2007
July 4
contacted agency
July 13th
made 2nd contact with agency
July 21
completed preliminary application fact
July 24
began the official Adoption Application
July 25
completed 5 documents for application
July 27
4 references were received by agency
July 31
applied for newly issued birth certificates through VitalChek
so let the paper chase begin!
July 30
China criminal clearance issued
August 1
new marriage license issued
Sandra’s new birth certificate issued
August 3
Shorel’s birth certificate issued
Shorel and Sandra completed a medical clearance
August 6
Arkansas Secretary of State certifies marriage license
August 9
Sandra birth certificate certified by the Secretary of State
August 10
Shorel birth certificate certified by the Secretary of State
August 15
at the Embassy in Hong Kong notarized:
Pre-Home Study/Adoption Agreement
Shorel’s Medical Exam
Sandra’s Medical Exam
Request for Expedition of Adoption Application
Sandra’s Unemployment Certificate
also took fingerprints which were later deemed unusable
August 17
letter of employment issued
August 27
Sandra and Shorel’s criminal history report from the U.S. are issued
September 4
embassy appointment in Beijing to give fingerprints & complete the 1-600A application
September 13
employment letter certified by Secretary of State
September 17
Sandra and Shorel’s criminal history report certified by Secretary of State
September 19-22
home study
October 10
home study complete
October 22
home study notarized
October 23
Oops. Embassy forgot to ask for one more signature. They’re mailing the 1-600A back.
October 24
home study certified by the Hawaii Secretary of State
October 29
mailed 1-600A to Beijing with signature
November 2
I-171H approved
November 14
home study received China Authentication from Chinese Embassy in D.C.
November 15
received official I-171H
November 19
appointment at US consulate in Guangzhou
got I-171H affidavit
notarized our application letter “Dear People’s Republic of China…”
December 3
US Consulate in Guangzhou mailed letter stating our case number
December 4
The Assistant Stork sent 11 documents to the US Secretary of State for authentication. Then, she carried those same documents to the Chinese Embassy in D.C. for China Authentication.
December 12-13
Hubs wired 4800 rmb to CCAA for processing fee and 2,190 rmb to Bridge of Love for translation of our dossier
December 14
The Assistant Stork carried our final document (which the Nanamaw accidentally forgot to mail with the original pack) over to the US Secretary of State and then to the Chinese Embassy in D.C. for authentication.
December 17
dossier completed
December 21
dossier mailed to China
December 24
dossier received by CCAA
December 29
dossier logged with CCAA
2008
February 28
received a grant from a non-profit. The money goes directly to our agency to assist in adoption expenses.
March 15
learned that we were logged on December 29
June 11
Adoption continues to slow down. We decided to visit the states. Wrote a letter to our school requesting a semester off.
June 17
CTGU approves a semester off
November 17
traveled to Memphis, TN for fingerprint run around with the Homeland Security office
December 2
traveled to Ft. Smith, AR to renew our I-600A fingerprints
December 13
original 1-600A fingerprints expired
December 20
received an e-mail that CCAA has changed the required orphanage “donation” fee from $3000 USD to $5000USD. This is the first increase they’ve had in the orphanage donation since 1989. Additionally, the money is to be paid in 35,000 rmb ($5,120 USD at current exchange rate).
2009
April 3
Shorel and Sandra receive 2nd criminal report
April 7
Shorel and Sandra receive 2nd criminal history report
April 10
updated our medical clearance
April 14
home study updated and ready for submission to update i-600A
March 11
received 2nd local criminal clearance
March 18
Beijing Embassy appointment to notarized background checks for home study renewal
April 21
appointment at Beijing Embassy to file an I-600A extension
also had U.S. criminal history report certified
April 29
I-600A extension granted
May 11
I-171H renewed
May 17
Swine Flu delays matching
July 1
China news article broke the story of children being taken by family planning officials and sold to orphanages for international adoption
September 19
CCAA announces all families using non-Hague agencies must find a new Hague approved agency
September 24
our agency receives a letter confirming CCAA’s Hague announcement
October 1
spoke with Beijing rep. we will need to search for a new agency.
made initial contact with 5 agencies to explore transfer costs
October 9
another contact approached CCAA on our behalf
waiting for…
referral – The Match!
travel approval
Adoption Day
