Read it and weep...
11/01/2005 - After much
research, thought and internal dialogue, I select an agency and
decide to move forward...I AM GOING TO DO
THIS!!! I start telling my friends and family the next
day.
11/08/2005 - First meeting with
my selected adoption agency. **At this
time, the wait time for a referral for a healthy child is about 9
months.**
11/14/2005 - Completed and
submitted adoption application.
11/17/2005 - Attend first
adoption seminar with my agency in NYC.
11/28/2005 - Application is
approved and I am added to the "singles waiting list" (at
this time, China has a yearly quota for singles). I am told to
expect to wait about a year to be called forward to start the
process.
02/17/2006 - SURPRISE!!
Received a call from my agency to inform availability of a quota
position for a single THIS YEAR!! I can start the paperwork.
03/20/2006 - Visit agency to
answer questions and begin "paperwork training".
04/01/2006 - First homestudy
meeting with my original social worker. We meet at a diner in NY for
an introduction and discussion.
04/11/2006 - Second homestudy
meeting with my social worker, this time at my home in NY.
05/02/2006 - Third homestudy
visit with my social worker, again at my home in NY.
06/02/2006 - Receive word from
my agency that my homestudy is complete and I am approved to
continue.
06/12/2006 - Submit I-600A
application (Application for Advance Processing of Orphan) to the US
Department of Homeland Security.
07/13/2006 - First time
fingerprinted for the INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service).
07/18/2006 - Received INS
approval, the I-171H.
08/10/2006 - All my documents
are ready. Final dossier (the documentation package that is
submitted to China) meeting with my agency in NYC. Deliver
documentation to Chinese Consulate in NYC.
08/15/2006 - Chinese Consulate
has completed review and approval/stamping of documents. I retrieve
them and overnight them to my agency.
08/18/2006 - My agency sends my
dossier to China, known as DTC (date to China). Their office in
China will translate everything prior to submission to the CCAA
(China Center for Adoption Affairs).
09/20/2006 - LID (Log in Date)
is confirmed by the CCAA and THE WAIT BEGINS.
**At this time, the wait time for referral of a healthy child is
about 13 months.**
Early 2007 - As it becomes
obvious that the wait time for a referral will continue to increase,
I discuss residential considerations with my agency and decide to
sell my house in NY and move to PA, near my family, a move I was
likely to make anyway. This move will require a complete new
homestudy, so since I am building a new home and will not be ready, I
allow my paperwork to expire.
By the end of
2007 ** the wait time for referral of a healthy child has increased
to 24 months. **
03/21/2008 - My original INS
approval (the I-171H) officially expires. It has been 18 months
since my LID.
By
the end of 2008 ** the wait time for referral of a healthy child has
increased to 34 months. ** (I have been waiting 27 months).
May, 2009 - My new house is
complete and I move in. I am so glad to be back in PA. Because the
wait time has continued to increase, seems I can still wait a bit to
start my new paperwork. And oh by the way, since China has adopted
the Hague Adoption Convention, there is a new process, new
requirements, new timeline.
At
the end of 2009, ** the wait time for referral of a healthy child has
increased to 45 months. ** (I have been waiting 39 months.)
09/21/2010 - Begin process to
update my paperwork under the new Hague process. Because I have
moved to a new state, I have selected a local agency and a new social
worker to assist me.
10/22/2010 - First meeting with
my new social worker, and the new process begins.
At
the end of 2010, ** the wait time for referral of a healthy child is
now 55 months. ** (I have been waiting 51 months.)
06/01/2011 - All new paperwork
is complete and approved. New homestudy is complete and approved.
06/14/2010 - Submit new I-800A
for (Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child
from a Convention Country) to the Department of Homeland Security.
08/08/2011 - Received I-797, my
approval from the Department of Homeland Security. This is valid
until 10/20/2012, just 15 months, so I have until then to be to China
and back with my child...WILL I MAKE IT??
At
the end of 2011 ** the wait time for referral of a healthy child is
now 64 months (and still increasing). ** (I have been waiting 63
months.)
05/15/2012 - Much as I hate to
admit it, looks like I will need an extension, though it should be
very close. Current calculations point to July/August of this year
for me to finally be matched (YAY!!!). Given the new Hague
processes, it typically takes about three months to travel after
referral so that should be October/November. My I-797 expires on
10/20/2012, and this must remain current until completion of the
adoption in China and return to the US, so better safe than sorry, I
will be extending. This means a homestudy update and more paperwork
(UGH!! - security and medical). Happily though, the end is finally
in sight...
07/20/2012 - All my paperwork is updated and I meet with the social worker to initiate my homestudy update.
08/10/2012 - Homestudy update is complete and my I-800A Supplement 3 is submitted to request the extension.
08/24/2012 - REFERRAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have a daughter!
08/27/2012 - Send "Letter Seeking Confirmation" to China (via my agency) which confirms my acceptance of the referral.
08/29/2012 - ARRGH!! Received an RFE (request for evidence) from the USCIS. My extension request was missing a piece of paper. Fortunately, they send my fingerprinting appointment on the same day, so I am assuming this is a minor thing.
08/31/2012 - My I-800 Petition to Classify an Orphan is complete and sent to the USCIS. For anyone who is confused, you should be. Yes, I have two things going through the process at the same time--the extension request and now my petition for Hazel. I pray every night that they keep this straight and keep the process moving along...for both!!
09/05/2012 - Two things today. First, I was fingerprinted AGAIN for the 6th (and hopefully final) time. I also sent back the RFE with that missing piece of paper.
09/10/2012 - What a joy! Received updated photos from Ann@redthreadchina.com.
09/17/2012 - Notified that the I-800 was received. The receipt date is noted as 09/10/2012 (seems slow, but there was a holiday in there).
09/19/2012 - PHEW!!! I-800A Extension Approval received, I have a new expiration date 12/05/2013---I think that gives me enough time to get to China and back (it better!). THIS IS SUCH A RELIEF, now I can stop stressing about it and focus on getting through the "normal" processing to get Hazel home.
09/25/2012 - I-800 Provisional Approval received from the Department of Homeland Security. A huge step--this approves me to specifically bring Hazel to the US and for her to become a US citizen. Next step, obtaining visas.
09/28/2012 - National Visa Center (NVC) cable, requesting a US Visa for Hazel ZiRui, was received via email this morning. This was promptly forwarded to my agency who is responsible for getting it (along with a bunch of my other paperwork) to the US Embassy in Guangzhou, China for processing...expected to take about 2 weeks. We are zeroing in on that travel approval!
10/09/2012 - NVC cable is delivered to the US Embassy in Beijing along with Hazel's visa application (small delay was due to the Mid-Autumn/Moon Festival in China). Once reviewed and approved, a travel approval can be issued. This process is expected to take two weeks.
10/23/2012 - Received notice that the Article 5 was issued today, indicating approval for Hazel's visa application. This was brought directly to the CCCWA in Beijing who will issue the travel approval, getting close! I have been waiting 60 days since my referral.
11/08/2012 - Received my Travel Approval!!! My agency has requested a Consulate Appointment.
11/09/2012 - Consulate Appointment has been confirmed! We are scheduled for Tuesday, December 11 at 11:00am. I have to get everything booked for our travel now!!
11/20/2012 - Everything is now booked and we have a final itinerary:
- 11/29 - Departure (we fly through Chicago to Hong Kong)
- 11/30 - Arrive in Hong Kong. Yes, it was a really LONG flight. We will be here 2 days.
- 12/01 - Getting our bearings in the new time zone. Sightseeing in Hong Kong.
- 12/02 - Depart Hong Kong for Nanning (another flight). This is the provincial capital of Guangxi, the province where Hazel lives. We will be here 5 days.
- 12/03 - WE MEET HAZEL TODAY!!!!! She is brought to us at our hotel in Nanning and is with us (forever and ever) from this point forward.
- 12/04 - Adoption ceremony (and start the process for Hazel's passport).
- 12/05 - Sightseeing in Nanning, Qingxiu Mountain.
- 12/06 - Free time.
- 12/07 - Receive Hazel's passport and depart Nanning for Guangzhou (our last stop, home of the US Consulate).
- 12/08 - Hazel's medical exam - preparation to come to US
- 12/09 - Free day. We are meeting Ann for a shopping excursion.
- 12/10 - Medical test results and follow-up
- 12/11 - Consulate appointment at 11:00am. Oath and interview.
- 12/12 - Receive Hazel's US visa....WE ARE DONE!!!
- 12/13 - Depart Guangzhou for HOME with Hazel...we fly through Tokyo and Washington DC (how appropriate) with our newest little citizen!
07/20/2012 - All my paperwork is updated and I meet with the social worker to initiate my homestudy update.
08/10/2012 - Homestudy update is complete and my I-800A Supplement 3 is submitted to request the extension.
08/24/2012 - REFERRAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have a daughter!
08/27/2012 - Send "Letter Seeking Confirmation" to China (via my agency) which confirms my acceptance of the referral.
08/29/2012 - ARRGH!! Received an RFE (request for evidence) from the USCIS. My extension request was missing a piece of paper. Fortunately, they send my fingerprinting appointment on the same day, so I am assuming this is a minor thing.
08/31/2012 - My I-800 Petition to Classify an Orphan is complete and sent to the USCIS. For anyone who is confused, you should be. Yes, I have two things going through the process at the same time--the extension request and now my petition for Hazel. I pray every night that they keep this straight and keep the process moving along...for both!!
09/05/2012 - Two things today. First, I was fingerprinted AGAIN for the 6th (and hopefully final) time. I also sent back the RFE with that missing piece of paper.
09/10/2012 - What a joy! Received updated photos from Ann@redthreadchina.com.
09/17/2012 - Notified that the I-800 was received. The receipt date is noted as 09/10/2012 (seems slow, but there was a holiday in there).
09/19/2012 - PHEW!!! I-800A Extension Approval received, I have a new expiration date 12/05/2013---I think that gives me enough time to get to China and back (it better!). THIS IS SUCH A RELIEF, now I can stop stressing about it and focus on getting through the "normal" processing to get Hazel home.
09/25/2012 - I-800 Provisional Approval received from the Department of Homeland Security. A huge step--this approves me to specifically bring Hazel to the US and for her to become a US citizen. Next step, obtaining visas.
09/28/2012 - National Visa Center (NVC) cable, requesting a US Visa for Hazel ZiRui, was received via email this morning. This was promptly forwarded to my agency who is responsible for getting it (along with a bunch of my other paperwork) to the US Embassy in Guangzhou, China for processing...expected to take about 2 weeks. We are zeroing in on that travel approval!
10/09/2012 - NVC cable is delivered to the US Embassy in Beijing along with Hazel's visa application (small delay was due to the Mid-Autumn/Moon Festival in China). Once reviewed and approved, a travel approval can be issued. This process is expected to take two weeks.
10/23/2012 - Received notice that the Article 5 was issued today, indicating approval for Hazel's visa application. This was brought directly to the CCCWA in Beijing who will issue the travel approval, getting close! I have been waiting 60 days since my referral.
11/08/2012 - Received my Travel Approval!!! My agency has requested a Consulate Appointment.
11/09/2012 - Consulate Appointment has been confirmed! We are scheduled for Tuesday, December 11 at 11:00am. I have to get everything booked for our travel now!!
11/20/2012 - Everything is now booked and we have a final itinerary:
- 11/29 - Departure (we fly through Chicago to Hong Kong)
- 11/30 - Arrive in Hong Kong. Yes, it was a really LONG flight. We will be here 2 days.
- 12/01 - Getting our bearings in the new time zone. Sightseeing in Hong Kong.
- 12/02 - Depart Hong Kong for Nanning (another flight). This is the provincial capital of Guangxi, the province where Hazel lives. We will be here 5 days.
- 12/03 - WE MEET HAZEL TODAY!!!!! She is brought to us at our hotel in Nanning and is with us (forever and ever) from this point forward.
- 12/04 - Adoption ceremony (and start the process for Hazel's passport).
- 12/05 - Sightseeing in Nanning, Qingxiu Mountain.
- 12/06 - Free time.
- 12/07 - Receive Hazel's passport and depart Nanning for Guangzhou (our last stop, home of the US Consulate).
- 12/08 - Hazel's medical exam - preparation to come to US
- 12/09 - Free day. We are meeting Ann for a shopping excursion.
- 12/10 - Medical test results and follow-up
- 12/11 - Consulate appointment at 11:00am. Oath and interview.
- 12/12 - Receive Hazel's US visa....WE ARE DONE!!!
- 12/13 - Depart Guangzhou for HOME with Hazel...we fly through Tokyo and Washington DC (how appropriate) with our newest little citizen!
