Sent from the states, overnighting by USPS was a simple option compared to mailing quickly from China. We sent a serious package into our adoption agency:
- Fingerprints, with a very intimidating seal from the U.S. Consulate in Shanghai
- 4 copies of our Homestudy, each requiring certain signatures and stamps
- I-800A, our application to the U.S. government to allow Mei Mei to enter our family as an American
- A check for over $8,000 - that one really hurt
And now, we wait.
We wait for the USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) to approve our application. We've been told that we'll have a 60 day wait from them, although friends told us they've been waiting for closer to 90 days.
Once we receive approval from USCIS, we submit our dossier to CCAA (China Center of Adoption Affairs). We're being told to expect 12 to 18 months for word from CCAA, although friends tell us they've been waiting for closer to 2 years with the wait time climbing every month. Word is that the wait time should stabilize soon, but may have climbed to an average of 18 to 24 months for expatriate families living in China.
Following this schedule, Mei Mei should arrive in our home by summer of 2012. Two and a half years from now seems a long time away - we'll have a 4 and 5 year old, and who knows where we'll be living. Oh, the changes life can bring!
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