Adoptions in Taiwan

In January 2013, the Taiwan Social and Family Affairs Administration, Ministry of Health and Welfare (Formerly known as Child Welfare Bureau) issued an administrative order requiring all adoption cases filed after April 1, 2013 on behalf of U.S. prospective adoptive parents to undergo a Pre-Adoption Immigration Review (PAIR).

Given the recent changes in Taiwan’s adoption procedures, USCIS issued a policy memorandum  allowing prospective adoptive parents to file Form I-600, Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative, before Taiwan courts could finalize the adoption in Taiwan.  These new procedures are designed to prevent situations in which a child adopted in Taiwan does not qualify as an orphan under U.S. law and therefore cannot immigrate immediately to the United States.  For more details on adoption, please check the Department of State’s website at http://travel.state.gov/content/adoptionsabroad/en.html, and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services’ website at www.uscis.gov .

American citizens interested in adopting orphans in Taiwan may contact AIT for additional information.

Email: aitadoptions@state.gov

Taiwan Child-Abuse Background Checks

The Taiwan Department of Protective Service, Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHA) can issue certificates of child-abuse background checks to American citizens (either former or current residents in Taiwan) wishing to adopt children from Hague Convention countries.  Prospective adoptive parents can apply in person or by mail to the MOHA with an application and a copy of the biographical pages of the parents’ passports.  After review, the Bureau will issue a certificate indicating the result of its investigation. 

Department of Protective Service, Ministry of Health and Welfare 

No. 488, Sec. 6, Zhongxiao E. Rd., Nangang Dist., Taipei City 11558, Taiwan

TEL:       886-2-85906667 
FAX:       886-2-85906063
E-mail: ps_ywgu@mohw.gov.tw  

The application must be include a pre-paid return envelope with the applicant’s address clearly labeled.

Please click here for Application for the Certificate of No Child Abuse Record by Foreign Nationals

Posted on 01/28/2016, IV