Now This is More Like It!

After the worst wait ever for our LOA, things are looking up....

Our LOA hard copy arrived on December 30th. We were able to sign and send it on to the USCIS, the immigration department, the same night. The USCIS issues the I800. It usually takes 10-20 days after they receive your LOA. This is the same agency that had given us an expedite earlier in the process, so I was hopeful we would not have to wait that long.

The very next morning, December 31st, our I800 was granted!  

I'm hoping my bestie Colleen is right, things are going to go the Michelle Fulton way from here on out!

Looks boring, but this is one important piece of paper!

According to the US, Zi Shu is now our immediate relative!!

Tomorrow morning I will mail Chinese Visa applications for Jason, Gabe, & I. 

We are praying Gabe is able to come to China with us!

So, now what? The I800 goes to the National Visa Center. We need them to issue a document that says they will give Zi Shu a Visa to enter the US. We want them to do this quickly so we can apply for the next step.

We really need to have travel approval before Chinese New Year, which is the end of January, to make February travel.

If you've been praying for us, this is what we are specifically asking for prayers for at this time.  

This is taken from a post I did back in July shortly after we received our referral. Honestly, It's hard for me to keep track of everything we've already done, but I think this helps. We just keep crossing things off the list!


So here's my best explanation of what happens now....

Home Study-We had our final home study visit last week. Now our social worker writes up the report and sends it to a lady in Springfield to approve.

I-800A- Once we have our completed home study, we send that along with lots of other paperwork in to the department of homeland security. Then they invite us to be fingerprinted (again). Once our fingerprints clear we receive our I-800A, which is the DHS saying we qualify to bring an orphan into the US.

IL/China Seals- Once we have our 1-800A, we send that along with all the other documents we've been collecting and having notarized to Chicago. A Courier will take the to the Secretary of State office for them to approve all the notarizations. She will then take them to the Chinese Embassy in Chicago to have all our documents "sealed", basically the embassy approves them.

Dossier To China-All the approved documents go to our agency in Colorado. All the documents together are referred to as your dossier.  They review everything. Three times. Once they are sure everything is in order, they will send our dossier to China.

Log in Date- Once China receives and approves our dossier, we receive a LID. This is very important!

LOA- commonly known as the Letter of Acceptance or Letter Seeking Confirmation.  This is a document issued by the Chinese government. It says that they have reviewed our  dossier and that they approve us to adopt Penelope.

I-800 approval- This is on the US side.   The US government will not allow just any child to come to this county. Steps need to be taken to make sure she is truly an orphan and that she is healthy enough to enter the country. This has to be done after we receive our LOA.

This is it!! These 3 little steps are all that we have left!!!

NVC- This is where the US government says they will issue a Visa to Penelope.

Article 5- Communication between China and the US, has to be issued prior to travel approval.

Travel Approval- After all of the steps above are complete the Chinese government will send us an invitation to come to their country and pick up our girl.