ABOUT INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION

INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION- Adoption of a child who was born in a country other than where the adoptiveparents reside or are citizens. International adoption is subject to thesame State and Federal laws that apply to all domestic adoptions, but isalso subject to the approval of US Citizenship and Immigration Services,and the laws and regulations of China.

ADOPTION AGENCY-An organization licensed to assist in placing children available for adoptionwith adoptive parents who are seeking a child. Agencies exist in a wide varietyof organizational forms, including non-profit, not-for-profit, for-profit,and government agencies.

HOME STUDY - Home study is sometimes called an "adoption study," and is a writtenreport containing the findings and recommendation of the adoption social worker.The social worker is required by State, Federal, and Chinese officials to meetwith and interview prospective adoptive parents on several occasions. The socialworker must also visit the home and investigate the health, medical, criminal,family and living background of the adoptive parents. If other adult individualsare living in the home, they will also be interviewed and investigated by thesocial worker, and included as part of the home study. The purpose of the homestudy is to help the State, Federal, and Chinese government officials determinewhether the adoptive parents are qualified to adopt a child. This determinationis based upon criteria established by State, Federal, and Chinese laws andregulations.

DOSSIER-pronounced Doss-eee-ay) When used in the context of Chinese adoption, this term refers to a set ofappropriately notarized, certified and authenticated legal and identifyingdocuments. These documents are used by the China Center of Adoption Affairsto approve and match adoptive parents with a child that is available foradoption. The dossier contains documents such as Birth Certificates, MarriageLicense, Financial Record, Medical Reports, Employment Letters, Police Reports,USCIS Form I-171H, Lifestyle Photos, and an adoptive Home Study.

DTC- Dossier to China. This is the day that your Adoption Agency mails your dossier to the Chinese Government (CCAA). This is the end of the paperwork fase of the adoption process.

LID - Log in date. This is the day that CCAA logs in your dossier on arrival to china.

CCAA- China Center of Adoption Affiars. The China Center of Adoption Affairs is the central governing authority that oversees all International adoptions in China under the direct leadership of Executive Director Lu Ying. As a result of the CCAA's efforts, orphanages today are populated with healthy infants and children that can be safely adopted by good forever families worldwide.

Referrals- Notification from the ccaa that they have matched a family with a child. Referral information usually includes the child's Chinese name, date of birth, height/weight, medical report, one or more photographs.

TA- Travel Approval. This is received when China gives the family Travel authorization to come to China to bring their child home.