Adopting from China is a pretty straightforward
process. The steps are pretty much the
same for everyone. There is a lot of
paperwork, but since I’ve done this before, I think it will be easier this time
around. I started by applying to WACAP
last November. (WACAP is the agency I
used for my first adoption.) In January,
I applied to Evolve to have my home study completed. They did my last home study so the process
was pretty quick this time because they could use the previous one as a
guide and just make changes to update it.
Once my home study was approved by WACAP, I sent my I-800A application to
USCIS. This is the request to US
immigration to allow me to adopt from China.
Fingerprints are required before they will approve an application and
they assign a date and time to have it done.
(The fingerprints have to be done in their office so it’s not as easy as
just going down to the local police department.) My fingerprint appointment was on May 28th
and I received my approval notice on June 1st. Sometimes this process takes as long as 90
days, but I got lucky and it took about 30 days from the date my application
was mailed until I received my approval notice.
Now I just have to gather some other paperwork (employment
verification letter, background letter from the sheriff’s office, and a few
other items) to complete my dossier.
Once I have everything notarized, I’ll take it to the Secretary of
State’s Office for certification (verifying all the notarizations). After that I’ll send it to a courier who will
take it to the Chinese Consulate in Chicago for authentication and after I get
everything back from her it can be sent to WACAP who will send it to China.
My goal is to have all of these steps completed by the end
of September. Then I just wait to be
“matched”. Once I'm matched I should travel within six months or less. I would like to be matched by
the end of the year or early next year, but that’s out of my hands so I’ll try
to be patient while I wait.
“God has perfect timing;
never early, never late. It takes a
little patience and it takes a lot of faith, but it’s worth the wait.” - Unknown
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