- a 25 page autobiography for each of us (questionnaire)
- 2 power of attorneys
- 2 Petitions to Adopt
- Home Study (2 visits to your home and 2 three hour evaluations)
- Home Study Agency license
- Copy of Social Worker's license
- Recommendation letters from Home Study Agency
- Home Study Education Verification Letter
- Signed copy of State Adoption Laws saying you understand them
- Approval letter from I-171H (Basically the Govt. saying it's ok for you to adopt) - This took 3 months to get - another 2 months for fingerprinting
- Local Police Report for each parent
- State Police Report for each parent
- Federal Police Report for each parent
- 3 copies of passports
- 2 Marriage Certificates
- Divorce Decree if applicable
- Medical Reports for each parent saying we're healthy and don't have AIDS, HEP nor Syphillus
- Copy of Medical Dr.'s license
- Letters from employers re: good standing and salary
- 2 Financial Statements
- Statement of Legal Residence and measurements of every room in house
- 2 Embassy Registration letters
- 2 Post Placement promise letters
- Birth Certificates
- Reference letters from friends and family
- Several pictures of your home, inside and out and of yourselves
All this in addition to being fingerprinted by our local police, State Police and Homeland Security, and taking a course in parenting - then getting all of these documents notarized and apostilled (apostilled meaning the Secretary of State makes sure that all of the notaries are legal).
So we've done all of this - it took approx. 6 months and now our documents are in Russia being translated. The translation takes about 2 months. And so here we are - Whew! Thank goodness we have a great agency who gave us detailed instructions on how to do everything.
I guess we really do want to do this, eh?
10 comments:
Whew!! I know I was glad to send the pile of paperwork on!! It's funny though - looking back now it didn't seem so complicated, but at the time I thought we'd never get it done!! Glad to hear your dossier is on it's way!!
Hi - just found your blog - isn't that dossier fun? We submitted ours in April - seems so long ago. Congrats on the completion! www.rileyadoption.blogspot.com
Congrats! That really is a big hurdle you've overcome.
Congrats on finishing your dossier!
Gathering all of the documents and getting them signed notarized and appostilled seems like the hard part, until you finish that step.
For me the hard part is waiting while the paper work is in country. There is not a lot to do but wait for the phone to ring. Just have to keep the faith.
http://ourlittlebabyboo.blogspot.com/
Hi, I also just found your blog. Congrats on getting in the Dossier. A large part of your job is over. Good luck on your journey to your child.
Wow...the things parents go thru to adopt. You should be applauded!
Oy! I remember this stage! It *is* a huge hurdle to finish this pile of work. We took an extra long time because a certain husband managed to lose his share of the papers. ;-)
-Debbie
Just stumbled on your blog through the CHI blog.
Congrats on getting your dossier finished! That is a huge step. I can't wait to follow along on your journey. We're in the waiting stage too. I hope your wait is short.
Allison
www.journeytohotdog.blogspot.com
I just found your blog too. Congrats on getting the dossier finished! Now you can just relax again. We are with CHI and live in Texas too. Check out our blog when you have a chance.
Ay- yi-yi! Brings back memories of dossier days. We did 4 in one year.
Congrats on getting yours done.
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