|
Parental
Age
|
30 to 45 preferred, but some
flexibility especially if one parent is within the age
range. Some agencies say 25-55.
|
|
Length of
Marriage
|
Vary by orphanage;
most require 5 years
|
|
Divorce
|
No official
restriction, but multiple divorces may cause problems.
|
|
Children in
Family
|
Prefer smaller
families, but flexible since birth mothers usually have the option
to choose the family that they want to adopt their child, and some
birth mothers prefer a family with children.
Usually larger families are chosen to adopt children with special
needs.
|
|
Single
Applicant
|
Some orphanages may
allow single women, but in practice single women are seldom allowed
to adopt a healthy infant; may possibly be considered for a child
with special needs or over the age of 7 or 8.
|
|
Sexual
Orientation
|
Does not knowingly
place with homosexuals.
|
|
Children
Available
|
Newborn or less than 1-3 months on referral;
older children, sibling groups, and children with special needs
also available.
|
|
Ethnicity
|
Asian
|
|
Gender
|
Boys and girls;
gender selection allowed. Usually a shorter wait for
boys.
|
|
Adopting more
than one unrelated child at same time
|
No set policy but
in practice does not happen unless there are special circumstance
where it is better for 2 children to be placed together,
such as children raised in the same foster
home.
|
|
Referral
Method
|
Usually information
on several families is shown to the birth mother and she selects
the parents she wants to adopt her child; information on the child
is then sent to the family. Some orphanages
prefer to match and then present information to birth mother for
permission before the family is notified, and some birth mothers
prefer the orphanage to match. Some orphanages
prefer to not send a picture until after the adoptive parents
accept the referral.
|
|
Travel in
Country
|
1 trip; 4-7 days;
only one parent is required to travel; escort may be an option with
some Taiwanese programs, but usually only for special circumstance;
parents do not usually travel in groups.
|
|
Wait for
referral (after dossier submitted)
|
18-24 months for healthy infants
boys and girls;
Shorter wait for
children with special needs;
If the birth
mother/parents choose the family this time frame can
vary;
If the orphanage
match the infant to the family, the times may be
shorter;
Parents only submit
part of the dossier before the referral and complete the remaining
dossier documents after a referral.
|
|
Wait after
referral
|
3-5
months
|
|
Approximate
Cost
|
$15,000-20,000 +
travel
|
|
Adequacy of
medical reports
|
If child is relinquished, birth mother
is asked an extensive list of questions on medical history and
prenatal care and habits. Children receive
excellent medical care after birth.
|
|
Youngest Age
Upon Arrival Home
|
6 months, average closer to 10
months
|
|
Orphanage/Foster
Care
|
Privately run
orphanages or large foster care
|
|
How children
enter government care
|
Relinquished by
birth mothers due to stigma against single mothers and lack of
financial support; children removed from birth family due to
neglect or abuse.
|
|
Prevalence of
FAS
|
Birth mothers are asked about alcohol
consumption during pregnancy at relinquishment; most report none or
minimal use.
|
|
Number of
children placed in the US 2002- and 2007
|
Before 2005, Taiwan was not in the top 20
placing countries to the US. Since then 509
children have been placed in the US.
|
|
Program
Stability
|
Stable, but waits are increasing because of
the popularity of this program
|
|
Growing/Declining
|
Growing
|
|
Post Adoption
Reports
|
Varies by orphanage in Taiwan, but generally
post adoption reports with pictures are required quarterly for the
first year and then annually for the next six
years. Usually the first and last report
required during the first year are prepared by the home study
agency, and the second and third report during the first year are
prepared by the parents. All subsequent reports
are prepared by the parents. Sometimes birth parents request
further reports.
|
|
Hague
Treaty
|
No
|
|
Additional
Information
|
Not a government run
program. Each orphanage processes adoptions independently.
Requirements vary by orphanage.
Although this happens
infrequently, a birth mother has the right to change her mind up to
the court hearing. After the court hearing where
she relinquishes her parental rights, she has 10 days to change her
mind. Adoptive parents do not travel until after this time period.
If a birth mother changes her mind, adoptive parents usually are
given another referral in a timely manner.
Adoptions are finalized
before parents travel to the country to pick up the
child.
It may be possible to meet
birth mother and for child to search for and meet his
birthparents.
|
|
Useful
Links
|
US Department of State
www.travel.state.gov,
click on Children & Family, click on Country-Specific
Information
Check out
some of the adoption videos on adopting from Taiwan on this website
under Adoption Videos.
http://forums.adoption.com/taiwan-adoption/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Adopting_From_Taiwan/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/adoptingfromtaiwan/
|
|
Great
Blogs
|
Taiwan
Adoptions
|
|
Creating a Family
Sponsors
|
Nightlight® Christian
Adoptions
|
