An interesting thread on the forums a while back focused my attention on adoption from Taiwan and possible differences in considerations parents may have when looking at adoption from either there or the PRC (People's Republic of China).

Although some of the talk revolved around the differences in fees, with China apparently being a bit less pricey than Taiwan according to some experiences, but input from a Taiwanese-born adult adoptee provided a completely new POV.

In his experience, the mainland Chinese people appeared to this young man to be far less tolerant of his mixed family during time in China than he notices in Taiwan, where he now studies. Attributing this partly to the fact that the Taiwanese are more likely to have traveled or lived overseas than most mainland Chinese, this isn't the only difference he mentioned.

Using the example of the lifting of the ban on Taiwanese people reuniting with families on the mainland after years of separation, he draws on the experience of an anthropologist and his Chinese language teacher when he says, " ... apparently the Taiwanese people were met by their mainland Chinese relatives with open hands seeking money, not a welcoming handshake -- very distressing. I hope this sort of response won't repeat itself if/when mainland Chinese born adoptees return to China to seek their birth family."

Another difference he notes is that the Taiwanese government workers were very helpful during his search for his birth family, but those in China were expressly UNhelpful. He says, "I can only shudder at thinking how the negative vibes from mainland Chinese people would have affected me if I was an adoptee from mainland China."

Some information on adoption from Taiwan:

Because the US has no formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, all functions are conducted through the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), an NGO set up for the purpose.

In 2006, 187 visas were issued to Taiwanese orphans adopted by American families. In 2005, the number was 138, and it has risen steadily since 2002.

There is no residency requirement and an upper age limit of 55. The time frame is reported to be approximately 10 months from initial agency contact to the issuance of the visa.

Additional information on necessary documents and authentication, immigration requirements, and more can be found on the US State Department's website and at Adoption.com.: