USCIS: Approved!

When we got home from Russia yesterday, our I-171H from USCIS {U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services} was waiting for us!

Date application filed: June 5, 2008

Date of completion of advance processing: September 22, 2008

What is an I-171H, you ask? It is a notice of favorable determination concerning an application for advance processing of an orphan petition ... we finally received it! We have been approved for one child with special needs. Yep, that sounds about right!

Check, check, check ... just waiting on Russia!

USCIS Update #2

So a few weeks ago, we got a letter from USCIS stating that we needed an addendum to our home study that specifically recommended that we are approved for a child with Down syndrome, versus just a child with special needs. So we got it done and mailed off a photocopy, as stated in the letter.

Today we got a letter from USCIS stating that they need the original addendum. Are you kidding me? The letter specifically stated photocopy, so that is what we did since we only had one original. Ugh.

Guess I know what I'll be doing tomorrow ... off to the post office. This is so frustrating!

USCIS Update

We just got a letter from USCIS saying that they need an addendum to our home study that specifically notes that we have been approved for not just a child with special needs, but a child with Down syndrome. Ugh ... so frustrating! So I have to get this addendum completed by my home study agency and sent over to USCIS so we can get our 171H issued. This does not affect us traveling on our first trip, but it would be nice to have had our 171H in our hands by now, nonetheless.

USCIS Fingerprints: Check!

This past Friday, Kyle and I went to USCIS to have our fingerprints done. The purpose of this is so that we can get approved for advance processing of an orphan petition. The fingerprint process at USCIS is completely electronic ... so cool! Yeah, yeah ... I don't get out much.

Home study complete and approved!

We just got back in town from attending the Down syndrome convention in Boston (so fun, BTW) and we had a notarized copy of our home study waiting for us in our mail box! Yay ... everyone cheer now! And ... I'm not done ... we also already have a fingerprint appointment with USCIS on July 25, 2008! Double yay!

USCIS Status {sort of}

Thanks to delivery confirmation, I know USCIS received our I-600A on 6/4/08. I just realized today that on 6/10/08, our check was cashed by USCIS. Progress! I know that seems so silly, but at least I know our application has been processed. I honestly have been sitting here wondering if it was sitting in a pile of mail somewhere waiting to be opened. I guess not!

Edited to add: When I got home today, we had a letter from USCIS waiting for us. It basically was just acknowledgement that they received our I-600A and that they are waiting on our home study, surprise, surprise. Now I'm bummed at the delay all over again.

USCIS

Today we mailed off our USCIS I-600A, which is the application for advance processing of an orphan petition. USCIS is notorious for delays, so we are hoping for the best. We included a cover letter with our application telling them that we are in the process of adoption a child with special needs, essentially hoping to pull on some heart strings and have them kick it into high gear. Sigh ... we shall see.