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How do you book a flight for an internationally adopted child?

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How do you book a flight for an internationally adopted child?

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Old May 18, 2018, 2:43 pm
  #1  
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How do you book a flight for an internationally adopted child?

We are considering adopting a child from China. When we would book our flight would we need to make the ticket under the child's Chinese name or their american name? Will they travel with a Chinese passport or get an american one before leaving China?
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Old May 18, 2018, 2:50 pm
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I would hope that your adoption agency is advising on these issues. Proper documents are critical both so the child may leave China and enter the US. The agency will have a liaison at the nearest US consulate to help facilitate paperwork.
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Old May 18, 2018, 3:04 pm
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Originally Posted by Often1
I would hope that your adoption agency is advising on these issues.
While it is a good advice, actually the answer is pretty much common sense.

Originally Posted by lilymiller16
When we would book our flight would we need to make the ticket under the child's Chinese name or their american name?
Always Chinese, unless the name has been officially changed in China.

Originally Posted by lilymiller16
Will they travel with a Chinese passport or get an american one before leaving China?
Always China (Mainland).

An adopted child can't be a U.S. citizen automatically by the virtue of the adoption. Additional requirements must also be met as well. Instead, the child will become an immigrant (Green card) instead. Once all the requirements have been met, then the adopted parents can proceed for the child's citizenship.
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Old May 18, 2018, 3:19 pm
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I asked your question of a friend who adopted from China 9 years ago. She said the adoption agency took care of it.
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Old May 18, 2018, 3:23 pm
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From what I understand, they don't become official US citizens until they touch down on US soil, so leaving China they are traveling under Chinese passports. Immigration agents love being the one to welcome the new citizen and family home.
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Old May 18, 2018, 3:38 pm
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Welcome to Flyertalk, lilymiller16. Please continue to follow this discussion the the TravelBuzz Forum.
Good luck
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Old May 18, 2018, 3:59 pm
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Having done this twice before personally - use their Chinese name which will match what will be in their passport.
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Old May 18, 2018, 5:03 pm
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Originally Posted by garykung
While it is a good advice, actually the answer is pretty much common sense.



Always Chinese, unless the name has been officially changed in China.



Always China (Mainland).

An adopted child can't be a U.S. citizen automatically by the virtue of the adoption. Additional requirements must also be met as well. Instead, the child will become an immigrant (Green card) instead. Once all the requirements have been met, then the adopted parents can proceed for the child's citizenship.
It may be common sense, but there are also many pitfalls to international adoptions and they can go very wrong very quickly. Chinese authorities can interpose delays and US authorities are on constant alert for international parental kidnapping. This is all avoidable and international adoption agencies work to assure that everything is in order so that the adoptive parents may focus on the child.
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Old May 18, 2018, 9:13 pm
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My husband's Niece and her husband adopted to little boys from China a couple of years ago. The adoption agency told them everything they would need. And yes, the children have to have a passport from China. They were required to stay in China for a "get to know the children" period. They are now in the process of adopting to more children. but these two are a little older.
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Old May 19, 2018, 12:26 am
  #10  
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Originally Posted by Often1
It may be common sense, but there are also many pitfalls to international adoptions and they can go very wrong very quickly. Chinese authorities can interpose delays and US authorities are on constant alert for international parental kidnapping. This is all avoidable and international adoption agencies work to assure that everything is in order so that the adoptive parents may focus on the child.
While true, nothing asked by OP suggests anything related to that.
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Old May 19, 2018, 3:16 am
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Originally Posted by jmertic
Having done this twice before personally - use their Chinese name which will match what will be in their passport.
So wonderful.
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Old May 19, 2018, 9:20 am
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I've done this. Use the Chinese name. They will travel on their Chinese passport. The staying in China is not a get to know you period, it is purely a paperwork issue. You will travel to Guangzhou so that the US consulate there can process an immigrant visa. The child becomes a US citizen upon entering the United States and then you can apply for a US Passport and finalize the adoption in US courts. Congratulations, our experience adopting from China was fantastic.

As other's suggested, your adoption agency would be the place to go for specific adoption related advice like this. They deal with every day.
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