We received the following email today. China CCAA/China Center of Adoption Affairs officially logged in our Dossier on 1/21/08. Now it should be 12-17 weeks before we here more.
The following is a part of the letter and also some suggestions for what to do with ourselves while we wait.....
Jim and Christina,
Great News!!! I received confirmation from Benjamin that your dossier was submitted to the CCAA, Monday, January 21, 2008. Currently it is taking an average of 12-17 weeks for China to review and approve your dossier and send your Letter of Seeking Confirmation (LOC), and the you will sign and send it back to China and then wait for your Travel Approval (TA) which should come about 2-4 weeks after the LOC is received in China. Remember that we have no control over when the CCAA will issue your LOC or your TA. The time frames we gave you are estimates and can change at any time. Your log in date will come to us next, which is when your dossier begins to be reviewed. Sometimes our special needs families do not receive log in dates and only the LOC and TA. It is important to note that it can take the CCAA on average up to four weeks to officially log it into their system (LID). China does send us this information snail mail, so I won't know your official LID for at least 6-8 weeks.
Many families call and ask how long the process is currently taking? It is important to note that adoptions will ebb and flow in China depending on how many dossiers were submitted in any particular month. Throughout the next several months I will only be able to give you an idea of how long it is currently taking to process other special need dossiers. I cannot tell you the exact time or day your invitation to travel will come. I can guarantee you that the minute it arrives I will notify you immediately.
The following is a rough outline of the process in which takes place during the following weeks you will wait to receive approval from the CCAA:
PROCESS IN CHINA:
· Documents stay warehoused until Department One is ready to review your file
· Documents are pulled and Department One begins reviewing dossiers
· Files are approved and forwarded to Department Two where the travel invitation are printed and sent
.
PLEASE NOTE THAT TIME FRAMES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
It is important to note that the above is just an approximate guideline. Documents can stay shorter or longer periods of time at any one given department. Benjamin will be checking on the progress of your dossier, however, he cannot go into the CCAA weekly to check where it is. The CCAA is very busy processing over 10,000 dossiers. Benjamin can only get updates as to the progress of your file if they are willing to take the time to track it down. Rest assured that as soon as I know something I will pass the information on to you.
Once we receive the TA inviting you to come to China to pick up your child, the time frame to travel will be an additional 2-4 weeks. This depends largely on how fast the US Embassy will get you an appointment for an Immigrant Visa. As soon as we get confirmation of this appointment you can book your travel immediately!
AGCI will keep you informed with all information as we receive it. Many times families will hear rumors that invitations have been sent out and then call to confirm that information with the office. Unfortunately, this type of information is often not accurate or doesn’t apply to your situation and therefore I ask that you wait to hear directly from our office as to any updates on your case.
Just to recap the following points:
Submitted families need to expect at least 12-17 weeks for your LOC after your submission date. These time frames can change.
I cannot tell you how long your entire adoption process will take, as it is dictated entirely by the China Center for Adoption Affairs.
Please let me know if you have any questions regarding this phase of your adoption. I will be calling you monthly to check in and also will be emailing out updates and movement happens in the program. I look forward to working with you to bring your child home!
Blessings,
Tiffany Williams
China Special Needs Case Manager
THE WAITING PROCESS
Although some people find the paperwork process challenging, the most difficult time for most families is the wait. For those of you who have already been through years of disappointment trying to bear a child I want to encourage you that the Lord knows your child by name and will lead you to him and/or her very soon. Most of you who have walked this path have a deep understanding of waiting and are in touch with this kind of grief. The physical strain and emotional turmoil is sometimes unbearable and you often have been stretched beyond what anyone should have to endure. My hope for you is that you can put your trust in this process and allow yourselves to rest. Although adoption can have its own set of challenges, there is a positive end result. You are finally in a process that will end with your child home in your arms. You will be parents!!
For families who have children, you may have not yet learned the fine art of waiting. The important thing to understand is that adoption, like infertility, does not provide a “due date.” Completing an adoption is a little like working with an obstetrician’s office, and although we do not have face to face visits with most families, we do provide monthly updates and information for you throughout your adoption process. In the past, your doctor has been able to give you a due date that is normally accurate within a few weeks time. In adoption, we do not know the exact date, week, or even the month. This lack of exact timing can be very frustrating for families who are used to planning the arrival of children into their homes. I encourage you to take this time to lean on the Lord because this process will stretch your faith and is a wonderful opportunity for growth.
Things to Do While You Wait
There are many things you can do to help keep you busy while you wait for your referral. One of our adoptive parents has compiled a great list of creative ideas that helped her while she was waiting for her child to home. We have shared it with you below:
1) Order the "From China with Love" calendar. Write down each step towards completing the dossier. When your baby comes home, the calendar is great for recording your baby's milestones. You can order it from Asia for Kids at 1-800-765-5885.
2) Speaking of Asia for Kids, they have a great catalogue. Get on their mailing list. They sell dolls, games, books, puzzles and more! They also have Chinese adoption announcements.
3) Take a Chinese cooking class. Check out cooking schools in your area. This will teach you a little more about the culture and prepare you for your trip.
4) Learn to speak Chinese. Contact your local university. Another way to learn
Chinese is to cultivate Chinese friends. We have had Chinese houseguests for several months at a time. See if your city has a Sister City in China or an International Visitors Center. Local universities have Friendship programs which pair up local families with international students.
5) Prepare the nursery.
6) Knit or crochet a baby blanket. Psalm 139:39 says "You knit me together in my Mother's womb." Our adoptive children may not have been knit together in our womb but they are certainly knit together in our hearts.
7) Subscribe to Adoptive Families magazine, 1-800-372-3300. Excellent articles about cultural diversity, waiting, traveling and parenting.
8) Make a quilt. Adoptive Families magazine had an excellent article on a unique quilt in their January/February 2002 issue. You can also contact a local quilt shop to take lessons.
9) Start a lifebook. Adoptive Families magazine had an excellent article on how to start a lifebook in their May/June 2002 issue. Our social services agency that did our home study also had a class on how to start a lifebook. You can also try a local scrapbook store. They often have classes.
10) Lists, Lists, Lists. Packing lists, shower guest lists, mailing lists of people to send announcements and anything else that just might slip your mind as the date approaches.
11) Freezer meals. Stock your freezer with at least a weeks worth of meals. Once you come home you will be so tired and dazed that preparing a meal will be the last thing on your mind at the end of a hard day. Collect crock pot, pressure cooker, and one skillet recipes, anything that can be prepared quickly and without any brain power.
12) Register for baby gifts. This can be done online or at local baby stores or department stores.
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