In my last post I talked about what a dossier is, what sort of things are required for one, and what you could do to start getting things ready for preparing your dossier for your adoption.

In this post I am going to give you some tips on how to best get through your mountain of paperwork and get that dossier done quickly. Remember, every day those papers sit on your kitchen counter or on your desk, is another day your child won’t be home with you. How’s that for motivation?

After doing this quite a few times, here are my tips…

-Get/make two of everything, even if you don’t have to have two of everything. Having an extra of everything is always a good idea.

-Be persistent. Do not drop off your request for a letter from your bank and assume that they are making it a priority. Call them back the next day, politely reminding them that it is for an adoption and that you need it quickly. I am polite on the first reminder, and then I get pushy. I am not a pushy person, but when it comes to getting my kids home, I have no problems letting people know what I need and that I need it now. Always ask if you can just wait while it is done, if possible.

-Be extra persistent with references. I can’t even count all of the people I know whose adoptions were held up waiting for friends or family members to get their reference letters done. Remind, remind, remind. Nag, nag, nag.

-Make sure you use your real, full names on all documents. For instance, if you name is Margaret but everyone calls you Maggie, make sure all of your documents say “Margaret” and not Maggie.

-Make sure that the notary you use has a stamp that does not expire for at least a year. Many countries require that a notary’s commission not expire before the adoption is processed.

-Check details carefully. Check dates, signatures, etc. to make sure that they are correct and make sure that everything is filled out in its entirety. Getting things right the first time will save you time and headaches.

-Be organized. Have a file or a binder that you use for only your dossier documents and keep it in a safe place. Have a to-do list, and cross things off as accomplish them.

-Use FedEx, or an equivalent for sending documents. Waiting 3-4 days for things to go back and forth really adds up, plus things get lost in the mail all the time. These documents will become outrageously important to you and you want to make sure they get where they need to go quickly and safely.

-Make photocopies or keep yourself a set of originals before you send it off. It is a lot easier to replace a document if you have a copy of what you need, plus most agencies recommend that you travel with a copy of your paperwork.

-Double check and triple check everything before you send it off. Read and reread your agencies directions and make sure you follow them to the letter.

Remember, don’t be too overwhelmed by the list of what you need to get done for your dossier. Take it one step at a time and be thorough and your dossier will be done before you know it.