Friday, August 06, 2010

Adoption status update #2

I actually have something to report! We have reached a milestone this week. Our collection of dossier documents is complete. Several of the documents have been notarized, it has been certified by the Oregon Secretary of State, and now needs to be authenticated and legalized. What does that mean? Basically it's a series of confirmations by government entities, vouching for the previous entity and acknowledging our petition to adopt from Thailand.

I know you're wondering, so here's the checklist (that I've been staring at for the last 5 months) of things included in the dossier:

1. Certificate of Documentation
2. Assumption of Responsibility to Administer Postplacement Services and Approval of Family for Adoption
3. Notarized True Copy of H License
4. Notarized True Copy of Direct Service Agency License
5. State Approval Letter
6. Letter from Direct Service Agency
7. Adoptive Home Study
8. Reference Letters
9. Financial Statement
10. Federal Income Tax Statement
11. Statement from Financial Institution
12. Verification(s) of Employment
13. Husband’s Birth Certificate
14. Wife’s Birth Certificate
15. Marriage Certificate
16. Health Certificate(s) for every member of the family
17. Copy of Passports OR Social Security Card
18. Royal Thai Government Application for Adoption
19. Four passport photos of each spouse
20. Child opinion form
21. 8-10 family photos of family and dwelling
22. Agreement to complete adoption
23. Letter to Thai DSDW
24. Criminal background checks
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Sidenote: I would just like to point out that some of those things (like the health certificates from each of our doctors) were incredibly difficult to procure, and one little item on a checklist just doesn't do justice to the amount of work that was put into obtaining them. And some of them represent a form to fill out that is 6 pages long. Just, you know, for my martyr points.
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As I mentioned, several of the documents had to be notarized, especially the top page, the Certificate of Documentation. This was the one step done without a fee, thanks to a sweet friend. :) Then we took it to the Oregon Secretary of State, where they (for a fee) certified it with a special seal and signature, basically vouching for the notary. Then, tomorrow morning, we will Fed Ex it to a courier service in Washington, DC, where they will (for a fee) hand-deliver our precious documents to the US Department of State, where Hillary Clinton will (for a fee) sign and seal, or authenticate the top sheet, basically vouching for the OR Dept. of State. THEN, the courrier will pick up the dossier from Hillary's office, take it across town and hand-deliver it to the Royal Thai Embassy. The RTE will then (for a fee) legalize it with their own signatures and seals. Then the courer service will (for a fee) send it back to us.
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I'm very nervous about this entire process, especially having someone else be responsible for such important paperwork! Plus, the wait time on all these agencies is pretty vague. Your prayers are welcomed. I can't wait to blog that we have it back in our grubby little hands.
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THEN, when we have all the stamps, seals and signatures we need, we send the dossier to Holt (along with the $3000 we raised during the yard sale!). It will be approved and translated, then sent to Thailand.
Once Holt has our dossier, we enter: THE WAITING LIST.

11 comments:

chaniemom said...

I am so happy for you that you are at another new milestone in your journey to bring your child home. It is a long, grueling process. I will give you martyr points! : ) And, yes, there are many fees involved. Actually, I've decided to have a garage sale to try and help us get some extra cash so that we can complete the final step in the process. We'll have to go to L.A. to register Penny's adoption with the Thai Royal Consulate. Hang-in-there, the wait is long, but worth it!

woosterweester said...

Jen, you are such an inspiration!Praying for every step to be ordered by the Lord. Can't wait to read that you're on the wait list! Go team Tompkins!

Becky said...

How exciting and nerve wracking all at the same time. Good thing it's all in God's hands! Praying...praying.

Sanne Family said...

Hey, we have been there and done that. I will gvie you martyr points galore!

The moment that I got our dossier back in our hands happened the night before we left Haiti to come home with our girls. We had waited (literally) years for that. It was one of the most powerful moments of my life! I sobbed and sobbed and it seemed to confuse everyone except one mom who was not yet at teh end of her adoption process. She was there visiting and she wrapped her arms around me and she understood. It represented so much effort, so much anxiety, so many emotions. They came flooding when I had the documents back in my hands-my daughter was in the other.

It too will come to you in it's time! We're loving you along the way.

Jeremy said...

hee, hee! yay for getting just that much closer in the process!!!
Time to celebrate! It's a HUGE accomplishment!!!
It's INCREDIBLY nerve wrecking to send off this package of paperwork that you have spent SOOOOO much time, money and effort putting together....and miraculously enough... both times it went just fine for us!! :)
Kim

Jess said...

Whew...I'm exhausted just reading that list! So excited for you guys and praying for the next steps.

Lisa P said...

I love that you are documenting this so clearly. It's so helpful for us Adoption Rookies. We're praying!

sylvia said...

Hi,
We are adopting from Thailand as well and just putting the final touches on our homestudy before it is sent to Thailand. Today I got some shocking news and I am not sure if it applies to you or not but I thought it was worth sharing just in case you are affected.
We heard today that our file would likely be rejected by thailand because we are not medically unable to have biological children.
If you apply to this as well I urge you to contact your agency ASAP. You can email me and I will share with you more specific info I have (angelika22@hotmail.com) I hope for your sake that this is not the case for your family. We are heartbroken. Sorry to leave this in such a public place but i could not locate your email.

Jenn B said...

That's great news! Just so you know, both me and my sister Laura (who lives in Keizer) are notaries who would also be "fee-less" if you ever need one again. :)

Kristi said...

Um yeah... I got exhausted at to do #3. Wow. And I can't get over that Hillary Clinton actually has something to do with your adoption. Craziness! So glad you completed this milestone! One (or 24) steps closer! :)

p.s. did anything good come up on the criminal background check? i know you're clean...but trento?

Nikki said...

so happy for you- that is awesome!

Nikki
www.onetinystarfish.blogspot.com - my humanitarian blog
www.madebynikki.blogspot.com - my blog design fundraiser blog