I. Department for Acceptance

Shanghai Marriage (Adoption) Registration Center

II. Responsibilities of the Department

The Department is in charge of the adoption registration work in Shanghai according to law, of promoting the adoption law and the legal adoption process.

III. Regulations and Laws

The “Adoption Law of the People's Republic of China” and the “Measures for Registration of Adoption of Children by Chinese Citizens, Provisions on the Jurisdiction of Adoption Registration Handled by Overseas Chinese and the Chinese Citizens Living in Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan Regions and the Required Certificates and Certificate Documents”

IV. Registration Requirements

1. Either of the couple should have reached the age of 30 (not required if the step parents adopt the step child);

2. The adopter(s) should be childless (not required if the adoptee is an abandoned infant or child whose parents cannot be ascertained or found and who is under the care of a social welfare institution; or if the adopter(s) adopt the step child or a collateral relative by blood of the same generation and up to the third degree of kinship);

3. The adopting couple should be capable of supporting and educating the adoptee (not required if the step parents adopt the step child);

4. The adopting couple should suffer no such disease as is medically regarded as unfit for adopting a child (not required if the step parents adopt the step child);

5. The adopting couple should have an agreement on the adoption;

6. The age gap between a single male adopter and an abandoned girl should be more than 40 (not required if the adopter(s) and adoptee are collateral relatives by blood of the same generation and up to the third degree of kinship);

7. The adoptee should be a minor aged less than 14 (not required if the adopter(s) adopt a step child or a collateral relative by blood of the same generation and up to the third degree of kinship); and

8. The adopter may adopt one child only, male or female (not required if the adoptee is an abandoned infant or child whose parents cannot be ascertained or found and who is under the care of a social welfare institution; or if the adopter(s) adopt the step child)

V. Documents and Certificates by the Parties Involved

(I). Documents and Certificates by the Adopter(s)

1. Adoption Application: reason(s) and aim(s) for adoption and a pledge of not abandoning or abusing the adoptee but raising the adoptee to grow up healthily;

2. Passport and Resident Certificate; Hong Kong Identity Card and Pass for Multi-entry into Mainland Held by Resident of Hong Kong; Macao SAR Resident Identity Card and Pass for Multi-entry into Mainland Held by Resident of Macao; Taiwan Identity Card and Pass for Multi-entry into Mainland Held by Resident of Taiwan; valid tourist certificate issued or endorsed by the organs-in-charge of People’s Republic of China;

3. The adopter shall provide papers certifying such particulars of the adopter as age, marital status, whether the adopter has a child, profession, property, health and whether ever subjected to criminal punishment, which are issued by the competent agencies of the country to which the adopter belongs. Such certifying papers shall be authenticated by a foreign affairs institution of the country to which the adopter belongs or by an agency authorized by the said institution, and by the embassy or consulate of the People’s Republic of China stationed in that country concerned (or issued by the notary public in HK entrusted by the organ-in-charge of the state, by competent agencies of Macao, or by Public Notary Office in Taiwan Region). (If the materials provided are in foreign languages, the Chinese version of these materials provided by the adopter’s employer is needed.)

4. Adoption Agreement (not required if the adopter(s) adopt a step child or a collateral relative by blood of the same generation and up to the third degree of kinship); and

5. Photos: three 2-inch group photos of the adopter(s) and adoptee.

(II). Documents and Certificates by citizens or institutions placing the adoptee for adoption, who are the adopter(s)’ collateral relative by blood of the same generation and up to the third degree of kinship

1. Application for Placing the Adoptee for adoption: the reason(s) for placing the adoptee for adoption, relationship with the adoptee, etc.

2. Identity Card and registered household booklet;

3. Marriage certificate (or Divorce Certificate or documents of the widow or widower)

4. Notarization of Family Relation; and

5. Agreement with the local family planning commission of not violating the family planning provisions.

(III). Documents and Certificates by citizens or institutions placing the adoptee for adoption by the step parents of the adoptee

1. Written Consent of Placing the Adoptee for adoption: a written consent of both of the biological parents on placing the adoptee for adoption;

2. Identity Card and registered household booklet;

3. Divorce Certificate (of the persons who give away the adoptee or of the biological farther and mother of the adoptee); and

4. Agreement with the local family planning commission of not violating the family planning provisions.

(IV). Documents and Certificates by the Adoptee

1. Identity Card and registered household booklet;

2. Birth Certificate or Birth Notarization;

3. Letter of Intent: the adoptee aged above ten must write a letter of intent to be adopted;

VI. Registration Procedures

The adopter(s) fill out the application formà the adopter hand in the certificates and documentsà (If it is the social welfare institution to give up the adoptee, the adopter shall sign a trial adoption agreement with this institution)à all the documents and certificates shall be checked and verifiedà the adoption registration certificate shall be issued

VII. The Duration and Results

The adoption registration authority shall conduct examination within 30 days from the next day of the receipt of the registration application for adoption of children in China by overseas Chinese and the Chinese citizens living in Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan regions and the relevant documents related to the adopter, the adoptee and the person placing the child for adoption. Where the requirements above are met, the adoption shall be registered for the parties, and an adoption registration certificate be issued. Where the requirements above are not met, the adoption shall not be registered and a written notification with reasons shall be sent out.

VIII. The Fee Standard and Relevant Provisions

The “Notice of Adoption Registration Fee of State Price Control Bureau and Ministry of Finance P.R.C.”, [1992] Jia Fei Zi No. 349

(1) Application RMB20

(2) Cost of Adoption Certificate RMB10

(3) Registration and Investigation RMB220

VIIII. Address and Working Hours

Address: 3/F, Wing E, Shanghai Everbright Convention & Exhibition Center, 82 Caobao Road, Shanghai

Tel: 086-021-64325087

Working hours: 9:00am-11:30am, Monday to Friday

X. Administrative Reconsideration and Administrative Proceeding

If the adopter(s) or adoptee disagrees with the administration, they can apply for the administrative reconsideration or according to the “Administrative Reconsideration Law of the People's Republic of China” and the “Administrative Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China”.

XI. Complaints and Supervision

If the adopter(s) or adoptee finds any misconduct or illegal activity by registration organ or its officers, they can complain or report to the Supervision Office of Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau.

Complaint hotline: 086-021-63214261

Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau 

August 2005