Off the subject

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ADOPTION GRANTED!!!

OK, so we thought we were supposed to have our Court Date mid-Feb, but I got an email today that our case was submitted and passed court YESTERDAY!!!! We are just waiting on the Adoption order and translations!
What happens now? There is a 30 day appellate period, and at the end, there is a No Appeals Judgment issued. Once that is issued, the I-600 is sent to USCIS and you wait for your approval. Once you get the approval, documents are filed with the US Embassy in Kinshasa for visa. We get the visa, then we get the Exit Letter from the DGM in Kinshasa. Then you go and pick up your daughter - YAY!!
So, here is our Hanna!!!!!!

Update!!!!

We just got an update that our case is moving along! Looks like on Jan 31st or Feb 1st our agency will introduce the request for a judgment of adoption, which sets the court hearing date!!!! YAY!!!! We got new photos too, but not sure when we can post! SUPER EXCITED!!!!!!!!

Progress!

Things are moving right along. Here is what I got today:

Your case - Pierre has submitted all docs to court in Mbuji Mayi in order to get her birth certificate. You are now in your 30 day "waiting period" for that process. Once, the 30days are up, the Judgment is signed and the Judgment is then taken to the person in charge of the Registrar. The birth certificate will then be issued in a bout 2-3 days. Once we get the birth certificate, the Adoption documents are then submitted to court. The court date is usually set for about a week later. At the hearing, the adoption will be approved. THEN THERE IS ANOTHER 30 DAY WAITING PERIOD FOR APPELLATE PURPOSES. Then you file your I-600 document along with the child's certified documents. I'm told, this could take 3-6 weeks for approval. Once approved, Pierre files your documents at the Embassy. It takes about 3-5 weeks for approval and issuance of child's visa. At the same time as Embassy is investigating, our staff in Kinshasa will be getting all necessary documents for Exit Letter from DGM.

So, we are hoping we MAY be able to travel in May!!! Fingers crossed!!!!

So, what happens now??

We got some information on the steps required to bring Hanna home. Here is what we received today:

The next step in the process will be getting her current birth certificate -- it will say her current name. That can take up to 2 months to get documents ready for that, then file them with a court, then there is a 30 day period of waiting for the actual B.C., Once we get the birth certificate, then we file your documents with the Adoption Court. the hearing is then scheduled pretty quickly - 1-2 weeks - and Pierre goes to that hearing. The Judgement is signed and it is registered with the court in a day or two from Hearing date. There is a 30 day appellate period, and at the end, there is a No Appeals Judgment issued. Once that is issued, the I-600 is sent to USCIS and you wait for your approval. Once you get the approval, documents are filed with the US Embassy in Kinshasa for visa. We get the visa, then we get the Exit Letter from the DGM in Kinshasa. Then you go and pick up your daughter - YAY!!

Hopefully, she will be home in the Spring!

Approval on National Adoption Day!!!

We received our I600-A approval today! This means we have been determined able to furnish proper care to an orphan by the US Dept of Homeland Security! A formality, but an important one. We are one step closer to our little Hanna B!

Info on our daughter today!

So, this is what we got today:

She was near 1 year old when she was brought to the orphanage on October 20, 2010. She was found abandoned at the city Market (food market place) by Market workers.
Parents and family members are unknown. At the time she was found, her health was weak because she was malnourished. She is healthy now.

So sad! We hope we can bring her home SOON!!!