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Intercountry Adoption > Country Information > China Intercountry Adoption Information
Updated to reflect a shift to Level 2 “Exercise increased caution” for Mainland China.
Summary: Exercise increased caution when traveling to Mainland China due to arbitrary enforcement of local laws, including in relation to exit bans.
Exercise increased caution when traveling to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) due to the arbitrary enforcement of local laws.
Reconsider travel to the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) due to a limited ability to provide emergency consular services. Exercised increased caution when traveling to the Macau SAR due to the arbitrary enforcement of local laws.
See specific risks and conditions in each jurisdiction.
Updated to reflect a shift to Level 2 “Exercise increased caution” for Mainland China.
Summary: Exercise increased caution when traveling to Mainland China due to arbitrary enforcement of local laws, including in relation to exit bans.
Exercise increased caution when traveling to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) due to the arbitrary enforcement of local laws.
Reconsider travel to the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) due to a limited ability to provide emergency consular services. Exercised increased caution when traveling to the Macau SAR due to the arbitrary enforcement of local laws.
See specific risks and conditions in each jurisdiction.
Reconsider travel due to a limited ability to provide emergency consular services. Exercise increased caution due to the arbitrary enforcement of local laws.
Summary: The U.S. government has a limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in the Macau SAR due to People’s Republic of China (PRC) Ministry of Foreign Affairs travel restrictions on U.S. diplomatic personnel.
Even in an emergency, the PRC Ministry of Foreign Affairs requires all U.S. diplomatic personnel, including those accredited to the Macau SAR, to apply for and receive visas before entering the Macau SAR. This takes at least five to seven days, significantly limiting the U.S. government’s ability to offer timely consular services in the Macau SAR.
Dual nationality: The Macau SAR government does not recognize dual nationality. Dual U.S.-PRC citizens and U.S. citizens of Chinese descent may be subject to additional security and harassment. If you are a dual U.S.-PRC citizen awnd enter the Macau SAR on a U.S. passport, and you are detained or arrested, PRC authorities are under an obligation to notify the U.S. Embassy or a U.S. Consulate General of your detention and to allow U.S. consular officials to have access to you. In reality, however, U.S. consular officials may be prevented from providing consular assistance, even to those who have entered on their U.S. passports. For more information, visit Consular Protection and Right of Above in HK(SAR) for Dual Nationals – U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong & Macau.
Demonstrations: Participating in demonstrations or any other activities that authorities interpret as constituting an act of secession, subversion, terrorism, or collusion with a foreign country could result in criminal charges. Be aware of your surroundings and avoid demonstrations.
If you decide to travel to the Macau SAR:
Updated to reflect a shift to Level 2 “Exercise increased caution” for Mainland China.
Summary: Exercise increased caution when traveling to Mainland China due to arbitrary enforcement of local laws, including in relation to exit bans.
Exercise increased caution when traveling to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) due to the arbitrary enforcement of local laws.
Reconsider travel to the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) due to a limited ability to provide emergency consular services. Exercised increased caution when traveling to the Macau SAR due to the arbitrary enforcement of local laws.
See specific risks and conditions in each jurisdiction.
Exercise increased caution due to the arbitrary enforcement of local laws.
Summary: Hong Kong SAR authorities have dramatically restricted civil liberties since the Government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) imposed the Law of the PRC on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong SAR on June 30, 2020. Following the Hong Kong SAR government’s enactment of its own Safeguarding National Security Ordinance on March 23, 2024, Hong Kong SAR authorities are expected to take additional actions to further restrict civil liberties.
The 2020 National Security Law outlines a broad range of vaguely defined offenses, such as acts of secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with foreign entities. The 2024 Safeguarding National Security Ordinance builds on this framework with additional vaguely defined offenses, such as treason, insurrection, theft of state secrets, sabotage against public infrastructure, and external interference. According to the legislation, these offenses are applicable to foreign nationals within the Hong Kong SAR and to individuals, including U.S. citizens and permanent residents, located outside its borders. Under these provisions, anyone who criticizes the PRC and/or Hong Kong SAR authorities may face arrest, detention, expulsion, and/or prosecution. Hong Kong SAR authorities are attempting to enforce these provisions against individuals, including U.S. citizens and permanent residents, residing outside their jurisdiction by offering cash rewards for information leading to their arrests in the Hong Kong SAR.
Dual nationality: The Hong Kong SAR government does not recognize dual nationality. Dual U.S.-PRC citizens and U.S. citizens of Chinese descent may be subject to additional security and harassment. If you are a dual U.S.-PRC citizen and enter Hong Kong SAR on a U.S. passport, and you are detained or arrested, PRC authorities are under an obligation to notify the U.S. Embassy or a U.S. Consulate General of your detention and to allow U.S. consular officials to have access to you. In reality, however, U.S. consular officers may be prevented from providing consular assistance, even to those who have entered on their U.S. passports. For more information, visit Consular Protection and Right of Abode in HK(SAR) for Dual Nationals – U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong & Macau.
Demonstrations: Participating in demonstrations or other activities that authorities interpret as constituting an act of secession, subversion, terrorism, or collusion with a foreign country could result in criminal charges under the 2020 National Security Law and/or the 2024 Safeguarding National Security Ordinance. Be aware of your surroundings and avoid demonstrations.
If you decide to travel to the Hong Kong SAR:
Intercountry adoption between China and the United States is not currently possible, with very limited exceptions (see below). China's Ministry of Civil Affairs announced that China will no longer carry out intercountry adoptions as of August 28, 2024, except for certain cases involving relatives (see below).
China's Ministry of Civil Affairs indicated that foreigners may still be able to adopt stepchildren and children of “collateral relatives” within three generations in China. China specified that a prospective adoptive parent may only adopt a child to whom they are related by blood of the same generation within three degrees of kinship. China clarified that at least one prospective adoptive parent must:
Prospective adoptive parents who qualify for an exception must still meet all Hague Adoption Convention requirements. China is a party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention or Convention). Intercountry adoption processing in Convention countries must be done in accordance with the requirements of the Hague Adoption Convention; the U.S. implementing legislation, the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (IAA); the IAA’s implementing regulations and U.S. adoption-related immigration policies; as well as the implementing legislation and regulations of the PRC.
U.S. citizens interested in adopting children from China should contact the Central Authority of China to inquire about applicable laws and procedures. U.S. citizen prospective adoptive parents living in China who would like to adopt a child from the United States or from a third country should also contact China's Central Authority. See contact information below.
To bring an adopted child to the United States from China, you must meet certain suitability and eligibility requirements. USCIS determines who is suitable and eligible to adopt a child from another country and bring that child to live in the United States under U.S. immigration law. For more information, please see USCIS webpages on suitability determinations and USCIS policy guidance on adoptive parent suitability determinations.
Additionally, a child must meet the definition of a Convention adoptee under U.S. immigration law in order to be eligible to immigrate to the United States with an IH-3 or IH-4 immigrant visa.
Caution: Although U.S. citizens generally must follow the Hague Convention process to adopt a child from a Hague Convention country, the Family-Based Petition Process (Form I-130) may be an option for U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to petition for their adopted child. However, U.S. citizens may file a Form I-130 for a child from a Hague Convention country only if they can establish the Convention does not apply to the adoption. There are significant differences between the Hague and the Family-Based Petition Process. For more information about specific Form I-130 requirements for adopted children, see the USCIS website and the USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 5.
ADOPTION AUTHORITY:
China
The China Center for Children’s Welfare and Adoption
16 Wang Jia Yuan Lane
Dongcheng District
Beijing, China 100027
Tel: 010-655-48998
Email: cccwa@cccwa.cn
Internet: https://www.cccwa.cn/
U.S. Embassy in Beijing, China
U.S. Embassy Beijing
No. 55 An Jia Lou Road
Beijing, China 100600
Tel: (86-10) 8531-4000
Fax: (86-10) 8531-3300
Email: BeijingACS@state.gov
U.S. Consulate General in Guangzhou
Mailing Address: 43 Hua Jiu Road, Zhujiang New Town
Tianhe District
Guangzhou, China. 510623
Physical Address: Huaxia Road, Zhujiang New Town, (near Exit B1 of the Zhujiang New Town subway station, Line 3 and Line 5),
Tianhe District
Guangzhou, China
Tel: 011-86-20-3814 5000
Email: GuangzhouA@state.gov
Office of Children’s Issues
U.S. Department of State
CA/OCS/CI
SA-17, 9th Floor
Washington, DC 20520
Tel: 1-888-407-4747
E-mail: Adoption@state.gov
http://adoption.state.gov
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
For questions about a pending Form I-800A application, Form I-800 petition or related supplement:
USCIS
Tel: 1-877-424-8374 (toll free); 1-913-275-5480 (local); Fax:1-913-214-5808
Email: NBC.Adoptions@uscis.dhs.gov
For other USCIS-related questions:
USCIS Contact Center
1-800-375-5283 (TTY 1-800-767-1833)
Internet: uscis.gov
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