Questions and Answers?

To give you some idea of the absurdity of this process, here are a couple recent emails with questions and the responses from our agency. Names have been omitted for confidentiality.

OUR QUESTION: Now that it is time to gather funds does this mean good things? I did have a question regarding this “letter” that US CIS is supposed to send via e-mail. I don’t remember ever giving them an e-mail address. Will our letter come in the mail? Or, if we did give them an e-mail address and I just don’t remember that, can you tell us what address we gave them so I know which one to keep checking.

AGENCY ANSWER: I sent an email address to Vietnam for the Foster family based on what was in the database. They will receive an updated medical report and hopefully pictures by the end of the month, but they are not going to receive ongoing updates. That's not how the program works, nor does the agency get updated reports on the progress unless there is an issue.

OUR RESPONSE: Thanks for the info. Frankly I find it hard to believe that even the agency's Vietnam rep may have no idea as to where the paperwork is in the process over there and that we as families aren’t privy to any of that info. Kinda sucks if you ask me. I also find it absolutely amazing that it would take that long to decide whether this is a legit situation or not. Obviously we would love to get an updated medical and pictures of Katelin but please don’t feel obligation (which is the impression I’m getting). We are, I’m sure, not the only family who is desperately trying to see where this process is. We have lives as well and the fact that we can just all of a sudden get a call and we have to go within 2 weeks is just amazing. At least with Lilli’s process you were able to give us an idea as to where we were in the process and a better idea as to when a referral was coming and then we left two weeks after that to apply the paperwork and they only took 5 weeks to finish that paperwork and get us over to finalize the adoption. We could count on updates from you as to where the process was and when we should start to expect something.

OUR QUESTION: Are we to assume that because it is time to give our in-country fee to you guys(the agency) that the process is moving rather quickly and we shouldn’t be surprised to hear from you come the end of next month that it’s time? I realize the agency needs those fees to get into its hands and clear before then can send it (am I correct by wire transfer?) to the office in Vietnam. But, is the office requesting those funds because we’re close to the time where they will be invited to pay the fees? If so we are really near the end and near travel time. I realize things can change rather quickly and could stall out a bit. I just wanna know should I “expedite” my gift getting for the orphanage and such?

AGENCY ANSWER: The in-country and final fees are due at the acceptance of the referral as per their contract. We held off until the I-600 was filed, but the fee is now needed. It in no way indicates when travel will be and there is no way to know exactly when travel will be. US CIS states that once an I-600 is filed, they want at least 60 business days to process and it has been taking much longer than the 60 days.

Timing???

Our child acceptance paperwork is over in Vietnam. Now the wait begins for a date. They say 75-90 days. That would put it November-December, which would be great. That is when we went over to adopt Lilli. What we are trying to find out is...75-90 days calendar days or working days. If the latter, we will not be happy campers, as that will mean sometime in February. Next year. All in God's timing can sometimes be frustrating, but we must keep the faith. He has taken us this far.