Many people ask where we are in the process. I am going to attempt to explain it.
2. Pre-approval from China to pursue JH for adoption
3. The Home Study- This took 3 days set aside for meetings (we had fewer because this agency did a home study for us 3 years ago), doctor physicals for all of us, criminal background checks, outlining all of our finances, DMV driving records, child abuse clearances, 3 letters of reference, including one from a teacher vouching that we take care of our children, finger prints, and $2000.
4. The social worker first met with us at the beginning of October and turned in her draft to ABC on 11/7/16. I was amazed at how fast that was, but then there were the revisions, fine tooth combing, additional psychological evaluations, Thanksgiving holiday, signatures needed, approval needed, financial paper reconciliation down to the cents, notarizing, Living Hope approval etc. for it to finally be complete.
5. Home Study RECEIVED in the mail YESTERDAY 12/9/16 at 3:30pm
6. I 800 A- is basically the US saying that they approve us to immigrate someone. So we apply for this approval (hence the A in the form) asking them if we have permission to adopt from China. We must send them an official copy of our home study, our birth certificates, our marriage certificate, and about 10 pages forms filled out. Oh and $890. They will invite us to come get our fingerprints taken in Norfolk to make sure we are not terrorists or human traffickers. When they send us our approval letter that is the final piece of our dossier puzzle.
We mailed our I 800 A last night at 6:14pm same day we received the HS. This process will take about 5-6 weeks.
So that is how far we have come. This is the step we are on. Now we wait for Homeland Security to invite us to the finger printing. Please pray that we can get the finger prints done in 2016. Perry has a personal day that will not carry into 2017. We will need every single one of his vacation/personal days to travel to China.
WE ARE HERE
FUTURE STEPS:
7.Submit Dossier for translation to Chinese Consulate in NY.
Once the I 800 Approval paper arrives- we will submit the Dossier. The Dossier contains, certified copies of our birth certificates, marriage certificate, physicals from doctors, financial information, employment verification letters, copies of our passports, 2 new passport pictures for visas (I assume), 6 family pictures, home study, and criminal background clearances.
Our Dossier MUST be submitted by 3/13/17 because of the dates on all of our forms have to be less than 6 months old.
8.Letter Seeking Confirmation (LSC) or Letter of Approval (LOA)- China confirms our match with our son JH, and sends us LOA giving us official permission to adopt him. This could take 1 week- 3months!)
9. Final Immigration approval (I800) 2 weeks
10. Receive GUZ number- 2 or 3 days. The next few steps have to deal with him being granted a visa. The visa will be placed in his Chinese passport and as soon as we touch down on US soil he will be a US citizen.
11. NVC Letter- 1-3 Days after the GUZ. Confirms that the National Visa Center has forwarded our caste to the US Consulate in Guangzhou
12. Article 5 Drop-off- 10 business days until pick-up. The US Consulate in Guangzhou prepares the paperwork for the visa. Then will be submitted to China by Living Hope so we will be granted travel approval.
13. Travel Approval- 1-3 weeks. China extends an invitation to us to come on over and get him! We have to do it within 90 days of the invite!
14. Consulate Appointment- 1-2 days. After Travel Approval (TA) Living Hope schedules an appointment for us at the US Consulate in Guangzhou to complete the final paperwork necessary for the visa. Once we have this appointment, we begin making travel arrangements. Our social worker from Living Hope said to plan for $15,000 for the travel! That includes: flights for 2, hotel, 2 meals/day, guides, in country travel (train/plane), province and orphanage fees, and legal fees.
15. WE FLY TO CHINA FOR 2 WEEKS
16. You meet us at the airport upon return to celebrate with us!
I'm wondering if you know - is it this complicated for every foreign adoption or is this worse because it is from a Communist country?
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely every adoption internationally is this complicated. domestic is only marginally better in terms of complication.
ReplyDeleteI will be praying as you have to do the rest. AM
ReplyDelete