Six Months Away?

Well, here we are, maybe six months away from meeting our daughter. Many of you know that this has been a very long wait for us. The waiting is the hardest part, but here is a timeline of what it took just to get to "waiting". In adoption lingo, the process is typically called "the paper chase". Once the chase is done, you have a dossier and the wait begins.

March 2005
submitted initial application to adoption agency
began collecting certified copies of vital records (i.e. birth certificates/marriage license)

April 2005
notarized letters verifying employment
still trying to get certified copies of vital records
began collecting paperwork required to submit I-600A (immigration process)
attended parents-in-process class

May 2005
fingerprint check for child abuse index and Dept. of Justice

June 2005
physicial exams
submitted I-600A application to USCIS (US Citizenship Immigration Services)

July 2005
received notarized police clearance

August 2005
fingerprints for USCIS

October 2005
10/12 Home Study visit by our social worker
10/31 received official Home Study document

November 2005
received approved I-171H (which was the I-600A - it's the government, go figure)

December 2005
dossier being verified, authenticated and translated into Chinese

January 13, 2006
Dossier to China (DTC)

February 15, 2006
Log in date (LID) - officially received by the CCAA - China Center of Adoption Affairs
This is the all important date that determines when you get your referral.

August 2006
update USCIS fingerprints

January 2007
update Home Study
reapply for I-600A

February 2007
received updated I-171H