China Adoption FAQ
Below are the answers to some of the most common questions that our matching specialists hear from families about the China adoption process. If you would like more information contact our China adoption specialists today!
Q: Are the children on your site available for adoption?
A: The children on our photo listing are all either available for placement or have been recently matched through the Special Focus or LID track. Children not on the photo listing have generally already been placed with a family, and are, therefore, not available for placement. Please reach out to our Matching Specialists to learn more about our available children!
Q: We do not live in Texas, can we still work with GWCA?
A: If you live outside of Texas, Great Wall is happy to assist you with your adoption. Although your home study agency must be licensed to perform home studies in your state, your adoption agency can be located anywhere in the US. This allows you to choose an agency based on experience and reputation, rather than location. If you already know which home study agency you are working with, just let us know. If you do not have a home study agency, we will refer you to a reputable Hague-accredited agency located near you. In Texas and Florida, Great Wall is licensed to provide a home study services for you.
Q: How many children does Great Wall place each year?
A: Great Wall has a long-standing history as one of the leading adoption agencies in the US. Since being founded in 1996, GWCA and their sister agency CAN have placed hundreds of children with US families! In 2016, our agency placed 175 children! If you choose Great Wall, you will be working with a well-established, stable organization that will recognize your individual needs throughout your adoption journey.
Q: What is the general cost of adopting from China?
A: Most families where two parents are going to pick up one child end up spending $29,000 – $35,000 total on their overall adoption costs. This amount is with all adoption costs including agency fees, dossier paper chase, home study, USCIS costs, China Legal Fees, Orphanage Donation Fee and Travel costs combined. Costs vary somewhat depending on where in China your child is located, what time of year you are traveling, how many people you are bringing on your trip, etc. This overall amount is not due all at once but will be spread out over your entire adoption process.
Q: Does Great Wall offer a discount if we have adopted from China previously?
A: Yes, Great Wall offers a discount for families who go through our China adoption program a again! You can ask our Adoption Consultant for details about this discount.
Q: Can we adopt more than one child at a time?
A: Yes, families are able to adopt two unrelated children from the China program. Families are able to adopt two children simultaneously, meaning that they are both being matched on one dossier. You are also able to do a dossier copy for a second child. This refers to the process of updating your existing dossier in order to be matched with a second child within one year of the finalization of the initial adoption.
Q: Does Great Wall work with specific orphanages?
A: Great Wall works with all welfare homes authorized by the CCCWA. Many of the files of children that we receive are requested from the shared listing, which is the listing of all available children that agencies worldwide have access to. We also receive a large majority of the files for children from our 19 orphanage partnerships!
Q: If one parent is 30 and the other parent is 29, when would we be able to send our dossier to China? Do we need to wait until the younger spouse turns 30?
A: Both parents must be 30 at the time that the dossier is sent to China or at the time a match is official made with a child. We recommend starting the process when the youngest parent is about 6 months from turning 30, that way a significant amount of the dossier process can be accomplished prior to the parent’s 30th birthday.
Q: Can you provide us with a list of home study agencies in our area?
A: If you are a family who lives in Texas or Florida, a Great Wall social worker will be doing your home study for you. If you live outside fo Texas or Florida, once you join our agency, your dossier specialist will help you find a Hague and/or COA accredited home study agency in your state to help you do your home study.
Q: Can we work with a home study agency that is not on your list?
A: If you live in Texas or Florida, you must use one of Great Wall’s social workers. If you live outside of Texas and Florida you can use any Hague and/or COA accredited home study agency you want.
Q: How do I know if an agency is Hague Accredited?
A: The State Department’s website provides a list of agencies who received their full or temporary accreditation and those who were denied. Great Wall China Adoption is Hague accredited.
Q: How do we get our 12 hours of the Hague training?
A: The Hague training courses can be purchased through our agency and taken online. Our dossier specialists will notify you as to which courses are needed.
Q: In general, how long does the dossier process take?
A: Most families can complete the entire dossier process (this includes your home study) in about 6 months.
Q: What information should be included in the application letter?
A: After you contract with our agency to start the adoption process, you will be assigned a Dossier Specialist to help you through the Dossier process. They will give you a guide that will help you complete the different documents required for your dossier. In that guide you will have instructions and an example of what an application letter should look like. If you have any questions about your application letter, your Dossier Specialist will assist you.
Q: How long after we receive our referral will we travel?
A: After you receive your official referral, called your LSC (Letter Seeking Confirmation), it is typically 3 – 3.5 months until you travel to China to pick up your child.
Q: Which flights does Great Wall arrange for us?
A: All of your China intra-country travel and accommodations will be arranged and booked by Great Wall, so you don’t have to worry about booking anything within China. The only flights you will need to book for your trip will be your international flights to and from China.
Q: Can we bring additional family or friends with us to China?
A: You can absolutely bring additional friends and family with you to China!
Q: Who will pick us up from the airport when we arrive in China?
A: Great Wall will provide your family with a travel guide/translator who will pick you up from the airport and take you to your hotel, to all of your adoption appointments and for sight seeing while you’re in China. You will always have your guide’s personal cell phone number as well so that you can get a hold of them anytime while you’re in China.
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7 New Kids Just Added!
Winnie is a precious little girl from China that recently turned 7 years old. Winnie was not abandoned until she was 5 years old, so she has only lived in the orphanage for the past two years. It is presumed that she lived with her birth family before she came to live in the orphanage.
Winnie is described by her caregivers as timid and gentle and she gets along very well with other children in the orphanage. She is said to have normal physical and mental development. Winnie has good self-care skills such as putting on her own clothes and shoes by herself. Winnie’s language is delayed, but she can have simple conversations and she can answer when her name is called.
Winnie is said to have had an abnormal vision screening, but it is unclear exactly what is meant by that, so we are following up with the orphanage to get more information on her vision needs. It is possible that she just has droopy eyelids (ptosis) and that she just needs to get surgery to lift her eyelids so she can see more clearly. This is something that would most likely never be done in China, so she would need a family to adopt her so she could get this kind of surgery in America.
Click Here to Watch Winnie’s Video!
Issac is a cute little boy from China that is 5 and a half years old. Issac is a smart kiddo who likes to listen to music, sing and dance. He has normal intelligence and is developing well cognitively. He has normal language development and can have regular conversations with friends and adults. Issac asks how and why questions such as “What is for breakfast?” Issac is a helpful boy that will assist his caretakers with daily tasks. Issac will sometimes ask his caretakers, “Are you tired?” which shows what an empathetic and sweet boy he is.
Issac was born with a spinal meningocele which was removed during surgery when he was very young. He has clubbed feet, so he cannot walk, but he can hold himself up enough to stand and he can go up and down stairs by himself. He can crawl to get where he needs to go.
It is unclear if this child could walk in the future with the right surgery and rehabilitation services that he could receive in America. Hopefully with the love, care and support of a loving Forever Family, Issac could thrive in the United States!
Cindy is a precious little girl from China that just turned 8 years old. Cindy was born with cerebral palsy but she has received rehabilitation therapy and has progressed a lot over the years. Cindy can walk a few steps on her own and walk further by using a walker or holding onto something. She can understand what others are saying to her and can follow instructions given to her by her caregivers.
Cindy can express her wants and needs with simple words and phrases. Cindy is fond of having books read to her and drawing. Cindy is a quieter child and she gets along well with other children.
If you would like to learn more about Cindy, please contact the China Home Finding Team today!
Meet Hazel! Hazel is a precious 7-year old girl in need of a family to call her own. Hazel has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, but she appears to have made progress in the physical therapy that her orphanage has placed her in. She loves to be hugged by her caretakers and loves to smile and grin when she’s being played with. Her file is somewhat dated, so Great Wall is working hard to learn more recent information about her. Please reach out to learn more!
This beautiful girl’s name is Madeline! She is is 12 years old and her special need is deafness. Based on her medical file she is unable to speak, but she does express her needs clearly to her caretakers! Madeline has lived with a foster family and has attached well to her caretakers. She loves to giggle and laugh with her friends! She is described as being warm, friendly, and a little bit shy until you get to know her. She has excellent self care ability and can change clothes, eat, and drink without assistance. Madeline is a precious girl who is very loved by her caretakers. Please reach out to Great Wall to learn more!
This sweet girl’s name is Wendy! Wendy is 11 years old and has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Her file is somewhat dated, so Great Wall is working hard to learn more recent information about her. Wendy’s caregivers stated that she made fantastic progress under their care and was able to learn simple language and communication. Wendy is able to clearly express her needs and is close with her caregivers and the other kiddos in the orphanage. She loves to play with toys and dance to music! Please reach out to Great Wall to learn more!
January is a sweet little girl from China that is about to turn 6 years old. January has amblyopia and strabismus, but she can still see fairly well. She also has some developmental and intellectual delays and is currently not speaking, however she can follow instructions given to her by her caretakers and she understands what others are saying to her. She can walk, go up and down stairs by herself.
January has good self-care skills like taking a shower by herself and eating by herself. She has a outgoing personality and likes playing with blocks. January is also fond of playing on the swing on the playground. January also loves puppies.
If you would like to learn more about January, please contact the China Home Finding Team today!
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Freddie is GWCA’s Sponsored Star for June!
As our Sponsored Star, Freddie now has a $2,000 grant available towards his adoption fees! If you are interested in reviewing Freddie’s file or learning how you can be matched with him, visit our China Waiting Child Photo Listing or contact our China Matching Team today!
Meet Freddie! Freddie is an adorable 3-year old boy with Down syndrome and a congenital heart defect. He is an active and happy little guy who loves to play with his peers and caregivers. He is described by his nannies as being curious, loving, and affectionate! He can walk without assistance and can eat, drink, and go to the bathroom independently. Freddie is also very responsive when his name is called and cooperative when his caregivers give him instructions. He is a happy, sweet little guy who would thrive with a forever family.
What is a Sponsored Star?
On the 1st of each month, Great Wall China Adoption will feature one of the kiddos from our Orphanage Partnerships as our monthly “Sponsored Star.” As our Sponsored Star, that child will receive a $2,000 grant towards their adoption fees! Each of the kiddos selected will be a Special Focus child, meaning they have not found their Forever Family yet due to their age or special needs. Together, we can find loving homes for these amazing kids!
We encourage any families interested in learning more about our Sponsored Star of the Month to visit our China Waiting Child Photo Listing, or contact our China Matching Specialists to learn how you can be matched today. Check back on the first of each month to meet the newest featured child!
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