Adoption Voices

History

Family Requirements

About the Children

Hong Kong Adoption Laws

Adoption Process

Adoption Costs

Waiting Children Program

Supervised Providers List

Hague FAQ for New Adoptive Families

Post-Adoption Services

Humanitarian Aid

Contact Hong Kong Case Manager

History

Hong Kong is situated on the southeast coast of China at the mouth of the Pearl River. Covering an area of 425 square miles, the territory is made up of Hong Kong Island, the Kowloon Peninsula and the New Territories. The bustling, cosmopolitan city of Hong Kong was just a collection of fishing villages and trading ports when claimed by Great Britain in 1842. Under the unique principle of 'One Country, Two Systems', Hong Kong returned to Chinese sovereignty on July 1, 1997 as a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. This arrangement allows Hong Kong to enjoy a high degree of autonomy, maintaining its own currency, legal system, political system and laws. Chinese and English are Hong Kong’s two official languages. The Cantonese dialect is the most commonly spoken language in the territory. The unique blend of Eastern and Western influences, complimented by diverse attractions and stunning countryside, has made Hong Kong one of Asia's prime tourist destinations.

Dillon International was approved to place children from Hong Kong with U.S. families in 2009.

Partner Agency
Dillon International is honored to be chosen to partner with Mother’s Choice to help find families for children with special needs from Hong Kong. Mother’s Choice was founded in 1987 by a small group of people concerned with the plight of Hong Kong’s unwed, teenage mothers facing a crisis pregnancy. A home was opened where pregnant girls could stay until they gave birth to their children. A center with social workers was set up for the girls so that they could receive counseling and support during and after their pregnancy. Soon after the birth of the first baby at Mother’s Choice, Baby Care was established to care for babies and children awaiting adoption. Since the inception of Mother’s Choice in 1987, over 26,000 girls have been helped. Since 1993, Mother's Choice has extended its services to helping children who are in need of foster care and small group homes. They also have a residential special child care center named Wee Care for serving children with special needs. Mother's Choice has their own adoption team who works closely with their partner adoption agencies in the United States and the Social Welfare Department in Hong Kong to find loving, permanent families for children with special needs. All of the children placed for intercountry adoption have special needs.

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·        Heterosexual married couples, with or without children, between the ages of 25-50, are eligible to adopt (Age exceptions may be made, on a case-by-case basis up to age 54, if adopting an older child)

·        Couples must be married for at least 3 years at time of application and 5 years if it is a second marriage for either spouse.  Prior agency approval will be needed for persons with more than one previous marriage.

·        No more than 15 years age difference between husband and wife.  

·        Single heterosexual women living alone, with or without children, who are between the ages of 25-50 will be considered on a case-by-case basis. (Age exceptions may be made, on a case-by-case basis up to age 54, if adopting an older child)

·        Applicants must be high school graduates or have a GED equivalency.

·        Families may have no more than 5 children under the age of 18.  Larger families will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.  

·        A family must have a minimum annual income of $30,000 and must meet 125% of the U.S. poverty income guidelines for  a family of their size, including the child to be adopted. (click to download the U.S. Poverty Guidelines)

·        Applicants should be in good mental, emotional and physical health with no serious illnesses of a chronic, debilitating and/or life-threatening nature.

·        Applicants must have no arrests or alcohol-abuse related incidents in the previous 10 years. Agency approval is contingent on case review.

·        At least one applicant must be a U.S. citizen.

·        U.S. citizens in all 50 states are eligible to adopt from this program.

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At Mother’s Choice, waiting boys and girls range from infants to 15 years of age and belong mainly to the following categories:   

1.       Children with physical and/or mental challenges (e.g., children with Down Syndrome, mental deficits, cerebral palsy, autism, visual and/or hearing impairment, developmental delays, etc.)  

2.       Older children who have attachment, emotional and/or behavioral issues (e.g., children above five years old who have experienced multiple moves, abuse, neglect or other trauma during the earlier years of their lives)

3.       Occasionally infants with complicated backgrounds (e.g., children whose birthparents have a history of mental illness, alcohol and/or drug abuse)  

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• The family completes a Dillon adoption application.

• The family completes a home study and applies for USCIS approval.

• The family prepares a dossier.

• After a family has an approved home study and USCIS approval and the family decides they want to pursue the adoption of a particular child, Mother’s Choice will place the child on hold while the family reviews the detailed child study report.

• If the family decides to adopt the child, they submit a dossier to Hong Kong.

• The family’s dossier is reviewed by the Adoption Unit of the Hong Kong Social Welfare Department. The family will provide additional information and supplemental documents as requested by the Social Welfare Department.

• The Hong Kong Social Welfare Department determines if the family is eligible to adopt a child based on Hong Kong adoption law and grants matching approval.

• The family files the I-800 with USCIS.

• The U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong notifies Mother’s Choice when USCIS grants provisional I-800 approval for the family to adopt the child.

• Mother’s Choice forwards the child’s legal documents to the U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong.

• The Hong Kong Social Welfare Department applies for the High Court Order transferring guardianship of the child to Dillon International.

• Mother’s Choice arranges for the child’s medical examination and appointment for a U.S. visa.

• Once the child’s U.S. visa is issued, Mother’s Choice will inform Dillon so the family can make travel arrangements.

• Families are encouraged to travel to receive their child, but escorting is available. 

• The family spends approximately 5-7 days in Hong Kong. The family is responsible for scheduling their own flight arrangements to and from Hong Kong.

• The family completes three post-placement visits with the family's caseworker 1-month, 3-months and 6-months after arrival.

• The family adopts the child in the U.S. and applies for the child’s U.S. Certificate of Citizenship.

• Certified copies of the adoption decree are sent to the Hong Kong Social Welfare Department so that they can officially close the child's case.

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Hong Kong follows the Hague Treaty. The government office with overall responsibility for adoptions in Hong Kong is the Adoption Unit of the Hong Kong Social Welfare Department.  

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Specific fees are only due after a particular service has been rendered in the adoption process and are considered non-refundable after payment has been received.  All fees are subject to change and services are charged at the rate that is current at the time of billing.

ESTIMATED HONG KONG PROGRAM ADOPTION COST:  $11,925 - $14,270
(Estimate includes agency, international, and travel fees ONLY.)

Other fees and expenses families will incur during the adoption process include:

• home study and post-placement services,

• USCIS fees,

• refundable deposit,* and

• out-of-pocket expenses related to the family's state of residence and the country adopting from.  

Dillon International has relationships with licensed home study providers across the U.S. and can assist families living outside our service area in locating a licensed agency near them for these services.  For families living in Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and southern California (counties of Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego, and Imperial), Dillon International will provide their home study and post-placement services.  Dillon's home study & post-placement fees are $2,900 for non-Hague countries and $3,150 for Hague countries. (in California these fees are slightly higher).

For a complete breakdown of expected fees and services for Dillon's Hong Kong adoption program, please see the Explanation of Fees and Services in Dillon's adoption application packet which can be downloaded from our website.

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*Each family adopting with Dillon International will also be required to pay a $500 Refundable Deposit which will be returned in a lump sum after the family provides Dillon with the following:
1) proof of a will
2) proof of their child's U.S. final adoption decree/ registration
3) copies of their child's in-country adoption documents (exception for Korea)
4) proof of their child's Social Security Number
5) proof of their child's U.S. Certificate of Citizenship
6) submission of all post-placement reports required by their child's birth country
Families must provide this documentation within three (3) years after their child arrives home in order to receive their refund.

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·        Dillon International believes that post-adoption support fosters an overall positive adoption experience for both adoptee and adoptive family

·        Our long-term experience has shown us that adoptees develop a better sense of identity, purpose, and boost in their self-confidence from an understanding and appreciation of their birth heritage

·        The agency provides a variety of activities and events to allow an adoptee and his/her family to celebrate his/her Chinese heritage

For more information on specific Chinese heritage events and tours, visit the post-adoption section of Dillon's website.

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