Process

The following list outlines the process for adopting from the Democratic Rebublic of Congo: It takes about 8-12 months, so by Thanksgiving next year we will have Baby!

• Program Application and Contract for Adoption Services received and approved. 
• Home study. Classes on parenting, more paperwork, case worker interviews, home visit.            
• Dossier preparation begins and is completed. The dossier for DRC is relatively simple compared to many countries.
• I600-A petition filing with USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services).
• The big exciting day: Receive referral of a child available for adoption! We will be provided with 1-2 photos of the child, medical information (lab results for HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B, Malaria, Syphilis, parasites), social history on the child and reason for his/her placement for adoption, and copies of any documents the agency has received on the child. Typically most children will have malaria and parasites, all are treated in DRC and once we have them home.   
• Our dossier is sent to an attorney in Congo where the court date is requested and set, usually within one month after dossier is received. We will not be present at the court hearing, and the adoption occurs on our behalf through the power of attorney. 
• After the appropriate time has passed and all legal items completed, the adoption approved and Decree issued!
• File I-600 at USCIS in the US (or at Embassy in Kinshasa).
• Begin vaccination program for pending travel to Congo. We are here
• We will get notification that we are approved to travel to Kinshasa to receive  Sara and Nahlya.
• Travel to Kinshasa for approximately 10-14 days to receive the girls, complete US immigration process and receive their US immigrant visas.
• Approval to go home!