The Process of China Adoption

China adoption is a safe, stable option when it comes to selecting an international adoption program. In fact, more than 75,000 children have been successfully united with their forever families through China’s adoption services. At Great Wall China Adoption, we pride ourselves in being a trusted leader in the placement of healthy and special needs children, having matched over 9,000 children with their forever families.

The Process

The different stages of adoption through Great Wall China Adoption are:
Initial Consultation and Adoption Assessment
In the initial phase of the adoption process, GWCA’s adoption consultants will speak with your family to answer any questions that you have about adopting from China. At this point, our adoption consultants will provide you with  free China Adoption Information Guide, help you figure out which adoption track (LID or Special Focus) would be the best fit, and review your family’s eligibility to make sure that it is in accordance with the CCCWA requirements.

If there are any concerns regarding your family’s qualifications, your China adoption consultant will communicate with our China Division to verify your eligibility before moving forward.

Dossier Consulting (Dragon Dossier Service)
Regardless of which service plan you select for your adoption process, your family’s dossier is in great hands with GWCA. Our dossier consultants are extremely experienced and will guide you through the paper chase with genuine warmth and unparalleled expertise. Our dossier consultants will:

• Review your documents accurately and in a timely manner
• Advise you of any errors in your paperwork, allowing you to correct the problem prior to submitting your dossier
• Send your approved dossier to China (on the Friday after it is approved)
• Make sure your dossier is hand delivered to the CCCWA by our in-country staff

Dragon Dossier Service
In addition to consulting families throughout the dossier process, GWCA offers a Dragon Dossier service to help with the preparation of the dossier documents. This includes gathering your documents for the CCCWA, getting them certified by the appropriate Secretary of State, and getting them authenticated by the appropriate Chinese Consulate or Embassy.

Matching
One of the greatest differences between the traditional China adoption program, and the Waiting Child program is the matching process. While matches in the traditional program are provided by the CCCWA, families in the Waiting Child adoption program have the opportunity to play a role in their matching process.

Each week new children are added to our China Waiting Child Photo Listing. These children are all available for adoption, and families can request their files by clicking on their photo and submitting their contact information. Once a family finds their child and has an approved home study, they can begin submitting their paperwork to request a match through the CCCWA.

Referral Education
Once your dossier is sent to China, you will enter the referral phase of the adoption. Our experienced Referral Education Counselors are available throughout your journey while your family waits for the official referral of your child. The services that they provide include the following:

• Make sure your paperwork does not expire
• Provide you with informational updates
• Provide counseling and advice
• Discuss any information regarding your child
• Refer you to international adoption specialists
• Request an updated medical report as needed
• Instruct you in completing your referral acceptance paperwork
• Send your referral acceptance to China
• Deliver your referral acceptance to the CCCWA upon arrival in China
• Provide education about bonding and attachment, childhood development, Chinese culture, tips on parenting an adopted child, how to deal with cultural sensitivity, ways to childproof you home, and how to welcome your new child.

Travel Coordination
Once you have accepted your referral, you will begin working with our travel staff to arrange your trip to China! Our GWCA Travel Specialists will share their wealth of knowledge and assist you in all facets of arranging your Trip. This includes:

• Notifying you once you’ve been approved to travel
• Arranging your adoption appointments with Chinese officials, intra-China flights, transportation, tours, and hotel accommodations
• Requesting and confirming your American Consulate appointment for your child’s visa
• Providing you with information about cultural differences and ways to be culturally sensitive while in China
• Verifying that your required paperwork is current and valid for travel
• Counseling you on what to expect when you pick up your child
• Providing you with a detailed travel itinerary and your in-country guides’ contact information
• Serving as your contact in the US if you have questions while you’re traveling in China

With GWCA’s travel services, each of our families is met at the airport by their China guide and accompanied throughout the country for the duration of their travel. The trip also provides a scenic day-long tour of Beijing that includes opportunities to meet locals and take pictures. This time allows families get the opportunity to experience the culture and history of their child’s birthplace firsthand.

Trip to China
The majority of our in-country guides are permanent staff members who work exclusively for Great Wall. This dedicated staff is solely focused on making sure your stay in China is the best possible. Our guides provide the following list of services to every family that chooses Great Wall for their adoption:

• Prepare all of your adoption paperwork for you and make sure you meet all provincial rules and regulations
• Verify that your child’s information is correct and make arrangements for you to receive your child
• Take your family to a doctor, if necessary, while you’re in China
• Escort you throughout your travel to adoption meetings and appointments, medical exams, CIS and consulate appointments, and on provincial tours
• Interpret conversations with Chinese officials, orphanage staff and nannies, foster parents (if applicable), and hotel staff
• Review Chinese and CIS adoption paperwork for accuracy and errors, and prepare you every day for what to expect so there are no surprises

The Great Wall China guides have an unparalleled reputation for excellence within the Chinese adoption community. Many of our families become so attached to their China guides that they continue to send letters and photos to them years after they have returned home with their child, and families adopting a second child from China often request the guide from their first adoption.

Post Adoption
When you return home with your child, a Great Wall Post Adoption Counselor will welcome you home and provide you with information about the following items:

• Re-adoption (highly recommended)
• Local adoption support
• Chinese cultural resources
• Nearby Great Wall families

Your Post Adoption Counselor will advise you and periodically send reminders about your post adoption reports. The purpose of each report is to let China and Great Wall know how everyone is adjusting to the adoption.

The China Center for Children’s Welfare and Adoption (CCCWA) requires that six (6) Post Adoption Reports be completed over the course of five (5) years after the adoption process.  

For Families with Travel Approvals prior to 01/01/2015 –
The Timing for these reports include:

For Families with Travel Approvals after 01/01/2015 –
The timing for these reports include:

Adopt Again
If you are interested in adopting from China again, GWCA would love to assist you with your second, third, or even fourth journey back to China! Please note that if you are planning on adopting within 12 months of your last adoption (regardless of where you adopted from previously), you will need to wait at least one full year between the finalization of your last adoption and being matched with a child with a kiddo from China. However, you can inquire beforehand and we would love to walk you through the process!