax credit and some employers have adoption fund.

We planed to take the advantage of our current chinese citizenship for china adoption so that we could adopt earlier. After a couple of months of research, we have given up the idea. We may get our US citizenship by end of this year or the spring of 2007. With a expedited referral, we might bring our daughter home by the end of 2007. It is not too bad.

Do the chinese domstic adoption first and then bring the child to US on adoption visa is a very complicated process. It may cost more.
To qaulify the adotpion visa, you must follow the INS rules on international adotpion. no saving in US side. With the risk of adoption visa, more china trips required and have to leave the child to our relatives for up to 1 year, it will be better for us to get our citizenship first and the go with the normal china adoption.

Good luck with your adoption process.

Jane