Information Sheet 3

(January2010)

International Social ServiceHong Kong Branch

Adoption Programme

Adoption of Children from Mainland China

by Families in Hong Kong

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What we do

International Social Service Hong Kong Branch (ISS-HK) is a non-profit making organization providing a variety of social services. We are accredited by the Social Welfare Department in Hong Kong for providing intercountry and local adoption services and are approved to work with a number of countries.

Apart from intercountry and localadoption, we also assist families living in Hong Kong (passport holders of some foreign countries as accepted by China Center of Adoption Affairs) to adopt children from Mainland China. Our social workers conduct assessment of adoption applicants, prepare them for adoption, liaise with the government departments / adoption agencies concerned and provide post-placement supervision.

Who are suitable to adopt

Applicants must have genuine motivation in adoption and are mature enough to make a life-long commitment to take up parental responsibilities for a child adopted from another culture. They must also have adequate ability, sound health (both physically and mentally) and resources to parent an adoptive child and provide the child with a stable and permanent home.

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Residence:

Having been residing in Hong Kong for 12 months or more at the time of adoption and are going to stay for at least another 2 years to complete the adoption process.

Applicants should meet the requirements of China Center of Adoption Affairs (CCAA). The major ones are:

i.Age:At least 30 years old. Usually applicants aged over 55 will not be accepted. Applicants between 50 – 55 years old will usually be matched with a child of over 3 years old.

ii.Marriage:At least 2 years of stable marriage for couples if it is their first marriage, otherwise longer period of marriage is required. Single applicants should have sufficient support and child care ability. Please note that single applicants are accorded the lowest priority by CCAA.

iii.The child must be able to obtain the same citizenship as the applicants.

Applicants should also meet the requirements of their country of citizenship.

Other information

Most children in need of adoption are abandoned girls. There are also children of older age or with special needs.

All adoption applications will be directed to the China Center of Adoption Affairs by the Authorized Authority or an adoption agency of the applicants’ country of citizenship. For American families, we work with Lifelink for the whole process. Information on Lifelink is available in its website: .

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The waiting time for child matching depends on the number of applications received by CCAA and the number of children in need of adoption. Residents in Hong Kong may apply for expedition.

CCAA is responsible for screening and approving applications as well as child matching.

The prospective adoptive parents must travel to Mainland China to complete the legal adoption procedures and immigration procedures for their country of citizenship. American families in Hong Kong are expected to travel with other families from Lifelink.

The adoption is finalized when the Adoption Certificate is issued, before the child leaves Mainland China.

Post-adoption supervision is required for at least 1 year with two reports and proof of the child’s new citizenship being sent to CCAA.

Updated information is available at the website of CCAA:

Fees

Our service for local adoptive families to adopt children from places outside Hong Kong is not subvented by the government. Therefore fees need to be charged for service provided. Our current fee scale is available upon request.

International Social Service Hong Kong Branch

Adoption Programme

Address: 6/F, Southorn Centre, 130 Hennessy Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong

Tel:(852) 2834-6863

Fax:(852) 2834-7627

E-mail: /

Website: