Test of Faith

I suppose it would really be too much to ask to just be able to get excited about our trip to China in 8 days....every day actually is bringing new stress....and new tests of faith.

For the past month or so, I have been fearful of the fact that in China they are still coming on to every plane and taking every passenger's temperature. If you are within 3 rows of anyone with a temperature, you get quarantined for 7 days while they see if you have the swine flu. This has happened to at least two adoptive families that I know of...probably more, but they aren't blogging all the time. Anyway, yesterday it was announced that China would be relaxing its policies regarding the quarantine. Not that the possibility is totally eliminated, but....a least less threatening. That was a big boost to ease some stress about the trip....

Then at about 3:00 yesterday, when in speaking with a representative from my adoption agency, I learned that I may not actually be able to get RJs visa on the date scheduled because the US consulate is implementing a new policy. The following is the extent of what the policy is:

• Information regarding Home Study Addendums
  Please note: if there have been any major changes to the adopting parents’ circumstances since the most recent I-600A approval, or if the child to be adopted does not meet the criteria as shown on the current I-600A approval notice (for example, they were approved for a healthy child but are now adopting a special needs child, or they were approved for a child under 18 months and are adopting a four-year old), the parents must contact USCIS for an updated I-600A approval notice. Failure to ensure a valid I-600A approval prior to travel could lead to significant delays in issuance of the child’s visa.

Let me tell you what that means. In most cases, before a person is able to adopt internationally they must get pre-approval from the U.S. Citizens and Immigration Service (USCIS). This is the agency that deals with immigration issues (and we all know how messed up that system is....just to give you some background with where I am going with this).

The pre-approval form is the I-600a. You go through a process of a home study, fingerprinting, criminal background checks, etc. etc....when you have all that paperwork together you submit it along with the I-600a. The USCIS then determines whether you are 'qualified' to adopt a child from abroad. You have to get this pre-qualification before you can send your request to China to be matched with a child. The pre-qualification only lasts 18 months. If you don't finalize an adoption within those 18 months, you either have to file a renewal or start the process over.

Well, since China is taking so long in getting 'healthy' infants placed with families, I've already renewed once and got a second pre-approval in July of 2008. Then in March, I changed my focus a little from what is known as a non-special needs child to a special needs, this sped up the process for me considerably. I was matched with wonderful RJ! However, RJ is a different 'category' of child than what my home study states that I am approved for (a healthy infant girl, between 9-18 months).

So, I have to do what is called an addendum. A social worker has to review your info, and the things that have changed and write an addition to your home study. OK. No big deal. Done. Well, in the past, when you had to have an addendum, you could just take that hard copy to China, present it to the consulate and they would process your adoption application based on your pre-approval, plus this new information that still includes a recommendation for you to adopt, but just that the circumstances have changed a little.

Now, all of a sudden, like as of this week, you can't just show up with your addendum. According to the consulate, now you have to get your pre-approval updated with the addendum information. In other words, I have to send it back to the USCIS office here in the US, have them approve it, then they send it to the National Visa Center, then the National Visa Center send the information that you have been pre-approved on to the consulate in Guangzhou. Well, all that would be great....except that process could take anywhere from 6 weeks to 3 months!

My consulate date is set for August 5. My tickets are purchased. My adoption date is set. My sister's family vacation (7 people) to China is planned....tickets purchased, tours arranged....the works....all based on that August 5th date. If my now newly required pre-approval isn't in China by that date, I won't be able to bring RJ home. I might be stuck in China for weeks...months....who knows? If the consulate really is enforcing this, I just don't see any way that I will be able to get it done before I leave. I have called the USCIS office in L.A. I have emailed. No reply. The addendum will be in FedEx today to them...but I don't know if they will even bother looking at it, since my file is in L.A. (that is where my pre-approval was done, initially) and the local office where I am 'supposed' to file is in Salt Lake. To have to get through at least two, maybe three, federal government offices before the approval gets to China is just not likely to happen in less than a month, I am afraid to say. I haven't called my senator, yet....but I will.

I am beyond concerned.