What does it take to adopt? Besides lots of money? (You can track the money side of our progress at our Progress page.) Here we'll describe the part of the process we do as we learn it. The following assumes we've already picked a country, because we had! (Note: We have 2 agencies: one for adoption and one for home study. Nightlight Christian Adoptions is our adoption agency. We had a different adoption agency but switched.)
The Adoption Process
- Agency Application: Pick an agency (if using an agency) and apply. Done
- Home Study: a lot of paper work and some visiting, etc. Requirements may vary by agency. Done
- Gather copies of:
- Birth Certificates for everyone in the household Done
- Marriage License
- Income Tax Return Done
- W-2 forms Done
- Medical Insurance Verification Done
- Military Discharge Papers Done
- Family Photo Done
- Miscellaneous
- Driving Directors from agency to our house Done
- Reading Agreement Signed
- We must agree read the following during our process:
- The Whole Life Adoption Book Bought Reading
- Raising Adopted Children Bought Reading
- Adoption Parenting: Creating a Toolbox...
- Father must choose and read 2. Rob has chosen
- Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew Borrowed Read
- She Calls Me Daddy Bought Read
- Mother must choose and read 2. I have chosen
- The Russian Adoption Handbook Bought Read
- Boundaries with Kids Bought Read
- Home Safety Handbook: read and keep Done
- Grievance Policy: read and keep Done
- Home Study Application (a very long, detailed form) Done
- Autobiographies: Each of us must write a document of our lives by answering a long series of questions. Done
- Background Checks Done
- Criminal Record Check including Fingerprinting Done
- Child Abuse Central Registry Check Done
- FBI Background Check including Fingerprinting Done
- Confirmation of Employment: Every employer must submit a letter
- Gabrielle has 2 employers Both Done
- Rob presently has one employer Done
- Reference forms (only 1 of 6 can be from family) Done
- Health Statement Forms Done
- Preference Form: What are your preferences for children and why? Done
- Releases and Authorization
- Release of Information Form Done
- Authorization Form Done
- Fee Agreements
- Sign agreement Done
- Pay the required fee Done
- International Post-Placement Fees Done
- Return Home Study to Home Study Agency Done
- Attend 10 hours of education (adoption and parenting) Done
- Home Visit Done
- Wait for Approval Received
- Proofread completed home study Done
- Home study sent to WACAP for approval No longer applicable
- I-600A form for immigration
- HomeStudy Update (after one year)
- Updated Home Study application Done
- Referral Letters 3 (Only 1 from family) Done
- Income Tax Return Done
- W-2 forms Done
- Medical Insurance Verification Done
- Background Checks Done
- Criminal Record Check including Fingerprinting Done
- Child Abuse Central Registry Check Done
- FBI Background Check including Fingerprinting Done
- Confirmation of Employment: Every employer must submit a letter
- Gabrielle has 2 employers Both Done
- Rob presently has one employer Done
- Health Statement Forms Done
- Preference Form: What are your preferences for children and why? Done
- Releases and Authorization
- Release of Information Form Done
- Authorization Form Done
- Fee Agreements
- Sign agreement Done
- Pay the required fee Done
- Return Home Study Update to Home Study Agency Done
- Wait for Approval Received
- Proofread completed home study Done
- Home study sent to Nightlight for approval--No longer applicable
- Dossier
- Apostiling of Dossier
- Wait
- Referral
- First Trip
- Wait for Court Date
- Second Trip
- Bring child home!
- more to come....
Please help us raise the funds to bring Roberta and Gabriel home!
Check out our Classified Ads or simply Donate to help us. Thank you.
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