Adoption from China: Current Status and Historical Process

Program status last checked: June 29, 2026. Intercountry adoption between China and the United States is not currently possible in most cases. China announced that it would stop carrying out foreign adoptions beginning August 28, 2024, with limited exceptions involving certain stepchildren and relatives.

Families should not begin or pay for a China adoption program based on older instructions, archived agency pages, or accounts of adoptions completed before 2024. Confirm any claimed exception directly with the U.S. Department of State and a properly accredited adoption service provider before taking action.

Key takeaways

• China ended most foreign adoption processing effective August 28, 2024.
• Limited exceptions may exist for foreigners adopting a stepchild or a child who is a collateral relative within three generations.
• The former China adoption process should now be understood as historical background, not a current step-by-step path.
• A child must satisfy both the sending country’s requirements and U.S. immigration law before immigrating through adoption.
• Country programs can change quickly, so official current-status pages should control over older articles.

Is adoption from China currently open to U.S. families?

No, not as a general intercountry adoption program. The U.S. Department of State states that intercountry adoption between China and the United States is not currently possible, with very limited exceptions.

China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs notified the United States that, beginning August 28, 2024, civil affairs departments would no longer carry out foreign adoption work except in certain cases involving stepchildren and collateral relatives within three generations.

A family who believes it falls within an exception should not assume that relationship alone guarantees eligibility. The family may still need to satisfy Chinese law, U.S. immigration requirements, home-study requirements, and Hague Convention procedures.

What happened to families who already had China cases?

The 2024 announcement created significant uncertainty for families with pending cases. Case treatment may depend on the child’s relationship to the prospective parents, the stage of processing, Chinese authorities, and U.S. immigration requirements.

Anyone with an older or pending China case should obtain case-specific information from:

1. The family’s accredited or approved adoption service provider.
2. The U.S. Department of State’s Office of Children’s Issues.
3. USCIS, when an immigration petition or approval is involved.
4. A qualified immigration or adoption attorney, when appropriate.

Do not rely on another family’s outcome as proof that a different case will be handled the same way.

How the former China adoption process generally worked

Before the 2024 policy change, China and the United States processed eligible cases under the Hague Adoption Convention. Although details changed over time, the process generally included the following stages.

1. Selecting an accredited provider

Prospective parents generally worked with a U.S. adoption service provider accredited or approved to provide Hague adoption services and authorized to work in China.

2. Completing a Hague-compliant home study

The home study evaluated the prospective parents’ household, background, finances, health, relationships, preparation, and suitability to adopt internationally.

3. Applying to USCIS

Families generally submitted a Hague-related application to establish their suitability and eligibility to adopt from a Convention country.

4. Preparing a dossier

A dossier commonly included identity records, marriage or divorce records, medical forms, financial information, background clearances, employment documentation, photographs, and authenticated documents.

5. Receiving and reviewing a referral

When Chinese authorities identified a possible match, the prospective parents received available information about the child. Families were encouraged to have medical and developmental records reviewed by a pediatrician experienced in international adoption.

6. Completing Convention and immigration steps

The adoption could not lawfully proceed simply because a family accepted a referral. Required determinations had to be made under the Hague process, including whether the child appeared eligible to immigrate to the United States.

7. Traveling and completing the adoption

Families generally traveled to China for civil and legal procedures, immigration processing, and issuance of travel documents.

8. Post-adoption responsibilities

Depending on the case and state, families could have post-placement reporting, recognition, documentation, citizenship, or readoption-related tasks after returning home.

This history may help explain older records or completed adoptions, but it should not be used as a current application guide.

Be cautious about “alternative country” recommendations

The closure of one country program does not mean another country offers a simple substitute. Every intercountry adoption program has its own:

• Child eligibility rules
• Prospective-parent requirements
• Hague or non-Hague procedures
• Immigration requirements
• Travel requirements
• Medical and social-history limitations
• Program stability and processing risks

Check the Department of State’s country-specific adoption information before contacting providers or paying program fees.

Questions to ask a provider

• Is intercountry adoption currently possible between this country and the United States?
• Are you accredited or approved for this process?
• Are you authorized to work in the sending country?
• What official source confirms the program is currently accepting cases?
• What happens to paid fees if the country suspends or closes its program?
• Which services are included in each fee?
• How will you confirm that a child is legally eligible for adoption and U.S. immigration?
• What post-adoption reports or travel obligations apply?

Finding qualified help

Use the U.S. Department of State’s intercountry adoption resources to verify current country status and learn how to check an adoption service provider’s accreditation. A directory listing, agency advertisement, or archived article is not proof that a program is currently operating.

Frequently asked questions

Can a U.S. family currently adopt an unrelated child from China?

The Department of State says intercountry adoption between China and the United States is not currently possible in most cases. The announced exceptions are narrow and involve certain stepchild or relative situations.

Is China still a Hague Adoption Convention country?

China and the United States are Convention countries, but Convention participation does not mean a country must keep a general adoption program open.

Can an agency promise that China adoptions will reopen?

No provider can guarantee a future policy decision by Chinese authorities. Treat predictions as speculation unless an official government source announces a change.

Should families switch immediately to another country?

Not without researching eligibility, ethics, stability, costs, child needs, and immigration rules for the new country. A family’s approval for one country does not automatically transfer to another program.

Sources

1. China Intercountry Adoption Information — U.S. Department of State
2. Status of Intercountry Adoptions in the People’s Republic of China — U.S. Department of State
3. Intercountry Adoption — U.S. Department of State
4. Country Information — U.S. Department of State

Editorial note

This article provides general educational information and is not legal or immigration advice. International adoption rules and country programs can change without much notice.