How long does it take to adopt from China?
The Chinese adoption process is broken into four different stages. The first stage is called the "paperchase". This consists of selecting an agency, homestudies, lots and lots of paper work, and sending the Doussier to China. The second stage is the long waiting period afterwards. This is the time period when our Doussier is waiting in China with hundreds of other parents to be matched with a child. During this time, we will attend parenting classes, prepare the baby's room, other baby type preparations, learn more about the Chinese culture and read, read, read. Once permission to travel and the match is made, we will recieve the referral. This begins phase three. One to three months after the referral, we will travel to China and offically adopt our daughter! After returning to the U.S., the fourth phase consists of follow up paper work and one additional homestudy. As of May 2006, we might be able to travel as early as the fall of 2007 to bring home our child.
What is the "paperchase"?
The paperchase consists of hundreds of paperwork. We need to supply the homestudy and Doussier with marriage license, birth certificates, proof of health insurance, imployment/financial/tax verifications, 8 - 10 page auto biographies, homestudy surveys about our lives, fingerprints, child abuse clearance, interviews, personal references, government related forms, peronal statements, medical examinations, passport renewals, immunizations, various agency contracts, travel related forms and much more.
What is a Doussier?
Doussier is a french term for official paperwork. The Doussier is the bundle of all the information about us that is sent to China. This also helps the "match makers" connect a child to us.
How do you chose your baby?
After reviewing the life style and characteristics of us, the match is made in China. I would like to think the "match makers" take days upon days to find the right child for us, but I doubt it is that extensive. Almost every person who adopts from China finds that their child is a perfect match. Maybe the Chinese zodiac and mystical intuition plays a part of this???? After we receive the referral, we may accept or decline the match. 95% of parents accept the first referral.
What is the CCAA?
The CCAA is the Chinese Center of Adoption Affairs. This is the Chinese agency that is responsible for all the orphanages and adoptions in China. They also make the parent child matches.
How old will your child be upon adoption?
Her (slight chance his) age will be between 6 months to 16 months old. Most female babies are between 8 - 13 months old. There is also a 5% chance of being referred to a boy. In this case, he will be between 1 - 2 years.
Where and how will you travel in China?
We will travel with a group of adopting parents who will be adopting from the same or nearby orphanages. All arrangements are made for us, as the Chinese want to make the experience a postive and smooth transition. We will travel to the providence of our babies and receive them there. From this point on, they will always be in our care. The same or next day, we will officially adopt with the local government. One to three days later we will travel as a group to Guangzhou. This is the only city in China where a U.S. consulate is located. Here the U.S. passport is issued for our baby. We will stay at the Swan Hotel, as most adoption groups have reservations here. The entire trip will take about two weeks and there will some down time to visit local attractions with the other adopting families and babies.
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