I have already written about the I600A and I600 steps in the immigration process for an international adoption, and now I am going to write about a few other forms that can be required to obtain a visa for an internationally adopted child.

If your child is entering the United States on an IR4 visa, meaning that the adoption is either not final in the child's country, or that the adoption is final but both parents did not personally meet the child prior to... more

After writing my last post about the family who is separated due to struggles with their international adoption and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), I thought I would write some about the role that USCIS plays in international adoptions and what is involved and required of families in the United States who adopting internationally.

Please take this as general advice and information,... more

There is a popular saying that "No news is good news", and while I can definitely see how in many different situations that would certainly be a true statement, I can also say with confidence that most often when it comes to adoption, no news is definitely not good news.

When you have sent in your initial application to your homestudy and/or adoption agency and are waiting to get the paperwork you need to officially start your adoption process, no news is not good news.

When you have filed your I600A for an international adoption and have sent... more

Back almost two weeks ago I wrote this post about surviving the wait until we get to travel to bring home our Solomon.

I also posed a little competition to see if any of you out there had some suggestions on how I can spend my time over the next three to four months (other than compulsively checking my email and packing, unpacking and repacking my suitcases).

You all had some really good suggestions, and they definitely ran the gamut, and at times even conflicted each other. For example, "pastormacsann" suggested... more

We got word yesterday that our dossier was on its way to Ethiopia as of Monday. We also got news that was pretty encouraging regarding the rest of the process. We had been assuming that we would have a very long wait for a court date since the courts in Ethiopia are just reopening after being closed for two months for the rainy season, but our agency assured us that they do not have a backlog and things will move right along.

Once our paperwork arrives in Ethiopia, the dossier will be translated and then it will be prepared for court. We have been told that our paperwork will likely be submitted to court in November, and by my estimates, I am guessing we will have a court date in early... more

While there are things that you can do to try and avoid being in the position to have to turn down a referral, there are still situations that are unexpected.

- Background issues. While all children who are available for adoption will have a significant loss in their history, and many will have very sad stories, some background issues could warrant deciding that a child is not right for your family. Birth family histories of mental illness, a birth mother that consumed alcohol or drugs, or known sexual abuse are all background issues with significant impact on a child and could lead to a family turning... more

When we think about getting a referral, we typically imagine exciting, wonderful moments as we first learn about the child we are going to adopt. Sometimes however, things do not go that way, and sometimes, families end up turning down a referral instead of joyfully accepting it.

Here are a few thoughts on referrals before I go into some of the reasons that a family could possibly turn down a referral. Since turning down a referral is a very difficult position to be in, you should do all that you can do avoid being in that situation.

- You should always know BEFOREHAND what your... more

Getting a referral is one of the "big" moments in your adoption. It is also often a very emotional moment for adoptive parents. Seeing your child's face for the first time can be exciting, joyful, overwhelming and amazing in countless ways, and yet it is also common for adoptive parents to have a variety of other emotions as well.

Here are some common emotions after receiving your referral:

- Sheer joy, excitement, happiness, amazement, etc. Finally seeing your child's face and finally having a child that is assigned to you, makes the adoption very real and can be one of the truly most wonderful... more

While the excitement of waiting to see your child's face for the first time can be extreme, many adoptive parents have found that their referral picture(s) were a bit of a let down. It is hard not to build up the moment in your mind while you are waiting for a referral, dreaming about and imagining what your child's photo is going to look like. But it is important to remember that often times, referral photos are not great pictures.

Usually a person that the child does not know is singling him out from the other children in the orphanage or from his foster family,... more

Receiving a referral is often one of the most exciting and emotional moments of the adoption process.

If you have submitted your paperwork and waited for a referral for a child that meets certain age, gender and/or health criteria, then news of your referral may come after many months of waiting. If you choose to adopt a waiting child after turning in your paperwork, your referral may come very quickly (sometimes almost immediately), and if you have pre-identified a child and then worked like mad to get your paperwork done... more