I-800A: {Immigration} On Our Way

On April 20th, I had word from DSS that our homestudy was approved. However, seven days later, I still didn't have a copy of the certificate verifying that. One certificate should come to me, and our paperwork should have been mailed to USCIS. I think it's in Texas. But, without the certificate, my placing agency {Lifline} can't send my paperwork to meet up with the other paperwork. Did I lose you already? Paperwork from DSS & paperwork from Lifeline in Alabama need to meet up at USCIS and there is an order to who gets the paperwork there first....


Today, our homestudy agency, CAS, sent me a copy of the certificate from DSS that I can send to Lifeline saying they can send the I-800A to USCIS. So, now my case worker with Lifeline can overnight the paperwork that she has with our $890 check, etc.

Again, I know this is a lot of back/forth that most of you don't need to care about. But, I know several friends who are just starting the adoption process are reading this; and I'm trying to help them also become familiar with the language. And, I also appreciate all of my friends and family getting the lingo down with us as well!

So, right now, the average immigration approval is 60-90 days. We heard in February, they are cranking out at 65 days. Our friends just had 32 days! So, um, yes, my impatient self is hoping for 30-60. But, I just know that the last 2 months of what seemed agonizingly slow to me had a purpose. It is super hard to know that you have no control over your paperwork. When you are pregnant, at least you know where your baby is. Right now, we are paper pregnant. So, it feels like every document is part of our child. I know it sounds bizarre. But, we don't even know what she looks like yet. We just know she's out there.

Okay, less emotion. Back to details.I believe that in the middle of this approval, we will get information that says we are to go to an official government office and do our biometric hand scans. I have heard that they give you a date, that will be a few weeks in the future; but most families just drop what they are doing and go the next day. It speeds everything up. {So, that's what we will probably do.}

We also sent $890 to immigration as well. {Thank you to all of you who were a part of helping with that!}

After our paperwork is back from immigration, it has to go to a few more offical offices for stamps and signatures and authentication. That takes about 2-3 weeks. Then, it's all packaged up and ready to go to Ch**a in our packet called the dossier (doss-e-ay). It's not a person. It's a packet of paper.





I have some other fun things that happened over the weekend, too. We are going to have a super fancy pair of shoes for sale very soon {um, retail on these bad boys is $900 when they are new. they have been worn, so think ebay prices. i'm consulting my louboutin connoisseur on pricing. as soon as she gets back to me, i'll have them ready to go.} But, the back story on the sweet heart that gave these to me had me in shock all day on Saturday.

Please also pray for our friends in Africa, who are adopting their son. They have to go to court a few times over there and will be home at the end of May.