"Have you picked your child yet?"

I have had numerous people ask me “have you picked out your child yet?” I wanted to take today to explain to everyone exactly how international adoptions work (at least through our agency). You do not get to pick a child you want from a wide array of choices/photos, the child you get as a referral is a child that is matched with your family (using the criteria you gave in your application) from the CCAA (China Center for Adoption Affairs).

Step One: After you make the decision to adopt a child from over seas, the very next step is looking at adoption agencies. They really are plentiful and you want to make sure that the agency you pick has the best interests of the child and your new family in mind. The best idea is to talk to people who have used that particular agency, ask for references from the agency staff, and READ— a lot.

Step Two: Apply to the agency. Most agencies have an application and associated fees. Once the agency receives your application, they will most likely want an interview with you and your partner.

Step Three: After the intake interview, it’s time to get busy collecting paperwork and applying for passports, copies of birth certificates, marriage license, etc. During this time, you will also be contacted by the social worker who will be conducting your home study.

Step Four: Home study. The home study takes about a month to complete. During this time, the social worker will explain about adoption, answer any questions, and make sure your home is safe and suitable for a child.

Step Five: USCIS Application. Once the home study is complete, it’s time to apply to the US government for approval to bring a child into the country. The reason for this is because the child becomes an American citizen as soon as the flight from China lands on US soil. The approval and fingerprinting process for the USCIS application takes about 2-3 months to complete.

Step Six: Paperwork to Agency and Dossier to China. This process takes about a month and a half. The paperwork and fees must be certified, notarized, and sent to China with several other dossiers of families waiting to adopt. It takes the Chinese government about 2 weeks to file the paperwork in China with the CCAA.

Step Seven: Waiting, waiting, and more waiting. This can be the longest part of the whole process, and sometimes, the most grueling. This is the time where you are waiting for a referral from the CCAA. Depending on the age, health status, and gender of the child, this wait can be anywhere from 18 to 39 months!

Step Eight: Referral!! This is when the CCAA sends the referral to the agency. The referral will have a photo, health history, and short description of the child that the CCAA has matched with your family. (So, as you can tell, it is nearly 2 years before you even get to learn your child’s name!)

Step Nine: Approximately six weeks from the referral day, you travel to China to pick up your child. You spend 2 weeks in China sightseeing and visiting various provinces and orphanages.

Step Ten: Come home from China and complete adoption in US— Become one happy family!

So, as you can see, the process is long and very in depth. You do not get to pick your own child, but we are certain we will be matched with a perfect little girl from China! The waiting is the worst part and I can only hope that we have more than enough to keep us busy.

Until Tomorrow!!