2/29 - The STATE Police Clearance letter via CA Dept of Justice

The letter arrived today!!

So, our dossier is complete!! We just need to actually have (in hand) our homestudy report, and homestudy agency license (notarized) to take with us to Sacramento...maybe this week!!

Obtaining this letter wasn't clear or intuitive at all...
...here are the steps.

Refer to this website - Office of the Attorney General DOJ.

Take note of the far right hand column about half-way down - the information about "Visa/Immigration and Foreign Adoptions".

Download this form, as instructed.

Fill it out using this guideline. - note, check the 'visa/immigration' box; write "Foreign Adoption" on the line.

Find a Livescan facility to get your fingerprints done (this is a separate livescan from the one you do for your homestudy agency; and they cannot 'save' fingerprints on the computer, so you have to do it twice, and pay twice). Be sure to get a copy of the form - especially making sure the numbers on the bottom of the form (ATI number, agency and terminal numbers) are clear...you may need them to check on your results via the automated system.

You'll likely want to check the status of the fingerprints if you haven't received them after a week: 24-hour Automated Telephone Service Available: 916-227-4557. If a requesting agency does not have results yet and digital Live Scan fingerprints were submitted, you can use the automated telephone system to check on your submission. You will need the following information: (1) your date of birth; and (2) the 10-digit Automated Transaction Identifier (ATI) number that appears at the bottom of the Department of Justice form requesting Live Scan fingerprint background checks. The ATI number always appears in the following sequence: 1 LETTER; 3 NUMBERS; 3 LETTERS and 3 NUMBERS. - from the DOJ website.

They will mail you a printout to your home - no criminal record may take 1 day. Yes criminal record? Took 35 days for us.

The printouts arrived looking very unofficial (just a printout); like something I could do on my home computer. Didn't seem "right" or "official." So....

I called DOJ. Of course I got the run around as most of the automated pre-recorded messages (you'll encounter on their website) are not very helpful - so I left a message (on two of the voicemails). I spoke with a few people (at this point in the process) who tried to tell me I'd need another livescan...my agency needs to provide me with a certain requisition paper, etc. (I think they were confused with livescan #1...nonetheless, they didn't know what they were talking about).

But there is one person who was tremendously helpful: (916) 227-3807, her name is Lena. Her voice mail instructs you to leave a message and she'll return the call within 2 business days. Actually, everyone returned our call that same day, or the next day...so go ahead and leave a message.

She understood what we had, and what we were missing (i.e. we "had the printout, we were only missing the 'letter'). She said she'd mail us a letter, on letterhead with a seal. Two days later, a letter arrived - on letterhead with a Seal impression and signature. Attached to the letter was a printout (the same printout they initially mailed to us sans the letter). So, again, after getting the print-out, we had to call Lena and have her subsequently mail us the 'letter.' Maybe the letter should have come initially with the printout?? but it didn't.

Letter done and in hand - looks very official in comparison. Take to Sacramento to the Secretary of State Office for authentication:

How do I get my response notarized as required by the foreign government from where I am attempting to adopt a child? The Department of Justice does not provide notarized responses, however, your response may be submitted to the California Secretary of State Office for an Apostille Certification.

Per the Secretary of State website:
Documents can be hand delivered to any office location for over-the-counter processing between the hours of 8:00 am and 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) or mailed to the Sacramento office. Regional offices do not process mailed in documents. Office locations are as follows:

Sacramento Office (for hand delivery)
Notary Public Section
1500 11th Street, 2nd Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 653-3595

Regional Offices (see website for addresses)
Fresno
Los Angeles
San Diego
San Francisco

When submitting documents to any of our offices for over-the-counter processing, no appointment is necessary. Customers are served on a “first come first serve” basis.
Documents submitted for over-the-counter processing are normally processed within an hour. The average processing time for documents submitted by mail is approximately two weeks.
There is a $20.00 processing fee (per signature authenticated) and a $6.00 special handling fee (per public official for documents submitted over the counter).

Payments over-the-counter in Sacramento can be made by check, money order, cash, or credit card (Visa or MasterCard).

3/3 - Homestudy mailed to USCIS San Francisco Office

2/28/08

Yay!!

I went down to our HS agency to drop off the police incident report letter (just in case USCIS requests it - eventhough the certifed court papers we provided indicate that all charges were dropped), and while there explained to them that the Placement Agency guy was in Ethiopia....and will be back next week.

So she said..."you know, I'll just go ahead and mail the homestudy to the USCIS so you can get your fingerprinting appointment..." she went on to say that she'll just provide us two notarized copies of both the agency license and the homestudy report...so we can continue preparing our dossier. If the Placement agency requires more copies, she'll just provide them at that time.

So, forward progress continues....

Update: 3/3/08
Homestudy was actually mailed to USCIS on 3/3/08 per HS agency.

The reason for the delay with the placement agency's response.

I just received a response from a fellow prospective adoptive parent on the group forum. Apparently the director of the Placement agency, Radu, is in Ethiopia now. So, communication is likely delayed for that reason. It's nice to know that he actually goes over there...and really is involved in making things go smoothly (and sometimes your presence is just absolutely necessary to making this happen).

But, with the lack of communication - I was starting to worry....
...and now I won't as much (for now).

Even still, business must continue...so I hope he's back in the mix soon.

2/27 - Waiting for the Placement Agency to review the Homestudy

So, the homestudy was sent to the placement agency on 2/25. The HS agency is closed on Fridays, so business wasn't conducted from 2/22-2/24 (friday to sunday). I expected that the placement agency would have the info on Monday the 25th, review it, and be done with it by Wednesday 2/27 (today). I emailed Radu (informing him of the completed homestudy, etc) on Friday 2/22 - and I'm still waiting for a reply.

I'm hoping that he'll reappear, review the homestudy, and let our HS agency know it's okay...so they can mail it tomorrow. But, they have to notarize everything...and the don't work on Friday. So, maybe Monday.

I'm a bit frustrated that it's taking so long for the placement agency to at least respond...

As for the dossier - pretty much everything is done. Just waiting for the elusive state police clearance letters (oh yeah, the local police letter is not sufficient we were told).

Homestudy Complete!! 2/21

Our homestudy is all done!! All documents are in, the report written...and ready for review by our placement agency (to make sure the wording and such are consistent with the requirements of the Ethiopian Government). We've already reviewed it...and we sound like wonderful parents!! :o)
***

After the reviewing by the placement agency of our homestudy report...the homestudy agency will notarize everything and send it to the USCIS, afterwhich we can obtain an appointment for our FBI fingerprinting...
...hopefully our homestudy will be in the USCIS office next week

Also, we got the police explanation letter for the civil disobedience issue.

Next?...acquisition of the state police clearance letters for the dossier, and one more notarization of a letter of reference (for the dossier).
-Those items will actually complete our dossier!! (of course, along with the I-171H).

Travel vs. Escort

We're actually starting to really reconsider our initial thoughts of escort and rather go for the travel!!

How wonderful would a visit to Africa be? I tried to talk my mom into going with us...afterall we do have 2 kids that we just cannot leave behind, and her presence would be greatly appreciated. Afterall, a large part of this entire process involves educating ourselves and our children and our family about a different place.

I think my mom is actually excited. And she is not easily impressed!!

If we plan to travel...we have to prepare. There are various health issues to consider, making vaccinations, medications, and travel insurance a priority.

Today I contacted the kids pediatrician (she spent over 20 years at Children's Hospital before going to Kaiser, so I'm hoping she ends up being a valuable resource to us). Based on the CDC website (and other websites) the kids will need:

Meningiococcal
Hepatitis A
Typhoid
Yellow Fever

in addition to the above, I will need a
Polio Booster
titers drawn to check my immunity to MMR

in addition to both aboves, Hubby will need
tetanus, diptheria booster
Hepatitis B series

Thankfully, Addis Ababa is at an altitude where Malaria isn't a risk.

Things to watch and consider: health issues, safety (i.e. any American travel warnings), timing, cost...and of course overall planning the trip (flights, hotels, layovers, etc).

Something else to add to the mix...

(2/16) Passport photos. Bank letter. Employment letter. Fingerprint results. Next - Police letter? Dealing with fingerprinting results.

I love lists. Sometimes, after I complete a task I'll actually *write* it onto a list....just so I can cross it off said list!! Very gratifying for me to see a bunch of 'thing to do' crossed off a list...

Three more things crossed off....the bank letter (WaMu was great about this) with a nice post-15th payday balance. Called ahead of time, explained what I needed...and they said "sure."

Let me add, however, I had to call a couple of WaMu's before I got this response. So...of course, I simply went to the branch that was willing to give me what I needed. They typed the letter, printed it on letterhead...gave cumulative bank balances. Signed and notarized it there for free!! The first WaMu branch I called, downtown no less, would do the letter...but wouldn't notarize. The dude on the phone said "uhhhhh....we can't notarize letters in California..."

I informed him that between my husband and I....we must have at least 10 notarized *letters* in our possession....in California!! He didn't understand, and started making up his own 'notary rules' for the State....so I called another branch.

And passport photos are done. We have passports...but they asked for 'passport photos', not copies of our passports (which actually/technically have passport photos on them). Anyway, I'll check and see if everything is up to par before we're ready for authentication.

And hubby (finally) got the letter of employment notarized - had to bring a mobile notary into the office day before yesterday.

All that's left is....
The notarization of both the 'true-copy' form for our passport photos (I wonder if all the photos can be color-copied onto a single paper....like our family photos were?)

The notarization of our reference letters (which should be easy, as our friends are super enthusiastic for us...and "don't wanna be the cause of any delay." We have wonderful friends.

The police letter...it has been very difficult to obtain this as it is not clear what we need, exactly, nor who provides it to us (Highway patrol vs. Department of Justice), or how we actually gain possession of such a document. I'm thinking that just going down to our local police department, having them write a letter...bringing a mobile notary with us to notarize, will be sufficient. I've spoken to our local station, and they do such things "all the time." I'll let you know.

Oh, and it turns out hubby had his fingerprints run previously for civil disobedience...and now has to write a letter explaining what happened, and how it was resolved. Additionally, he has to go by the court house (and police station) and get a certified letter/record explaining the same. Hopefully this will be done over the weekend, and the court letter obtained sometime next week. When this is done, our homestudy agency will be able to complete our report. Again, hopefully this will be next week. And (the worrier in me) hopes that this will be easy, and won't prohibit us from progressing.

I'm hoping to have reviewed the homestudy report, have the placement agency have reviewed the report...and everything good to go to USCIS (next week would be nice, but dealing with the courts, and with all the 'reviewing' and possibly editing) the week after next.

Note: next time, we would have obtained a copy of the court record when we first started - just in case. If the incident is very minor, and even if you don't think you have to report it (i.e. charges were dropped, never charged with anything, speeding ticket...whatever), know that anytime your were fingerprinted for anything, it'll probably come up. Most people aren't fingerprinted for building code violations or traffic violations...so these minor things won't likely come up ('cause you weren't fingerprinted).

In short, next time we would get court records and write the letter preemptively- simply because fingerprinting took place at the time of the incident. We could have had this step done instead of waiting for the fingerprinting results (that were delayed).

fingerprint for HS agency...delay (2/12)

So now I guess it's the "wait part" of 'hurry up and wait'. I'm still totally psyched that the homestudy is all done...and that we passed. But there is a delay now in the processing of my husbands fingerprints.

After the fingerprints are done...the homestudy can *officially* be completed. Then we get to mail that homestudy to the USCIS...and obtain another set of fingerprints (which may or maynot have a quick turn-round time). After everything is approved...then we're hoping to get our 171-H form.

Nothing else I do to prepare our dossier is time sensitive since the actual rate limiting steps are obtaining the fingerprints (at this point).

Soo....we wait.

In the meantime, I'll go to the bank to get a letter this friday (after payday)...and I think we should make it a point to get our passport pix taken (and the little guy a passport).

I hope William will get the letters of rec signed/notarized by our friends....and the notarized employment letter from his HR. And, it would be nice if his fingerprint issue was resolved quickly.

Continue the Dossier Paperchase 2/5

While we await the *official* results of our homestudy (complete with fingerprint clearance, editing by us, the placement agency, and the homestudy agency itself); we continue gathering documents (and getting them notarized) for the dossier.

Second homestudy visit - 2/1

Haley and Ian are bathed and dressed up nice...afterall, this visit is to see them.

The lawn is done, and the dogs are...well they have fresh water.

The social worker comes over. She's more like a friend now...being that she knows our entire life and all. We sit...and chat. It's fun, and funny. The kids are in and out of the room. She talks to them, briefly. Nothing about adoption, disipline, or anything "heavy" is discussed with them. This was a huge souce of stress for me....'cause I know some pediatricians are of the mindset that it's okay to deposition kids about the ongoings of the parents behavior/habits with no reason to do so. "Does you mom have any boyfriends? Does your dad often work late? Do they argue, and what about?" Maybe these questions are okay if a reason exists to delve into the inner-workings of a family (such as child placement in adoption), but on a routine pedi visit...I don't think it's appropriate. Anyway, she didn't weigh the kids down with difficult questions, and suggest we're bad parents or that our family is being scrutinized and is somehow not measuring up. That was appreciated.

She watched them play. She watched them jump around. She went into their playroom and engaged Haley in random smalltalk.

Then she interviewed each of us alone. She asked more detailed questions and clarifications about our background, religion, families, etc.

Total visit was probably over 2 hours....but it was fun.

I jokingly asked if we'd passed. She said "with flying colors."

Yay us.

Now we can relax. All of my "what-if" scenarios involved opening our home, our lives, to a stranger for critique. And now, that was over...and we passed!!

Now we wait for the report.