Paperwork, Paperwork....

For those of you not familiar with adoption, particularly international adoption, there is a lot of paperwork. Many have asked us a lot of questions about what is next, why is it taking so long, etc. Luckily, we are working with a very reputable agency that has a lot of experience. We wanted to share with you what is going on…

As some of you know, we sent our initial application to our agency at the end of December, 2006. Following that, we chose our country, Vietnam and then began the process....

First, we had to have a homestudy completed. This is where a social worker does a study on us to determine if we are able medically, physically, socially, economically, psychologically, etc., able to parent an adoptive child. The study started with each of us filling out a multiple page personal data sheet where we had to discuss everything about family background, education, etc., etc., etc. We then had two home visits by a social worker where we discussed ourselves, why we are adopting, etc. She also interviewed each of us separately. After that, our social worker developed an official "home study" report compiling all of that information. This completed report/study was officially submitted to the Holt Vietnam Program Staff in March of 2007. It was at this point that we were placed on the "waiting list" for a child referral / match.

In July of 2007 we began the process of applying for a visa for our future child with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service in Newark, NJ. This process allows us to apply in advance all of our approvals permitting us to adopt and a get a visa for an international orphan. This is relatively simple and includes FBI fingerprints, etc. Although it takes a while it is pretty straight forward. Now that we have been referred and accepted a child, we complete the visa process in Vietnam (Although, the rules have just been changed effective last week by the US Embassy / Consular Section in Vietnam. The new rules appear to allow us to apply for the final visa now via mail, opposed to waiting until we arrive in Vietnam. We are waiting for our agency to advise us as to the next step on this front, since it is new, no one knows for sure.).

Basically, last weekend (before we were matched with our baby) we started to worry that we heard nothing from the immigration service regarding our initial application (7/2007) and fingerprints (8/2007). As a result, we sent an e-mail to the general adoption e-mailbox at Immigration-Newark, NJ. We received a quick auto-reply message answering some frequently asked questions and indicating they would respond within 3-5 working days. I also forwarded our e-mail to our NJ Holt case worker for information. She indicated on Monday we should hear from them soon. Coincidently, not soon after she responded to that e-mail., she sent me an urgent e-mail to call her. It was when I called her, later on Monday (10/29) that she told us we were matched!!! On Tuesday, I e-mailed her in a further state of panic about the immigration approval, since we needed that to move forward with the paperwork for the adoption. She e-mailed me a contact at immigration who might be able to help us get this done. Another coincidence…..that evening when we arrived home, sure enough our I-171, our approval letter from immigration was in the mail!!! So that is done!!! Only thing left is to figure out the next step in the new process….

On Friday (11/4/2007) we received another FedEx with documents we need to do. We are working right now on our acceptance / contract documents, legal paperwork, etc. to be FedEx’ed back to our agency tomorrow (Monday). We are also able to send our first correspondence to our new son. We are able to send a small, flat photo album and a brief, simple letter. This will most benefit the foster family, etc., know us better. Obviously, a 10 month old will not appreciate it now.

We also hope to finish up by the end of the week our dossier. This is a collection of documents (no reason to list them all, but is many letters from employers, police chief, doctors, marriage license, etc., etc., etc.,!!). All of theses documents must be state certified. Tomorrow morning (Monday) we are driving to Trenton to get a ”state issued” marriage certificate with an original signature from the state registrar! Our locally issued one is not sufficient to be state certified. Under international law, a document is considered authentic / official when it is notarized and state certified. State certificated means that the state is certifying that a document has been duly notarized by a registered notary or the document is an official state document. So on Thursday, I will be going to the State Treasurers Office in Trenton to have each and everyone of these documents “state certified.” Each of these documents will have a separate certificate attached to it certifying it by the state. We are hoping that this is completed by Friday so we can Fedex all of these documents (original + 2 copies) to Holt HQ in Eugene, OR.

After the dossier is sent to Holt, they review it for correctness and insert some other documents. It is then sent to the Vietnam Embassy in the USA for certification. After they approve it, it is then sent back to Eugene, OR. It is then forwarded to Vietnam where it goes through many levels of federal and provincial approvals. This is the hardest part for us, since it is out of control, and we are just waiting for travel approval.

So this is where we are now and what we have to look forward too. I know it seams like a lot, very technical, etc., but I guess it is important to make sure that everything is proper. It is all worth it!!

Hopefully the wait is not too long….We want our new son home as soon as possible.