Yesterday we got the call that our LOA reached the doorstep of our adoption agency. Today, we received a package from FedEx with an embossed document from China stating that our paperwork was in line, and they officially referred him to us. We signed it, accepting his referral, and off it went.
Next step was sending a copy of this document (along with many others) to immigration here in the US so that they can give us approval to bring Eli home. (Prior to this, they had approved us to adopt a 3-5 year old boy from China, unspecified. Kind of a preapproval, so to speak.) Their approval will travel back to China so that China can approve a visa for him. There's a few other documents along the way, but this is the gist of the rest of the process. Eventually, we will receive travel approval when all of this is finished, and then we travel approximately two weeks later. These small steps we have left will still take us to about February.
All of that aside, today we are celebrating! Eli is ours, maybe not legally adopted, but ours...waiting for us to come and get him.
I am so excited for you guys.... as I sit here crying happy tears for you! Patrick said he can't wait to come and meet him! Congats!
ReplyDeleteLove you, Jen
So cannot wait! Oh, I may have a few things I want from China :) Hope you don't mind!
ReplyDeleteOh my! It was November 2004 that all of this happened for me to bring home my Luke. My dossier had been sent to China in the summer. My agency got a new group of special needs listings the end of August. I sent my request of Luke (can't remember the paper work name!) in September. Early November (like the 4th or 5th) I recieved permission to adopt and had travel approval on the 17th! I left on New Years Eve and first held Luke on January 4th -- he was 27-months then and is now 8-years-old. How time flies!
ReplyDelete