Status Update

I just thought I'd make a quick rundown of everything I've completed to date to show myself how much progress I've made, as well as what is still left to do! The process varies a bit among the adoption agencies accredited to work in Kyrgyzstan, but it basically goes something like this:

1) Apply to Adoption Agency [done]

2) Gather and notarize US immigration documents for Homestudy:

• 1st & 2nd home visits w/SW [done]
• USCIS fingerprinting [done]
• 3 Character (non-relatives) References [done]
• Medical Form [done]
• Local Police Clearance [done]
• CANTS Clearance [done]
• Illinois Fingerprints [done]
• FBI Fingerprints [done]
• Copies of my Birth Certificate [done]
• Animal Vaccination Records [done]
• Tax return from previous year [done]
• Pay Stub [done]
• Bank Account Statements [done]
• Retirement Fund Statement [done]
• Life Insurance Documentation [done]
• Letter of insurance coverage for adopted child [done]
• (13) hours of Adoption Educational requirements [done]

3) Have 3rd home visit w/ SW [done]

4) Homestudy completed [done]

5) Submit notarized home study and US immigration documents to US immigration [done]

6) Gather and notarize Kyrg dossier documents, many of which are also US immigration documents [not started]

7) Submit notarized Kyrg dossier to state for state certification

8) Submit state certified Kyrg dossier to US dept. of state for federal certification

9) Submit federally certified Kyrg dossier to Kyrg Embassy in US for authentication The dossier is legalized at the Kyrgyz Embassy in DC; this can take one to four weeks

10) Kyrg dossier sent to my adoption agency's in-country coordinator in Kyrg. The dossier travels on to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (MOFA); the Embassy in DC is actually an arm of the MFA; the Embassy plans to send the dossiers by diplomatic courier to Bishkek; this may add a couple weeks time because the courier does not go every day or even every week. From the MOFA it then goes to the Minister of Education (MOE) to be reviewed by the Committee; they will consider all the factors in the background of the family. Family gets Committee approval and is eligible for referral.

11) Wait many months for referral

12) Receive referral

13) Travel on first trip to meet referral and agree to adoption

14) Go home to wait for court date - the referral will be filed officially with the MOE. Then the court process can proceed.The reason this is happening is so that there can be a central entity that tracks and approves adoptions; not just the Judge of the court. The MOE lays eyes on the dossiers and on the child's documents before they even get to court. Which makes court kind of redundant, but it is the law. (Similar to the US.) This will also make it easier for them to track the post placement reports.

15) Travel on 2nd trip to Kyrg to finish the paperwork to bring my child home - which involves a trip to the US Embassy Almaty, Kazakhstan (when my referral legally becomes my child)

16) Mommy & Baby come home!

17) Post placement report - this is the term for reports written for children who come home on the IR4 visa because they do not have automatic citizenship and must be have their adoption finalized through re-adoption in their home state; Post adoption reports refer to families who have met the criteria for the IR3 visa and their child is considered a US citizen upon arrival in the US. The reports themselves are the same. The distinction has to do with terminology relevant to the Hague Convention.) These reports are due until your child reaches age 14.

Fingerprinting #2

So, last week I went to get my fingerprints taken that will be sent directly to my Homestudy Agency. Finding the place to get fingerprinted was not easy, it could not be found on a map - I drove up and down the street and almost missed the appointment all together! Anyway, like the last, I was in/out in 10 minutes and there was no ink involved, everything is done by scanner. And this time I knew what to expect. Oh, and the fingerprinter person said that the FBI fingerprinting (3rd type) does use ink UGH :(

Waiting Moms Adoption Support Group Meeting

I attended a meeting this week hosted by my homestudy agency for Mom's in all stages of the adoption process. One of the Mom's received a referral last month and she & her husband will travel to China next week and she shared with us the baby pictures - too cute! The social worker hosting the meeting brought along her Mom as the guest speaker b/c the social worker herself was adopted at birth. We got to ask her Mom questions about what adoption was like 25+ years ago and what things she did to prepare her children (both were adopted domestically) with regards to letting them know that they were adopted from a very young age and how that affected them as they grew up. All of it was very informative!

Getting Fingerprinted is Kinda Creepy

I had my scheduled appointment today with the USCIS for my first of 3 separate fingerprinting requirements. I was in/out in 10 minutes and there is no ink involved, everything is done by computer and a bioscanner. But it was still kinda creepy to have someone rolling each of my fingers across a scanner and saving it to a database.

Explaining the costs of international adoption

I wanted to expand on my older posts about the costs of adoption. The following was actually written by a fellow blogger and adoptive parent (although I did make some changes to reflect my personal situation), I hope she does not mind me sharing/editing this as it so aptly explains the costs of international adoption.

Those pursuing international adoption know how much it costs per country so I'm going to leave the actual total out because it is nobody's business but my own, but I'm sure everyone can imagine the total expenses are high. As a single person, I have fewer documents to gather and authenticate etc. and lower travel costs. I waited until I knew I could comfortably afford this adoption and the ensuing unpaid portions of my family leave before starting my process. The waiting was hard, but essential for my financial peace of mind - especially as a soon-to-be single parent. I chose to adopt from Kyrgyzstan because the program is single-friendly and as far as I know, not rife with corruption like it seems so many countries are. I think a lot of people have made good points about why they feel the fees they are paying are worth it. But with each check I write, I like to keep in mind that I'm paying fees for services that many wonderful people are providing me in an effort to unite my child with me:

• I'm paying the people at my home study agency to prepare me for life as an adopted parent, through classes and reading.
• I'm paying them to help me gather and file all my USCIS paperwork.
  
• I'm paying their social worker to meet with me four times and write a 16-page report about me. I'm paying them to perform and write three post-placement reports for me.
  
• I'm paying the people at CIS to go over all my paperwork and provide me with what I need to bring my child to this country.
  
• I'm paying the people at my placing agency to help me navigate the confusing path of dossier preparation and document authentication. I'm paying them to answer every little question I have about Kyrgyzstan, adoption and post adoption. I'm paying them to advise me, to comfort me, to rally me. I'm paying them to guide me through my referral process and prepare me for travel.
  
• I'm paying pilots and flight attendants to get me safely to and from Kyrgyzstan, twice. I'm paying hotel staff to keep me warm and dry and comfortable. I'm paying cooks and waiters to keep me fed.
  
• In country, I'm paying for the services of translators, guides, drivers and the adoption coordinator, whose specialty it is to navigate this very confusing and utterly unfamiliar territory for me.
  
• I'm paying for the services of people in the Kyrgyzstan government whose job it is to make sure the orphans of their country find safe and loving homes. I'm paying for the time and effort of the people at the U.S. Embassy in Almaty who will see to it my child can legally enter the U.S. as my child.
  
• And perhaps most importantly, I'm paying for the services of the people who have been sheltering, feeding, clothing, changing, protecting, doctoring and nurturing my child, 'round the clock, for at least 6 months of her life.