Adopting from Taiwan
China Alternative Information and Requirements for Adoptive Parents
May 14, 2008
The adoption regulations and requirements are generally much more relaxed for Taiwan than it is for China, making adopting from Taiwan a great alternative. Perhaps this is why Americans are adopting children from Taiwan at a growing rate. In 2002, just 48 adoptions took place. By 2006, the number of adoptions from Taiwan had grown to 187.
Children Available for Adoption
Typically, healthy infants are available between two and five months of age at the time of referral, and arrive home between the age of nine and twelve months old. Other options open to adoptive parents include adopting a child with minor to severe physical or medical needs or adopting healthy toddlers and older children. Programs for these two categories often have reduced fees.
The children of Taiwan have beautiful Asian characteristics, with olive-toned complexions.
Adoptive Parent Requirements
- Must be at least 20 years older than the child they are adopting.
- No child may be: directly related by blood; directly related by marriage, except in the case of a step-parent adoption; indirectly related by blood. Taiwan law is very specific about the degree of indirect blood relation that is excluded from adoption.
- The adoptive parents must not be older than 55.
- Married persons must adopt jointly with their spouse. Taiwan does not have specific guidelines for length of time in marriage; however, the adoption agency may have specific requirement. An average of one to two years of marriage is common.
- Discretion in regards to family size is usually left up to the adoption agency.
Additionally, adoptive parents will need to provide required documentation:
- Proof of U. S. citizenship
- Marriage license (if any)
- Approved home study conducted by a licensed adoption agency.
- Evidence of compliance of pre-adoption requirements by state of residence (if any)
- Fingerprints for all adult household members
- A Taiwan police clearance for all adult household members
Adoption Costs
Adoption from Taiwan can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $18,000, or more, depending on the agency. Other costs to factor in are travel costs, home study fees (which may or may not be factored in by the agency), application fees, fees for the dossier and legal documents, and so forth. Some agencies may include necessary costs in their overall fee list, while others may just list their agency fees and all others are additional. Ask the adoption agency for a break down of their fees and program costs, and read the fine-print.
Time Frame and Travel Requirements
The amount of time it take before receiving a referral varies, though one can typically expect an average of 18-24 months for a healthy infant. Older children and children with special needs usually have a shorter waiting period.
Travel by both adoptive parents is generally required with an average stay in country of seven to ten days.
In addition to the requirements listed in this article, each adoption agency may have its own requirements. Please check with the prospective agency for further information.
References:
U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs
Related Articles:
The Financial Aspect of Adopting
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