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Step Two – COMPLETE!
There are many steps in the adoption process. There are many abbreviations and letters for each step in the process. All of it can be quite confusing and overwhelming. I will try to describe it in a little more detail below.
Today I was feeling anxious and nervous about the whole process. I am excited to share her story but know so many things can still go wrong. Every time I talk about her, it becomes just a little more real. It’s sort of like when you are first pregnant. You are anxious to talk about it but you know so many things can go wrong so you hold onto those feelings, trying to protect your heart from the pain if it doesn’t go as if you hoped. The reality is that you already love this child that you have yet to meet. It won’t really matter if you try to hold back. Your heart is already gone.
I don’t want to be that way. I want to expectantly wait upon the Lord. I recently read a blog about just that fact. (Blog) On this blog she had a George Mueller quote. If you don’t know his story, I highly recommend reading more about him. His faith was astounding.
Step 1 (Finding an Agency) – was covered long ago when we found CCAI as an agency. We have nothing but good things to say about this agency. They have worked with us through our many unusual issues. They have been encouraging and honest and helpful through all six of our adoptions.
Step 1 has been accomplished. I included the file being transferred in this step because the first miracle that had to happen was for the other agency to transfer her file to CCAI. You may not call the transferring of a file a miracle, but I do. Some agencies absolutely will not transfer a file for any reason. We were pleased that they not only transferred it but did it in a very timely manner.
Step 2 (LOI) -Locking in the file of the child you wish to adopt. The agency takes your Letter of Intent (LOI) and other papers and presents them to the China Center for Children’s Welfare and Adoption (CCCWA) and within two weeks the CCCWA will either say yes or no. If they say yes, you receive your pre-approval.
Step 2 was completed today! Praising the Lord for everyone moving very quickly on this matter! You are not supposed to show pictures of the child or talk about them specifically until you receive PA. It is a little different with us because so many people are advocating for her. Her name and pictures are out there. I don’t want to cause any trouble though so I am going to go back through my past blog posts and remove the links and her name specifically. The last thing I want to do is cause a problem with her adoption.
Step 3 (PA) – Pre-approval allows you the privilege of letting the child know you are adopting them. The agency then allows you to send the child pictures of your family, letters, and small gifts. Not all agencies allow it at the point of PA some make you wait until you have Letter of Acceptance (LOA).
Step 4 (1-800A) – This is the initial United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) approval to bring a child into the country. This is the preliminary immigration paperwork. You have to have a final paper 1-800 that will allow a specific child into the country but you have to start with the approval to bring a child to the U.S.
Step 5 (DTC) – Dossier paperwork. There are many different forms in the dossier. You have to notarize these forms and then have them authenticated with the Secretary of State and the Chinese Consulate (all of this depends on which state you live in). You have financial statements, physician’s forms, certified copies of birth certificates, certified copies of marriage certificates, 1-800, a home study, etc. You prepare your dossier, your agency translates and it is sent to China. (Dossier to China – DTC.)
I have actually started these forms and our home study is almost complete. Just waiting on Child Abuse Reports x 9 (anyone over 14 needs one), fingerprinting x 7 (anyone over 18 needs one), Criminal Background Check x 9 (anyone over 14 in the house or who helps watch the children needs one – welcome to the fun Stephanie. Physical Exams x 7 (anyone over 18 needs one).
There’s no time to waste when you only have 150 days left before she ages out. (Breathe Lisa breath!)
Step 6 (LID) – Dossier logged in with the CCCWA. This is also known as LID (Log In Date).
Step 7 (Article 5) – Then your Article 5 is issued which tells the CCCWA that you have permission to bring the child into the United States.
Step 8 (TA) – Travel Approval (TA) the formal invitation from China letting you know that you have permission to travel. You will usually travel within a couple weeks of receiving your Article 5.
Step 9 (Travel) – You will travel to China and within a day or two you will meet your child at the designated area. If you are traveling with a big group, you sometimes meet in Registration Offices or other formal settings. If it is only your family, they sometimes bring the child directly to your hotel room. There are many variables. You then have 24 hours before signing the official adoption papers. You stay in your child’s province until you receive the passport and then travel to Guangzhou.
Step 10 (CA) – Consulate appointment (CA) is where you take the oath to care for your child and get your Visa to enter the U.S. This is at the U.S. embassy in Guangzhou. The final step needed before heading home.
There’s many other little steps when you first apply to your agency. And throughout the adoption process including getting your passport, getting your visa, etc. but these are the big ones.
This journey will be completed one step at a time. We are getting there. As Jasmine keeps reminding me every time she hears me sigh, “God’s got this mama!” The faith of a child is a beautiful thing.
This whole adoption process has been a wonderful thing for Jasmine. It has reinforced what we had to go through to adopt her – all of the paperwork and the fees involved She told me that she couldn’t believe someone would do all of that for her. It’s been good for her to see how hard we fought for her and how much we loved her from the very start.
We can feel all the prayers that are covering us in this process. Just today when we had Codey fingerprinted the police officer went out of his way to type up a letter stating these were the best prints he could officially get. He did two fingerprint cards to try to not have a delay. We heard from another set of parents that there is another agency you can go through and get your prints back in three days. Considering the last time we printed Codey it took over 12 weeks, this is an amazing thing to learn. Even the smallest details are falling into place. We feel watched over and protected. It’s also hard to not feel positive about this all working when so many things just keep falling into place.
150 days folks. Please continue to cover her with prayer. Pray for peace for her heart as she waits. She doesn’t know she has a family and her heart must hurt thinking she is running out of time. Please pray for all of the other children who wait with her. Every child deserves the love of family.
Until the next step…
