Many North Americans nowadays are adopting from China. Most adoptive children available from China are girls. There are boys available but a very small number compared to girls. People who are interested in adopting from China may have to wait 16 – 24 months to have their application reviewed. The age requirements for adoptive parents adopting from China are married couples 30-50 years of age. They must be at least 30 when the dossier is registered in China. Married couples ages 30-44 are eligible to adopt a child 6-18 months old. Couples 45-50 are eligible to adopt children 18 months to 3 years of age. Couples ages 51-55 is eligible to adopt only through the Waiting Child Program. China’s adoption eligibility is based on each person’s age. For example, if one of the prospective adoptive parents is under 30 years old or the other person is over 55 years old, they are not eligible to adopt a child in China.

There are health history restrictions when adopting from China. Families are not eligible to adopt from China if there is a diagnosis of major depression or any severe mental health conditions. Adoptive parents must be treatment and medication free for over two years if being treated for depression or anxiety. Families are no eligible to adopt from China if there is a history of alcoholism with the previous 10 years. If on or both of the adoptive parents use a wheelchair, mobility aid or are missing limbs, they are not eligible to adopt from China. Prospective adoptive parents are not eligible if there are any diseases in the infectious stage or if either of the two has a severe disease which requires long-term treatment and affects life expectancy. China will not approve parents who are blind. They will not approve parents who are deaf, unless they are adopting a deaf child. These are some of the health restrictions when adopting from China. To get a more extensive list, consult an adoption agency or search the Internet for adopting from China.

When adopting from China, the prospective family must prove they have a net worth of at least $80,000. The applicants must also earn an income of over $10,000 per person living in the home, including the adopted child. Prospective adoptive parents must prove they earn a minimum annual income of $30,000 or an income which represents $10,000 per person living in the household. There must be $10,000 for each parent and $10,000 for each additional child.

Criminal history is taken into account for any adoption. When adopting from China, families are not eligible to adopt if they have current warrants or are currently on probation. If there is any history of drug use or drug charges, arrest for a violent crime, a history of domestic violence, sex abuse, abandonment, child abuse or any felonies, China will not approve an application for adoption. Of course applications are all considered individually and different agencies and programs may have slight variations in their laws and regulations.

These are some of the facts regarding adopting from China. There are many eligibility factors including marriage requirements, household requirements, religious and citizenship requirements. To learn more about adopting from China, contact an agency who deals with International adoption or browse the many Internet web sites which provide detailed information on adopting from China.