Spence-Chapin Services International Adoption: China

Program Requirements and Specifics

Married couples where both individuals are between 30-50 years of age are eligible.
Families up to 55 are eligible to adopt a Waiting Child.
Couples must be married for two years or five years if there was a previous divorce.
At least one prospective parent must be a U.S. citizen to be able to sponsor a child to enter the country.
Stringent physical and emotional health requirements apply.
Applicants must be without a recent history of arrests or convictions.
Net assets must be at least $80,000 and at least one applicant should have stable employment.
No more than 5 children may be in the household, including the child to be adopted.
Current wait for referral: 2+ years after paperwork is submitted to China and is expected to continue to gradually lengthen.
Girls from birth through school age are available for adoption. Occasionally, boys are also available.
Families travel in groups eight weeks after receiving a referral, are in China for approximately two weeks. They are escorted through every step in the process.
Spence-Chapin requires that both parents travel to China.

From Referral to Homecoming

At the time of referral, you will receive a photo and medical report on the child who has been matched with your family by the CCAA. Both members of a couple will travel to China approximately eight weeks later. Your child's adoption is finalized in China prior to returning home. The trip takes 10 to 14 days. Spence-Chapin was the fourth American agency approved by the Chinese government in 1992 when a law was passed allowing foreign adoptions. Spence-Chapin has two permanent representatives in China who process families' applications, make all China arrangements, hotels, domestic flights, etc., and travel with the groups of families when they come to adopt their children. Upon returning home, your child will be an automatic citizen of the U.S. and you will receive a certificate of citizenship in the mail.

Out-of-State Families

Spence-Chapin welcomes families from all areas of the country to adopt through our international adoption program in China. Families outside our geographic region will work with an agency in their local area in addition to Spence-Chapin. Networking benefits families by allowing them to work with Spence-Chapin's well-established international placement program in China while maintaining in-person contact with and direct service from a social worker in their local area. Spence-Chapin collaborates with other high-quality and reputable adoption agencies to help families complete all steps of the adoption process. For more information about networking and a list of Spence-Chapin network agencies, please contact our International Inquiry Coordinator at 212-400-8150.

Humanitarian Aid to China: Spence-Chapin Granny Program

In 2000, we opened our granny program at the Child Welfare Institute of Xi'an, providing a yearly stipend that allows 15 local women to each give attention and nurturing care to two children under three. Our training is designed to offer an understanding of children's needs and to show how to encourage the acquisition of developmental skills. In May 2005, Rita Taddonio, director of Spence-Chapin's Adoption Resource Center, returned for her third visit since the project began and was amazed at the positive changes in the institute's care-giving procedures. For more information about Spence-Chapin Granny Programs around the world, please contact Linda Wright at 212-369-0300 or lwright@spence-chapin.org.

China Special Needs

Spence-Chapin is approved to place waiting children by CCAA and is currently looking for families who are open to children with identified unique needs. Many of the children available through this program have minor or correctable issues while others' needs may be more complicated. Spence-Chapin receives referrals of waiting children several times a year. Past diagnoses have included cleft lips and/or palates, missing digits, and seizure disorders. Please contact Ann for information on our waiting children.

Cost Guidelines

Spence-Chapin has a sliding fee for the services provided by the agency, based on the applicant's adjusted gross income. For those working with networking agencies, Spence-Chapin charges a flat fee which is separate from any fees charged by the local agency.

When adopting internationally, there is a program fee determined by the sending country that is separate from the Spence-Chapin fee. Please contact us for specific information about China's fees. Additionally, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service and some states assess fees, including those for fingerprinting. When you travel to China, you will incur costs for airfare, hotel, food and incidental expenses. For suggestions about making adoption more affordable, please see our information in Affording Adoption.

Celebration for Children from China & Vietnam

Every year, in celebration of the Lunar New Year, Spence-Chapin hosts a party for children adopted from China and Vietnam. Families come together to celebrate with traditional food, crafts and entertainment, and to share their experiences with each other. Children get an opportunity to explore their common heritage. For information about this year's celebration, please contact Heather at 212-360-0274 or hluboff@spence-chapin.org.