Travel Itinerary

6/23-24 Fly OKC to Beijing
6/25 day in Beijing & Fly to Taiyuan (Remember? I wanted a short trip and because we couldn't catch a flight out of Beijing after we arrive.
6/26 Sign Harmonious Period paper
....(This is very very funny to us; you'll soon read why)
6/27 Sign Adoption papers
6/28 visit PingYao
6/29
6/30 Adoption papers delivered & fly to Guangzhou
7/1 US Medical appt and visa pictures
7/2 Consulate appointment for my guide
7/3 I swear-in at US Consulate, Guangzhou, China
7/4 Fly home, arring in time for fun & fireworks

On the way to CCAA !

Our dossier is on its way to CCAA in Beijing!!!
Finally; now we wait for formal and final approval to adopt Dang Ting.

3/17 Our dossier was Logged In at CCAA

I171h has arrived

Received I171h---approval of our I600a!! Now to rush this off to all the Authentication stops. Thank goodness for great courier services.

Fingerprints everywhere

Fingerprinting appointment at USCIS. Everyone in the home, 18yrs and older participate. We’ve done this so many times, that the adoption officers will talk with us while we wait (that just doesn't usually happen :-) Gerald comments that the FBI must have our file tagged. Good news; the FBI purges prints and results after 15 months.

I600a is filed

We filed our I600a (permission to adopt internationally) with US CIS office in OK. Oh, yes, we have wonderful timing—offices are closed until January 4th! On the bright side, at least we've filed before the Hague Treaty goes into effect. The I800a (replacing I600a) is 9+ pages long!

We have Pre Approval!!

We received PreApproval from China Center for Adoption Affairs (CCAA)!!! We can begin assembling our dossier. First is to get our homestudy completed. There are 13 other documents that we will gather. Then each will be notarized, the notary will be Authenticated in their state of origin and finally each state’s Secretary of State’s signature will be Authenticated by the Chinese Embassy in D.C. Oh, and each stop wants $$

How to Expedite

Cora received her US Certificate of Citizenship during a special day at the OKC-USCIS offices. While there, we were able to talk with our Adoption Officer about how to expedite our I600a approval. Oklahoma requires letters from physicians explaining why it necessary that the child receive specific medical procedures asap. Dr. Hildebrand of Dean McGee Eye Institute is willing to do this to help Ting.