The Six Steps: Phases of Adoption

There are a lot of steps involved when it comes to adoption, and even more with international adoption.  It was very overwhelming and confusing at first.  I didn't even understand the lingo enough to know what some of the forms were talking about!  But now that I've got a good grip and I've figured most of it out, I can split the process into a few different phases for you.  The further you get, the longer each step takes.  We estimate the total time to be 18-24 months.

1- Applications

This is obviously the initial phase.  Most agencies have a preliminary app of some sort, just to be sure you are eligible for a China adoption.  Then a formal application that is a few pages long.  We did this twice, once for our Adoption Agency (CCAI) and again for our Home Study Agency (FAC).  Many people can use the same agency for both, but CCAI is out of state so we had to use a local agency for the home study.  It's worth it though, because CCAI's fees are lower than others and we LOVE working with them.

2- Home Study

The Home Study agency gave us our first mountain of paperwork.  There were something like 40 different documents to read, complete, sign, and return.  These documents ranged from 1 page to simply sign, to writing 8 pages worth of answers to personal questions, to reading 122 pages of various articles on adoption.  This also included things like medical exams for the whole family, financial statements, employment verification letters, reference letters, etc.  We spent about 2 weeks working on it and now are just waiting for our medicals to be sent back.  (Making a Dr. appt a few weeks prior would have helped!  They couldn't see us for 4 weeks).  Once the agency gets ALL the documents in, they will schedule our home study and interviews.  Then, when that is done, we will be cleared to send the I-800A form to get approval for our adopted child's US citizenship.  No idea how long this phase will take... hopefully not more than a few weeks??!

3- The Dossier (a.k.a. "The Great Paper Chase")

This is the second mountain of paperwork.  The Dossier is a compilation of formal documents that must be notarized, then sent to Lansing for state certification, THEN sent to Chicago to be sealed by the Chinese Consulate, and FINALLY to be sent to China to be looked over and logged in with the CCCWA (China Center for Child Welfare and Adoption).  It consists of newly re-certified copies of our birth and marriage certificates, our homestudy and I-800A from the step above, a police background check, our "Letter of Intent" which tells about our family and how we will take care of our adopted child, photos of us and our family, and a few other documents.  This process can easily take a few months.  Thankfully I've already got most of the documents gathered and I'm just waiting for the forms from the home study before I start mailing the packet all over for the necessary stamps of approval!  I can't wait to take my own photo like this:

A completed dossier pic borrowed from another adoptive family's blog.

4- The Wait

The paper chase can be frustrating and feel like hard work, but I think this phase is where the hard part really begins!  I'd much rather be "doing" than "waiting".  Right now we are waiting for our Child Match.  This can happen anytime during or after steps 2 and 3.  We are estimating to be matched with a child around Christmas time, but only God knows when the time will come!  Then we wait for China to approve the Dossier, which logs us into their computer and gives us our Log-In-Date (or LID in adoption lingo).  Once we have our LID, AND are matched with a child, we wait for travel approval.  It sounds like that can take another 4-6 months or so, which means that our child will be growing older in the orphanage as we sit and wait to bring them home.  I can't imagine how difficult those months will be!  We will be able to send her a care package though, and many prayers.

5- Travel Time!

Once we receive our Letter of Approval from China we will be cleared to travel in a few week's time.  Curt & I will both fly to China and will spend about 14-16 days there.  The first day or two is spent in Beijing or Hong Kong, whichever we fly in to, while we adjust to the time change.  Then we will travel to the capital city of whatever province our child's orphanage is in.  Our child will be given to us a day or two later!  (I can't wait!!)  We spend the rest of the week getting her passport and paperwork done.  Then we go to Guangzhou to work with the US Consulate for her entry visa.  We will be traveling with a small group of people (maybe 6 other couples) who will be adopting at the same time.  Quite often these families form a special friendship and keep in touch as their children grow!

6- Post-Adoption

It's not quite "happily every after" yet!  China requires that SIX post-adoptive home studies are done, the first being at one month post-adoption and the last being five years post-adoption.  From what I understand they mostly just want pictures of the child and parents, and an update.  During the whole adoption process we have to complete 12 hours of Parent Training, and a majority of it is preparing us to deal with whatever emotional, physical, and psychological issues our adopted child may be dealing with.  It can be a little intimidating, but I am confident that God will give us everything we need to handle whatever comes our way.  It's also been interesting to read other blogs from parents who have adopted from China, to see what struggles they had as their child adjusted to life in a new home, and to hear about how they overcame the difficulties and bonded with their family.  It's so inspiring!  I can't wait for it to be our turn!