Disclaimer: Many factors come into play when it comes to your adoption timeline. Though one of the most popular questions we have been asked is when we will bring our child home, there is no definite answer. Navigating state and federal government in addition to the government of the country in which you will be adopting means everything begins with the world “approximately.” We want to document general milestones at A Wide Sea to help us remember how far we’ve come and the path we’ve yet to travel.
Dec 2011 Attended orientation meeting at Sunny Ridge Family Center and received our preliminary application packet
Mar 2012 Got the thumbs-up that the agency was accepting new families into their Waiting Child Program
Apr 2012 Submitted our preliminary application to Sunny Ridge. Got approval– we’re in!
May 2012 Completed our home study packet and autobiographies– lots and lots of paperwork
June 2012 Assigned our awesome caseworker/social worker for the home study process
July 2012 Completed Hague Convention adoption education credits, caseworker visits, and home visit
Began preparation of our dossier packet for submission to CCAA and finalization of homestudy for state
Aug 2012 DCFS approval of our homestudy application for IL
Sep 2012 Submitted I-800A to USCIS; dossier in progress
Oct 2012 Biometrics appointment with USCIS; I-800A approval
Nov 2012 Two trips to the Chinese Consulate; submission of dossier to agency; DTC!
Jan 21, 2013 We received a referral for our son!
Jan 24, 2013 Letter of Interest (LOI) submitted to Chinese government
Jan 30, 2013 Preliminary Approval (PA) received for adoption of our son
Mar 21, 2013 LOA received from Chinese government
Mar 25, 2013 USCIS I-800 petition filed for Alexander’s immigration
April 25, 2013 Final immigration paperwork dropped off at American Consulate in China
May 9, 2013 Pickup of our Article 5 clearance for Alexander
May 22, 2013 Travel Approval (TA) arrived at our agency!
June 19, 2013 We’re Beijing bound
June 24, 2013 Placement Day
June 25, 2013 Finalization of Placement
July 2, 2013 Interview with the US Consulate
July 4, 2013 Welcome to the United States, Alexander. We’re home!