SYDNEY'S ADOPTION TIMELINE:
2007:
March 18: Submitted application to Journeys of the Heart.
August: Completion and submission of all paperwork to JoH, which included homestudy, medical examinations, financial statements, employer information, criminal background checks and USCIS approval.
August 20: Officially on waiting list for referral from St. Lucy's.
September 13: Receipt of I-171H from USCIS, eligible to adopt foreign born child.
2008:
March 18: Submitted application to Journeys of the Heart.
August: Completion and submission of all paperwork to JoH, which included homestudy, medical examinations, financial statements, employer information, criminal background checks and USCIS approval.
August 20: Officially on waiting list for referral from St. Lucy's.
September 13: Receipt of I-171H from USCIS, eligible to adopt foreign born child.
2008:
Waiting continues...
July: Homestudy expires, submission of homestudy update.
August 20: One year on waiting list.
November: Submission of request to USCIS to extend I600A and I-171H Letter of Approval; fingerprints, affidavits, background checks all redone.
2009:
April 7: Received referral of 3.5 month old girl after 19 1/2 months on the waiting list.
April 9: Accepted referral, began working on updating all paperwork for dossier.
April 23: Completed authentication and certification by state of Virginia and TECO.
April 28: All documents prepared in Virginia are mailed to JoH.
May 13: The remaining dossier documets sent to JoH.
May 18: Dossier sent to Taiwan.
June 8: Received notice via email that our 1-600A extension has been approved and AIT in Taiwan was notified. Now awaiting I-171H letter in the mail.
June 27: Received I-171H extension letter via Japanese postal system (no wonder it took so long!)
June 30: Received email from AIT stating that they had our updated USCIS paperwork and we are good to go!
July 7th: Notified that our first ruling is in.
August 14th: Received notice of final ruling.
September 24th: We pick up our daughter at St. Lucy's!
September 29th: Home at last! :)
October 21st: Submitted re-adoption paperwork to county clerk's office...awaiting hearing.
November 19th: Re-adoption hearing; submitted application for birth certificate.
December: Received CoC.
January: Applied for and received SS# and card.
March 8th: Finally received state birth certificate! We are done!!
Here are some photos of Sydney over the three years, starting with her referral photo.
