before adoption

Before Beginning the Paper for an Adoption:

It is important that you understand, before you begin processing your paperwork, that you will be obtaining documents for three separate agencies with specific requirements. They are as follows:

1. Your chosen adoption agency (Usually an out-of-state agency). Preparation of you legal dossier (the complete set of required documents) will begin after you apply with an agency. They will send you the forms and a list of all documents that you will need. Most agencies will include examples of letters/documents that you will need in their informational packet. It usually takes 1 to 3 months to compile your documents. An average adoption, from start to finish, can range from seven months to about one year, depending on the age and sex of child you request. Ask them to give you a complete overview of your adoption experience: pre-adoption, adoption, post-adoption. The process can change slightly with time, so do not rely on friends to give you the complete breakdown of the process

2. Homestudy Agency (This is a local agency) - Your social worker will interview you and give you a list of documents that she will need. Your completed Home Study report will become part of your dossier.

*Important Note - Start you homestudy ASAP after deciding that you will definitely be starting the adoption process. You will need to have your completed homestudy in hand before filing your I-600A form (INS). You want to file and be fingerprinted ASAP because approval can take about 8 weeks. You do not want your INS approval to delay your adoption.

3. USCIS - Immigration and Naturalization (formerly INS).

* The exact process is forever-changing slightly. Please call USCIS, ask your social worker for details, or talk to other families in the process. Several documents are required to file your "Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition".

* NEW INFO - As of August 2005, families have been able to schedule their INS appointment in New Orleans online, choosing the time and date of their appointment. See USCIS for details.

Most documents will need to be notarized. For example, when you receive your medical report from your doctor, when the doctor signs it, a notary will need to be present to verify that the doctor actually signed the report.

You will also have to have your documents apostilled after they have been notarized, at the State Capital in Baton Rouge (this is basically stating that the notary that notarized your documents is a practicing, official notary.)

New rule for Notaries:

Please remind your notary to print their name and number under the signature block.

Getting Started:

In the beginning stages of researching adoption, you will feel like it has completely taken over your life. It will stay on your mind from the time you wake up in the morning until the time you go to bed at night. Celebrate each small step taken in completing your paperwork and remember that thousands have successfully completed international adoptions. You will too! Also, keep in mind that you are not competing with anyone to adopt a child. The sad reality is that thousands of beautiful children need forever families. It may help to step back for a few days to digest the overwhelming amount of information that you will receive. Take one step at a time, stay organized, and by all means, ask for help. The key to success is understanding the process before beginning and accepting the fact that you will encounter bumps and snags along the way. Everyone does. International adoption is an emotional roller coaster and you must prepare yourself for the ride. After submitting your dossier, the wait will be difficult for most. Keep busy and read some adoption parenting books so that you will become aware of adoption issues before your child arrives. Raising Adopted Children by Lois Melina is a favorite of many. Also, Adopting After Infertility by Patricia Johnston, has been highly recommended by many LEEAF members. Another excellent book to read before adopting any age child is, Attaching in Adoption: Practical Tools for Today's Parents by Deborah Gray. Adoption books can be ordered at www.amazon.com, www.tapestrybooks.com or your local book store. Another great resource is Adoptive Families Magazine. To subscribe, go to www.adoptivefam.org or call 1-800-372-3300. Rainbow Kids is an online adoption magazine with lots of adoption information. You can search the "back issues" and find just about any topic you are looking for. You can also prepare by completing one of several online, adoption courses offered by www.adoptionlearningpartners.org They offer courses such as "With Eye Wide Open: A Preparation Guide to International Adoption". This is an excellent course. Remember, you are on a journey and the final destination will be grabbing hold of your child! All of the paperwork and interviews will become a distant memory,.and just like the rest of us, you will say, "Now that wasn't so bad."