Happy Days!

I'm so excited!! My new I171-H is here! I picked it up from the USCIS (immigration) office yesterday.

For those of you that don't know what I am talking about here is the scoop. In order to adopt internationally, the USCIS office (new name for the Immigration or INS department) must approve the adoptive parents application. Once they do this, they send the approval form, I171-H which allows the parent to complete the adoption. This is completed at the very start of the adoption process and my original form was completed in the summer of 2005. Unfortunately they expire after 18 months and sometimes the adoption process, like mine, can drag on. So right as I received my referral for Maeve, my permission from the US government to bring her to the States expired. I have been working closely with my Homestudy agency, the USCIS and everyone esle involved to get meet all requirements and obtain a new I171-H.

Now it's here and my adoption agency is in the process of requesting my CA (US Consulate Appointment) in Ghuangzhou where my adoption will be finalized. The tentative Travel date to China is March 29, 2007 and tentative Family Day (when I get Maeve) is April 2, 2007.

Less than three weeks!!

Posted by Laura at 1:18 PM