Taiwan Adoption

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Many children in Taiwan are now waiting for a permanent, loving family.

Holt’s Taiwan program is one of three adoption programs in the China region. In Taiwan, children waiting for permanent, loving families are younger with moderate medical or developmental special needs. Most are in nurturing foster families and receive exceptional in-country care while they wait to join their families. Families open to a child on Holt’s waiting child photolisting or a child over the age of 5 may have more flexible eligibility criteria and a shorter wait time for a referral. Throughout your adoption from Taiwan, our team will work closely with you to ensure you feel informed and prepared every step of the way.

At present, we are not accepting applications for the standard Taiwan program. Families open to a child on Holt’s waiting child photolisting — a child 5 or older with special needs — may still apply.

Children in Taiwan Who Need Families

Children have varying levels of special needs, and all children have some level of developmental delay and/or a complicated birth family history. Learn more about Disabilities & Medical Conditions in Special Needs Adoption.
Children are typically ages 2-15 at the time of referral.
More boys than girls are referred for international adoption.
Sibling groups are common.
Some children may have documented abuse or neglect histories.
In many cases, children are cared for in foster families while they wait to join adoptive families.

Meet the children waiting for a family

To preserve children’s confidentiality, you will be asked to log in or sign up before you access the waiting child photolisting.

Waiting Child Photolisting

Eligibility Requirements & Fees

Eligibility Requirements to Adopt from Taiwan

Parent’s Age

In general, both parents must be at least 25 years of age and no older than 48.
Parents can be up to 55 years of age when adopting an older child (age 7+ but possibly younger on a case-by-case basis).

Length of Marriage

Couples must be married a minimum of three years at the time of application.
If either spouse was previously divorced, the couple must be married for five years at the time of application.

Divorce

No more than two divorces between the couple.

Children in Family

For families adopting young children with minor issues, no more than two children may currently reside in the home.
For families adopting waiting children, no more than five children may currently reside in the home.
Taiwan prefers to maintain birth order and most children being referred are 6 and older. Please contact Holt if you have younger children in your home. [email protected]

Single Applicant

Single applicants are accepted on a case-by-case basis for children on our waiting child photolisting.
Single parents are not eligible to adopt sibling groups.
No more than two children may already live in the home, and no more than one if the child you wish to adopt is 4 years old or younger.
No more than one divorce.
Other eligibility requirements are the same as for two-parent households.

Travel

At least one parent is required to travel to Taiwan for the placement trip, although travel by both parents is strongly encouraged.
The average trip length is 7 days, but the minimum number of days in Taiwan is determined by the Taiwan agency you are working with for your match.
A second trip is required in some cases and both parents will be required to travel.
Solo spouse travelers and single applicant travelers are strongly recommended to have a traveling companion.

How Long It Takes

Families open to a child over the age of 6 may have a shorter wait time for a referral.
For a waiting child who is older or has more involved special needs, the process takes about 18-24 months from application to placement (unless you already have an approved Taiwan homestudy).
For younger children with manageable/correctable conditions, most families are currently completing the process in about 3-4 years (2+ years for a boy, 4+ years for a girl).
Families need to be as flexible as possible in terms of age, gender and special needs to receive a referral in a reasonable period of time.

Waiting Child Program

Parental eligibility is flexible for children on Holt’s waiting child photolisting and families are considered on a case-by-case basis by Holt’s partner agencies in Taiwan. Please contact us for more information.
Families may request files for waiting children, but they may not be matched until they have an approved homestudy.

Additional Information

Minimum of a high school diploma or GED is required for both parents.
Applicants cannot be currently receiving counseling or taking medication for anxiety, depression or other mental health concerns. If treatment was in the past, please contact Holt before applying at [email protected].
Both applicants need to be without health concerns and have a maximum BMI of 35. If BMI is between 36 and 40, please contact the Taiwan team before applying.
Applicants must have no criminal history.
Applicants must be open to possible birth parent contact.
Applicants must earn a minimum annual income of approximately $50,000.
Applicants must have a minimum net worth of $100,000, at least $10,000 of which must be in checking and savings accounts.
Applicants must select guardians to care for the child(ren) if something happens to them. The guardians must be a married couple who have been married for at least 3 years, and ideally under 50 years of age.
Applicants must have a bedroom with a window and closet for the adoptee at time of home study. Please contact the Taiwan team before applying if your home does not meet this standard.
When adopting a child on Holt’s waiting child photolisting, eligibility criteria may be more flexible and is considered on a case-by-case basis by Holt’s partner agencies in Taiwan. Please contact us for more information.

Note

We are currently not accepting applications for the standard program.
Families who are open to waiting children (a child age 5 or older with special needs) may still apply.

Fees for Taiwan Adoption

We are open and transparent about our fees and want you to be aware of all potential costs involved in an adoption, including third-party costs and travel.

Holt is a Christian, private, nonprofit, licensed and accredited child welfare and family service organization. Our adoption work is entirely financed through adoption fees and donations. It is not government subsidized. We believe that children are the highest priority, and we want as many children as possible to have families. To that end, we strive to keep our fees within a reasonable range. All fees are subject to change and are charged at the rate that is current at time of billing. Holt may increase fees if adoption expenses in the foreign country increase substantially after time of application. Families will be notified in writing of any fee increase. Holt International accepts the following for adoption fees: check, cashier’s check or money order. If you would like to pay by credit card, there will be a 3% convenience fee added to your total. Fees due upon invoice.

download taiwan fees pdf

Application

Due with completed application. This is a non-refundable fee.

Description	Paid To	Fee Type	Amount
Application Fee	Holt	U.S. Expenses	$350

Adoption Fee 1

Due when Holt approves your application.

Description	Paid To	Fee Type	Amount
Agency Fee 1	Holt	U.S. Expenses	$5,065

Homestudy Assessment (Holt branch office states only)

Due before your first homestudy visit. Find out if your state has a Holt branch office.

Description	Paid To	Fee Type	Amount
Homestudy Fee	Holt	Homestudy	$2,500 – $2,900
Homestudy Update Fee (if needed)	Holt	Homestudy	$750
Travel for Home Visits (if Holt provides)	Holt	Mileage/Travel	Varies

Homestudy Assessment/Post Adoption Reporting Fees (non-Holt branch office states)

Description	Paid To	Fee Type	Amount
Homestudy Fee	Service Provider	Homestudy	$1,500 – $5,000
Homestudy Update Fee (if needed)	Service Provider	Homestudy	$250 – $1,000
Post Adoption Reporting Fees	Service Provider	Post Placement/Adoption	$1,500 – $2,000
Travel for Home Visits	Service Provider	Mileage/Travel	Varies

Adoption Fee 2

Due when Holt approves your homestudy.

Description	Paid To	Fee Type	Amount
Agency Fee 2	Holt	U.S. Expenses	$6,500
Program Fee 1	Holt	Foreign Country Program Expenses	$1,300

Adoption Fee 3 & Post Adoption Reporting Fees

Due when you accept the assignment of a child. In the case of siblings, Agency Fee 3 is increased by $3,815 per child and Foreign Country Fee Pass-Through is increased by $4,447.

Description	Paid To	Fee Type	Amount
Agency Fee 3	Holt	U.S. Expenses	$3,000
Program Fee 2 includes: • Foreign Country Program Expenses $7,600 • Post Placement Processing Fee $1,275	Holt	Foreign Country Program Expenses, Translation and Documentation Expenses	$8,875
Foreign Country Fee Pass-Through: • Cathwel $10,200 • Child Welfare League $8,000 • Garden of Hope $5,000-$10,000 • Good Shepherd $4,000 – $11,000	Holt	Foreign Country Program Expense, Translation and Documentation Expenses, Child Caring	$4,000 – $11,000
Post Adoption Reporting Fees (if Holt provides)	Holt	Post Placement/Adoption Reports	$2,000
Travel for Home Visits (if Holt provides)	Holt	Mileage/Travel	Varies

Additional Fees to Anticipate

Description	Paid To	Fee Type	Amount
USCIS	USCIS	Third Party	$860 – $1,330
Adoption Education Classes	Varies	Third Party	$150 – $500
Psychological Exam	Provider	Third Party	$250 – $2,500
Dossier Preparation	Varies	Third Party	$100 – $1,000
Pre-Adoption Medical Review of Child Material	Provider	Third Party	$250 – $1,000
Care of Child (paid in-country when applicable)	Taiwan Partner Agency	Care of Child	$0 – $250
Airfare, Lodging, Meals & Transportation	Provider	Mileage/Travel	$7,000 – $12,000

Summary of Estimated Fees

Description	Amount
Homestudy	$1,500 – $5,000
U.S. Expenses	$14,915
Foreign Country Program Expenses	$8,600
Care of the Child	$0 – $250
Translation and Documents Expenses	$4,000 – $11,000
Contributions	$0
Post Adoption Reporting Fees	$1,500 – $2,000
Third Party Fees	$1,160 – $6,330
Travel Costs and Accommodations	$7,000 – $12,000
TOTAL	$39,025 – $60,395

Fee Refunds

Agency Fees are non-refundable.
Program Fees are non-refundable
Foreign Country Fees Pass Through – 100% refundable until tendered to Taiwan Partner Agency
Post Placement Reporting and Processing Fees are refundable if not required

Any fee refund will be processed within 60 days.

Financial Assistance for Adoption

Holt believes finances should not stop a child from having a loving family. Although many resources exist to help adoptive families offset the cost of adoption, it’s not always clear where to start looking or what opportunities are best suited for your family. To help you consider all your options, Holt provides an outline of financial assistance, as well as a list of resources categorized by type.

Financing Your Adoption

couple sitting at home viewing virtual adoption financing webinar on their laptop

Need help funding your adoption?

Families adopting through Holt receive free, professional guidance and support from a one-on-one finance coach throughout their adoption process. Even if you’re just considering adoption, email us to set up your first consultation today!

email [email protected]

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Taiwan Adoption FAQs

Are there any special considerations for birth parents in Taiwan?

Can families request a gender?

Are there income requirements to adopt from Taiwan?

What does “special needs” mean?

This is an often misunderstood term in adoption because it doesn’t necessarily indicate that a child has physical or developmental disabilities. Many children with special needs are either older than 6, part of a sibling group or have minor or moderate physical, developmental or emotional health needs. Most children who need families through international adoption also come from complicated or difficult birth family circumstances.

How long does it take to adopt from Taiwan?

Families open to a child over the age of 5 may have a shorter wait time for a referral. There are many variables that influence how long the process takes. For a waiting child who is older or has more involved special needs, the process takes about 18-24 months from application to placement. Families wait longer if their criteria for a match — in terms of age or special needs — is more restrictive.

SEE HOW THE PROCESS OF INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION WORKS

Vietnam children in orphanage waiting to be adopted

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