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Tougher Adoption Laws for Foreigners in China

China has announced that it is to issue new rules regarding criteria for foreigners to adopt children from the country. Effective May 1, adoption laws will restrict people from removing a child from China?s borders if they do not meet the minimum standards set out by the China Center of Adoption Affairs ? a group run by the government. The center wants to ensure that children are adopted by only the most ?qualified families?.

The new rules mean that many potential adopters will be left out of the picture. Unmarried couples or singles, for example are not eligible to adopt a child, nor if anyone is over the age of 50 or taking antidepressants. Other limits include people who are obese ? ie. have a body mass index over 40 -and even those who have a ?severe facial deformity?. In a nutshell, the law limits adopting parents to couples who have been married for over 2 years and are between the ages of 30 and 50. With regards to special needs children, the center may allow parents to be up to the age of 55.

Since 1989, Americans have adopted 48,500 children from China, with almost 8000 in 2005 alone. Because of the huge increase in demand for children ? especially girls - the government has decided to issue new guidelines and restrictions. On the other hand, the Chinese government guaranteed that it would make more children available to those families that did qualify for adoption.