Timeline to Ava

Feb 17, 2005

• update fingerprints with CIS

April 11:

• start domestic and international homestudies with American Adoptions (AA)- they will complete both homestudies only

Apr 26:

• mail $1200 to AA
• meet with social worker, Sandy
• get local fingerprinting for Child Protective Services (CPS) from the Tempe police department

Apr 28:

• mail CPS fingerprinting card

May 2:

• meet with social worker, Sandy (AA)

May 3:

• go to doctor for blood and urine work

May 11:

• meet with social worker, Sandy (AA)

May 13:

• meet with social worker, Sandy (AA)

May 20:

• change international agencies to A Helping Hand (AHH)
• change countries from Belarus to China
• number 12 on singles waiting list -AHH

May 25:

• order New Jersey birth certificate
• sign up for FedEx account

May 27:

• number 10 on singles waiting list -AHH

June 1:

• submit I-600 form to CIS
• take passport photos
• submit passport application

June 3:

• submit 5 reference letters to social worker, Sandy -AA

June 13:

• AZ juvenile courts receive both domestic and international homestudy applications

June 14:

• number 9 on singles wait list - AHH

June 21:

• homestudy logged in at courts

June 24:

• both domestic and international homestudies are approved by AZ courts, they are good for 18 months so will expire on Dec 24, 2006
• number 8 on singles wait list - AHH

June 27:

• receive birth certificates (2 copies) from New Jersey

June 28:

• mail birth certificate to NJ secretary of state for certification

July 1:

• number 5 on singles wait list -AHH

July 5:

• number 4 on singles wait list -AHH
• fingerprinting at Tempe Police for local clearance

July 9:

• receive completed, court approved home study from AA

July 11:

• fedex homestudy to CIS

July 12:

• CIS receives and approves homestudy

July 13:

• receive local police clearance letter for fingerprints

July 14:

• receive I-171 (probably the quickest turnaround on record)
• get employer letter

July 15:

• notarize application letter to CCAA
• notarize single status letter
• notarize financial statement

July 16:

• my birthday
• certified birth certificate back from NJ

July 18:

• fedex birth certificate to New York Chinese Consulate for authentication

July 20:

• fax all notarized documents to AHH for final review

July 25:

• take all AZ notarized documents to secretary of state for certification

July 26:

• fedex dossier to Los Angeles Chinese Consulate for authentication

August 1:

• birth certificate back from NY Chinese Consulate

August 9:

• dossier documents back from LA Chinese Consulate
• fedex complete dossier to AHH
• make payment to AHH

August 10:

• AHH receives my completed dossier, ready to be sent to China

August 19:

• officially off singles waiting list at AHH
• AHH mails dossiers out every Friday, if my caseworker was a little more on top of it and a bit more compassionate, I could have been DTC this day. By sending in my dossier one-week later, my LID ended up being a full month later than the people who were DTC 8/19.

Aug 26:

• DTC

SEPTEMBER 1: REFERRALS FOR LID'S JAN 18 TO FEB 23 SENT FROM CHINA (37 days)

Sept 26:

• LID

OCTOBER 3: REFERRALS FOR LID'S FEB 24 TO MAR 17 SENT FROM CHINA (23 days)

Oct 27:

• was notified of Sept 26 LID

NOVEMBER 7: REFERRALS FOR LID'S MAR 18-30 SENT FROM CHINA (13 days)

DECEMBER 7: REFERRALS FOR LID'S APR 1-15 SENT FROM CHINA (15 days)

DECEMBER 28: REFERRALS FOR LID'S APR 16-25 SENT FROM CHINA (10 days)

JANUARY 23, 2006: REFERRALS FOR LID'S APR 26 - MAY 13 SENT FROM CHINA (19 days)

FEBRUARY 23: REFERRALS FOR LID'S MAY 14-25 SENT FROM CHINA (12 days)

MARCH 24: REFERRALS FOR LID'S MAY 26-30 SENT FROM CHINA (5 days)

April 22:

• update fingerprints with CIS

APRIL 25: REFERRALS FOR LID'S MAY 31 - JUNE 6 SENT FROM CHINA (7 days)

• September LID's through the review room

MAY 23: REFERRALS FOR LID'S JUNE 7 - 15 SENT FROM CHINA (9 days)

JUNE 22: REFERRALS FOR LID'S JUNE 16 - 28 SENT FROM CHINA (13 days)

JULY 27: REFERRALS FOR LID'S JUNE 29 - JULY 13 SENT FROM CHINA (15 days)

AUGUST 22: REFERRALS FOR LID'S JULY 14 - JULY 22 SENT FROM CHINA (9 days)

SEPTEMBER 18:

• begin updating homestudy w/ American Adoptions

SEPTEMBER 20:

• CPS fingerprinting at Tempe PD
  
• mail CPS clearance forms

SEPTEMBER 22: REFERRALS FOR LID'S JULY 23 - AUGUST 9 SENT FROM CHINA (18 days)

OCTOBER 15:

• AA mails updated homestudy to AZ courts

OCTOBER 31: REFERRALS FOR LID'S AUGUST 10 - 25 SENT FROM CHINA (16 days)

NOVEMBER 15:

• received updated homestudy, expires Dec. 24, 2007

NOVEMBER 16:

• resubmit I-600 ($545) for new I-171

NOVEMBER 28:

• received updated I-171, expires May 27, 2008

NOVEMBER 28: REFERRALS FOR LIDs AUG 26 - SEPT 8, SENT FROM CHINA (13 DAYS)

JANUARY 3, 2007: REFERRALS FOR LIDs SEPT 9 - 27, RECEIVED REFERRAL!!!

FEBRUARY 9:

• received Travel Approval (TA)

FEBRUARY 12:

• received Consulate Appointment (CA)

FEBRUARY 14:

• finalize travel arrangements

MARCH 2:

• leave for China

March 6:

• Family Day

MARCH 16:

• return home with Ava!