HERE IS A GLIMPSE INTO THE JOURNEY OF ADOPTING A CHILD FROM CHINA
• Families may not adopt two unrelated children.
• Both parents must be at least 30 years of age at the time of dossier submission.
• There can be up to 50-year age difference between the child and the younger spouse.
• Couples must be married at least 2 years at the time of dossier submission.
• If either spouse has two divorces, the minimum length for the current marriage is 5 years.
• No more than two divorces per spouse.
• Families can have up to 5 children under the age of 18 in the home.
• The youngest child must be at least 3 years of age at the time of dossier submission.
• If single, only women may apply. Must be at least 30 years of age at the time of dossier submission. There can be up to two children under the age of 18 in the home, and the youngest child must be at least 3 at the time of dossier submission.
• At least one parent is required to travel to China, although travel by both parents is strongly encouraged.
• The process takes about 12-24 months from application to placement depending on age and special needs.
• China requires minimum annual income of $30,000 plus $10,000 for each child currently in the home, and net worth of $80,000 for couples and $100,000 for singles.
• Body mass index (BMI) cannot exceed 40 for each applicant.
• If one spouse is healthy, China is open to a chronic well-controlled medical condition in the other spouse. For skin, thyroid, breast or testicular cancer, the applicant must be cancer free for at least 3 years. For other types of cancer, the applicant must be cancer free for at least 5 years. China is open to one or both applicants with a well-controlled mental health condition, such as anxiety or depression, with a positive mental health letter.
LIAN + THE DRIVER FAMILY
The Driver family posing with their adopted son, Lian
Chris and Cady Driver began their international adoption journey in 2016 when their hearts were drawn to a little boy from China. Lian is now home with his forever family in the United States, and the Driver family wouldn’t have it any other way. In the words of Cady: “Lian (God has answered) Alexander (leader of men) Driver. You’re home.”
Room to Bloom’s mission is to promote the beauty of adoption and to ascribe dignity to people with Down syndrome and other special needs. We do this by partnering with organizations that are dedicated to orphan care and adoption advocacy, strengthening families who have children with special needs, and giving a voice to the vulnerable.
