LOA

This was another big week in our adoption process. On Thursday, our official LOA (Letter of Acceptance) came from China. We quick signed it and headed to FedEx to have our adoption agency send it back to China asap. This very important document tells China that we do indeed want to adopt JiaNi, and they in-turn begin the process of granting us travel approval hopefully within the next 3 months. 

I met the UPS guy at the door and happily said THANK YOU! He probably thought I was a little crazy.

Travis and I signing the LOA. Probably the most important document we've signed since our marriage license back in 2006!

While at FedEx, I also sent our I-800 form to USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services). This form begins the process for Jia to become a US Citizen once she lands on American soil.  I had a bit of a stressful moment (and some continued stress) at the FedEx office. I had all the paperwork ready for our I-800 (a whole stack) and our signed LOA both ready to ship to separate places. I checked out, and with a big sigh of relief, went out to the van. I sent a quick email on my phone, and was about ready to drive away...when it hit me. I forgot to make a copy of our LOA to include with our I-800 application! I ran back into FedEx and my packages where still sitting on the counter. I waited in line again and explained to the worker what I had done, and that I needed to re-open both packages. I then made a copy of our LOA, put it in the I-800 package and got new envelopes for both packages. Whew! That was a close one. I told the guy at the counter that I almost delayed our adoption process! We both laughed, and I left FedEx with a pounding heart...but relieved.

UNTIL...I got home and was reading through some questions on our China Adoption Questions facebook group. Someone was asking questions about the I-800 application and mentioned a $385 payment...hmm. Why didn't we have to send a check with our application? I had read the directions and thought we could apply without a fee. So I went back to the USCIS website and read the directions again. I read the first page...yes I think we were good. Then I kept reading to the SECOND page. There was a second page?! Well crap. I indeed SHOULD have sent the fee with our application. Now what?

I called USCIS and talked to a super (UNHELPFUL) lady who told me there was nothing I could do and that our application would be rejected without the payment and that it would inevitably delay our process. WHAT!? I said there is NOTHING I can do? She excused herself to talk to her supervisor. She came back on the phone to tell me there was nothing they could do, but she did give me an email address to the Lockbox facility (the facility that would be processing our application). She said the Lockbox has no phone number, but I could try sending an email. Thanks lady.

Having no other options, I sent an email. I received an automated reply saying it could take up to 15 days to get a response. GREAT. 

Well to my surprise I got an email about an hour later! The lady said I had a couple of options. I could resend all of the paperwork and submit a new application with a check this time. They would just reject the first application. Or, I could wait until Monday when they review my application and she could give me further instructions from there. She also asked for my tracking number on the package. I chose the second option, since by the time I shipped another set of paperwork, it probably wouldn't arrive until Monday anyways. She was very helpful and actually seemed sympathetic to my situation.  So now I am really hoping that I will get an email tomorrow with further instructions on how to send payment for our application. And am hoping it can be done without increasing our timeline for I-800 approval. UGH. I was SO mad at myself for making such a silly mistake! 

International adoption is not for the faint at heart! :) I'll keep you posted on our I-800 application. After I-800 approval (which usually takes 2 weeks), we can start applying for our travel visas for China!