It's been five weeks since we received verbal guardianship and are still waiting for the word to plan our travel. It feels like there is so much to do, but I can't seem to get started because I truly don't know where to start. I've been making lists. Lots of lists. Lists of lists to make.
The work list is pretty massive. The school year doesn't end until June 17th and then my work year ends on June 30th. Not know when I will be heading out is causing much anxiety on my end. I have started to create the list for all the things I need (or should) wrap up for the interim principal coming in. Maybe I should figure out who that will be first? No time, must go forward with lists! So far, it's a page long (two columns). The goal was to finish it all by spring break...did I mention that is in two weeks??? Oh, and that I haven't started anything on the list yet? It seems the daily problems at the school site are escalating and not giving me a moment to plan ahead, but it must get done some time.
Next is the list for home readiness. I've decided that now is the perfect time to try to begin and complete major home projects so it's all done when we travel. If Dr. Phil were to ask how this is working for me, the answer wouldn't be pretty. But, we do have so much organizing to do plus getting the house kid safe.
Then we get to the lists of things to have on hand. Haven't really started. Well...I did buy a car seat. That's about it. One of the blessings of being the principal of a school site where we had at least 2-3 pregnancies each year, there are lots of moms with lots of recommendations. Two of my teachers told me this was the car seat to buy, so I did. Free shipping and a sale also helped. Is all this baby stuff so expensive? I was on track to buying a convertible crib until a teacher told me I should be looking at a toddler bed. I guess I'm starting over. Then the list began....potty training seat, high chair or booster, diaper genie (do they still call them that?), stroller, etc... Another teacher recommended this book, but I'm finding it not as helpful since Nathaniel is now a toddler. Please share any recommendations you might have!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Photos
We received new photos the day we also heard we had verbal guardianship. As I showed them to a friend the other day and we looked at the first pictures we received, it was amazing to see how much Nathaniel has grown. He's becoming such a big boy and we don't want to miss any more of his life....
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
The Long Wait
We received an email some weeks ago from the president of our adoption agency talking about the importance of patience in an adoption. I found his words to truly resonate since I am a self-proclaimed anti-patient person. Right now is too slow, I needed it five minutes ago. So, this adoption process has really tested me. Now Mark on the other hand, the pace is understandable to him. A true case of the tortoise and the hare.
Well, as I get the daily "bings" of new emails coming in from our Yahoo adoption group, it is a joy to see so many families advancing. They post their time line and I'm amazed how fast some have zipped by, while others have put in what seems to be a life sentence. This past February marked two years since we began this process. Here is our time line:
Submit IFS Application – February 2009
Homestudy – November 2009
I-800A approval – January 2010
Received referral -- February 2010
Accepted referral -- March 2010
I-800 approved – April 2010
Article 5 – July 2010
NOC – December 2010
Verbal guardianship -- February 28, 2011
Written guardianship -- ??
Medical exam -- ??
Visa -- ??
Travel -- ??
And we continue to wait....So, the moral of the story is that if you are considering international adoption, you must be willing to ride it out.
Well, as I get the daily "bings" of new emails coming in from our Yahoo adoption group, it is a joy to see so many families advancing. They post their time line and I'm amazed how fast some have zipped by, while others have put in what seems to be a life sentence. This past February marked two years since we began this process. Here is our time line:
Submit IFS Application – February 2009
Homestudy – November 2009
I-800A approval – January 2010
Received referral -- February 2010
Accepted referral -- March 2010
I-800 approved – April 2010
Article 5 – July 2010
NOC – December 2010
Verbal guardianship -- February 28, 2011
Written guardianship -- ??
Medical exam -- ??
Visa -- ??
Travel -- ??
And we continue to wait....So, the moral of the story is that if you are considering international adoption, you must be willing to ride it out.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Time flies!
Perhaps the delays in posts were because I was overwhelmingly busy....or, it could be because the wait of an international adoption is painful to be reminded of. I'll go with a little of both.
The last time we wrote, we had just accepted a referral for baby Bhargav and started to work with Immigration. That actually went fairly quick, but the wait was for NOC (No Objection Clearance). This is a major step in an Indian adoption. NOC is approved by CARA (India's government adoption agency). They review every piece of paperwork and will grant a "no objection" to the family pursuing the adoption. Once they give the approval, you advance to the Indian courts. This step can be excruciatingly painful for man families because it goes fast for some and not so fast for others. In fact, we experienced families that started their paperwork after us were receiving NOC. About the time we were waiting, India made a big change in the rules.
Basically, until a family is granted NOC, an Indian family can come to an orphanage and adopt the child you were referred. This is why NOC is a big deal! India has no implemented a rule where three Indian families must deny the child before NOC can be granted. There is no telling how long of a wait this can cause. We were truly, truly blessed to literally have just missed this new rule.
While you wait for NOC, and hear about other families passing by with approval, you are not allowed to call India to see what is holding up the process. Well....you could, but it is highly frowned upon by our agency. All the while, family and friends are asking and all you can say is that you have no news.
Our notice came in November. I woke up and engaged in a very bad habit, which is to check my email before I get out of bed. On this morning, I was glad I did because we received a wonderful message stating we had passed NOC. The next step was court to grant verbal guardianship. A new waiting game.
I checked the Indian court website and kept seeing new court dates. But, we don't ever know why or what. So, we wait and wait and wait. The new year comes...and we wait. That is, until last Monday!
I received an email last Monday evening stating we passed court!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I would put more exclamation marks here, but I think you get the point). The email closed with: "I will be sending you some emails with travel preparation information. You can look it over and start preparing for your trip to India to bring your gorgeous son home. :)"
Those are the best words in the world!!
So, now the checklists have started and the overwhelming feeling of preparation begins. Can't wait to share our progress along the way.
Our process:
1) Get an approved home study done by an accredited home study agency.
2) File the I-800A with USCIS (United States Citizenship & Immigration Services): You will need to include certified copies of your birth, marriage (if applicable) and divorce (if applicable) certificates, an original copy of your home study, a copy of the home study agency's license, the filing fee of $670 and fingerprint fee of $80 per person (anyone living in the home over the age of 18 years must be fingerprinted).
3) USCIS will contact the family with a date and time to come for their fingerprints: After you get your fingerprints taken, USCIS will process your I-800A petition.
4) USCIS will send the family an I-797C, Notice of Action "Case Type: I-800A, Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country": This letter will state "Notice Type: APPROVAL NOTICE", your name, address, fingerprint expiration date and "Approval Valid Until" date.
Your I-800A approval and fingerprints are good for 15 months from the "Notice Date" listed on the I-797C.
5) Official acceptance of a referral/child
6) Family files the I-800 with USCIS
7) USCIS will send the family an I-797C, Notice of Action "Case Type: I-800, Petition to Classify Convention Adoptee as an Immediate Relative": This letter will state "Notice Type: NOTICE OF PROVISIONAL APPROVAL".
8) USCIS will notify the U.S. Embassy in India of the family's provisional I-800 approval
9) The U.S. Embassy will contact the family requesting the DS-230 form to be submitted: The DS-230 is the visa application for your child. The Embassy will send you the forms to fill out and information on the photo requirement for this step.
10) The U.S. Embassy will process the case and issue an Article 5 letter: The Embassy will notify you and CARA as soon as the Article 5 letter is issued.
11) CARA processes the case and grants NOC (No Objection Certificate): NOC states that CARA (Central Adoption Resource Authority) has "No Objection" to the placement of the child with the adoptive parents.
12) The case is filed with the local court: Cases will be filed with the court within 15 days of NOC.
13) Court grants guardianship
14) Agency receives a copy of the court documents (WE ARE HERE)
15) Agency files for ICPC approval on behalf of the family: ICPC stands for Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children and is necessary for all Indian adoptions due to the granting of "guardianship" instead of "adoption". This approval gives the family permission to bring the child across state lines for the purpose of adopting.
16) Texas ICPC office notifies Agency's Texas office of family's ICPC approval
17) Agency will notify the family of ICPC approval
18) Agency will contact our staff in India regarding possible travel dates for the family: Travel dates must be confirmed with our India staff before the family makes any definite plans.
19) Family travels to India to bring their child home!
The last time we wrote, we had just accepted a referral for baby Bhargav and started to work with Immigration. That actually went fairly quick, but the wait was for NOC (No Objection Clearance). This is a major step in an Indian adoption. NOC is approved by CARA (India's government adoption agency). They review every piece of paperwork and will grant a "no objection" to the family pursuing the adoption. Once they give the approval, you advance to the Indian courts. This step can be excruciatingly painful for man families because it goes fast for some and not so fast for others. In fact, we experienced families that started their paperwork after us were receiving NOC. About the time we were waiting, India made a big change in the rules.
Basically, until a family is granted NOC, an Indian family can come to an orphanage and adopt the child you were referred. This is why NOC is a big deal! India has no implemented a rule where three Indian families must deny the child before NOC can be granted. There is no telling how long of a wait this can cause. We were truly, truly blessed to literally have just missed this new rule.
While you wait for NOC, and hear about other families passing by with approval, you are not allowed to call India to see what is holding up the process. Well....you could, but it is highly frowned upon by our agency. All the while, family and friends are asking and all you can say is that you have no news.
Our notice came in November. I woke up and engaged in a very bad habit, which is to check my email before I get out of bed. On this morning, I was glad I did because we received a wonderful message stating we had passed NOC. The next step was court to grant verbal guardianship. A new waiting game.
I checked the Indian court website and kept seeing new court dates. But, we don't ever know why or what. So, we wait and wait and wait. The new year comes...and we wait. That is, until last Monday!
I received an email last Monday evening stating we passed court!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I would put more exclamation marks here, but I think you get the point). The email closed with: "I will be sending you some emails with travel preparation information. You can look it over and start preparing for your trip to India to bring your gorgeous son home. :)"
Those are the best words in the world!!
So, now the checklists have started and the overwhelming feeling of preparation begins. Can't wait to share our progress along the way.
Our process:
1) Get an approved home study done by an accredited home study agency.
2) File the I-800A with USCIS (United States Citizenship & Immigration Services): You will need to include certified copies of your birth, marriage (if applicable) and divorce (if applicable) certificates, an original copy of your home study, a copy of the home study agency's license, the filing fee of $670 and fingerprint fee of $80 per person (anyone living in the home over the age of 18 years must be fingerprinted).
3) USCIS will contact the family with a date and time to come for their fingerprints: After you get your fingerprints taken, USCIS will process your I-800A petition.
4) USCIS will send the family an I-797C, Notice of Action "Case Type: I-800A, Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country": This letter will state "Notice Type: APPROVAL NOTICE", your name, address, fingerprint expiration date and "Approval Valid Until" date.
Your I-800A approval and fingerprints are good for 15 months from the "Notice Date" listed on the I-797C.
5) Official acceptance of a referral/child
6) Family files the I-800 with USCIS
7) USCIS will send the family an I-797C, Notice of Action "Case Type: I-800, Petition to Classify Convention Adoptee as an Immediate Relative": This letter will state "Notice Type: NOTICE OF PROVISIONAL APPROVAL".
8) USCIS will notify the U.S. Embassy in India of the family's provisional I-800 approval
9) The U.S. Embassy will contact the family requesting the DS-230 form to be submitted: The DS-230 is the visa application for your child. The Embassy will send you the forms to fill out and information on the photo requirement for this step.
10) The U.S. Embassy will process the case and issue an Article 5 letter: The Embassy will notify you and CARA as soon as the Article 5 letter is issued.
11) CARA processes the case and grants NOC (No Objection Certificate): NOC states that CARA (Central Adoption Resource Authority) has "No Objection" to the placement of the child with the adoptive parents.
12) The case is filed with the local court: Cases will be filed with the court within 15 days of NOC.
13) Court grants guardianship
14) Agency receives a copy of the court documents (WE ARE HERE)
15) Agency files for ICPC approval on behalf of the family: ICPC stands for Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children and is necessary for all Indian adoptions due to the granting of "guardianship" instead of "adoption". This approval gives the family permission to bring the child across state lines for the purpose of adopting.
16) Texas ICPC office notifies Agency's Texas office of family's ICPC approval
17) Agency will notify the family of ICPC approval
18) Agency will contact our staff in India regarding possible travel dates for the family: Travel dates must be confirmed with our India staff before the family makes any definite plans.
19) Family travels to India to bring their child home!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)