I have also been asked what are the next steps are after we receive this document. It is as confusing to me as it is to most everyone who is adopting through the new improved (or not) Hague process but here goes....
We sign the LSC and send to our agency. They send a copy with our visa documents to the US Consulate and the original back to the Chinese Government (CCAA). We then send a copy with some other documents to the USCIS (US immigration) who approves the now complete I-800 (preapproval is the I-800A) and sends a letter of approval. USCIS also sends a letter of approval to another office in immigration who then has to verify and send what is called the Article 5 to the US Consulate in Guanzhou. Once this is received and processed, they send this via courier back to Beijing where the CCAA (Chinese Govt.) works to issue a Travel Approval. Once we receive the travel approval, the US sets up a consulate appt. in Guanzhou for us and then count back 14 days to our leave for China. The average seems to be 40-80 days once we receive the Article 5 to travel time. (this is sadly the best I can do to put this process into words-anyone confused? Me,too....)
All this for one little barely 20 pound girl to enter the US as our daughter. Just say "NO" to government healthcare! If this process is any indication of government control. It is as confusing and difficult as possible. One small error on a form and you could be waiting months for resolution before you can travel. There is a discussion board group of families who are adopting from China, and let me tell you, this is a reality and many are suffering due to small seemingly unimportant errors.
So that is what I know tonight...Maybe I will have more exciting news soon. I am so ready to get this document and move to the next window of paperwork.
Onto other fun life events, the kids start school tomorrow and are really excited. They will all be at the same school this year. Our youngest Micah is starting Pre-K and really excited about being at the big boy school but I am not so sure about him being so big:( Corban is starting 4th grade and Hayden is starting 2nd. They grow up so fast and are really sweet boys- we are very proud of them and feel so lucky to have spent a lot of time with them this summer just playing and having a good time. Hayden has been playing baseball and both he and Corban start football in the next couple of weeks.
We just got back from Greer, Arizona with my family. Spent the days fishing on the lake, in the streams, playing games and I even read 4 books (not related to my job) which was wonderful! Oh, and if you have never read a book called The Shack, I highly recommend it. A friend at church gave it to us and we both read it while on vacation. It really changed my thoughts on my relationship with God. It excited me about what we have to look forward to after all the suffering that occurs on earth. It gave me a new perspective on how God views me and how I should be viewing Him. I can't do it justice, so please, go out and get this book. It will change your life.
We are home now from our trip and Band camp started for Christopher last Thursday and both of us start teaching again this week. It is Fall Madness around here which will keep us busy while we wait for our beautiful girl. I wonder what she has been up to. Please continue to pray for us and this process. They say it is not for the faint of heart- I thought I was pretty tough but it is starting to wear on me and although I know that it will work out and all in God's time, I am a worrier and the waiting continues to be very difficult.
TB ISSUE:
One more thing, please go to this site and sign this petition. The CDC has discriminated against the adoption of foreign children and just passed a mandate that would require children to remain in their birth country for up to 9 months or until they are proven to be not contagious. Families may not find out their children are positive until the Chinese portion of the adoption is finalized which means that in the eyes of the Chinese government, these children are not their responsibility and are the parents now. This causes a huge problem since if they are positive, they can't bring them into the US. You do the math. What are these families suppose to do. Most can't stay in China for that length of time and most have other children, jobs, etc. It is a huge problem and the CDC just wants to stick to their "rule" without figuring out a plan for the consequences. There is a law that is going up to Congress in the fall that would allow for children of international adoptions to immediately be classified as US citizens. If they are classified as US citizens, they are not able to keep them from getting a visa and if you are one that is worried they are going to expose you, don't be.....According to one of the leading child TB experts in the country (he is at Texas Children's Hospital), there are only 2 confirmed cases in which adoptive children have passed TB to others once getting to the US. This means that over 99% who have active TB did not spread the disease. The risk is very low and no more than anyone else coming in from outside the US. There is a family that has recently had to leave their daughter in China with a agency friend because the child had tested for TB, had been on medication for 2 months and the US would not accept the test results from the Chinese Hospitals. The CDC wouldn't approve her for her visa. I just learned that she is getting to finally come home next weekend. This has cost this family so much emotionally, financially and physically because of this "rule" that was put into place in June. So please, go to this website and sign the petition.
Thanks!
2 comments:
Come on LOA! I hope you guys get those 3 letters soon! Every new step is more and more stressful.
Thanks, JnJ. Hope you get your TA soon!!!!! I am excited for you!
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