First, thank you for your support! We cannot appropriately express our depth of gratitude for all of your love and support. We can feel it -- thank you!
Many of you have wondered what we were waiting on and where we go from here. Instead of answering everyone individually, I am going to be lazy and answer everyone at once. :)
Since we live in a Hague country (Germany) and are adopting from a Hague country (Bulgaria) we had to get permission from the Germans. to complete the adoption They had to agree that we were not going to stay in Germany past my husbands tour here, that we did not intend on returning here. Since we are technically U.S. residents and are only here on orders -- they had to agree with that we were still U.S. residents and give their blessing. Yes, it sounds simple -- and it should be -- but its not. Getting several people to put it in writing that we do not rely on, and we will never rely on the German system for us and our children is hard!
But we are past that hurdle. We got the email we needed, the confirmation from our social worker that everything is correct and now we are blessed to move forward.
Right now our Social Worker is finalizing our home study. They have to include the information for the children, and update everything to Bulgaria. This should be done by next Friday.
After the home study is complete we will send it off with our USCIS paperwork to file our immigration paperwork. This can take between 30-90 days to get our "Golden Ticket." Once we get this back we get everything notarized and apostilled again -- and mail it all to Bulgaria. If you are trying to keep a time line, we are expectint to have this back and completed Feb/March.
Next, we mail everything to Bulgaria and wait for an appointment to go and meet our children. We are expecting to do this is March/April.
After we spend 5 days (Mon-Fri) with each child -- so two weeks in country -- we officially start the adoption process in Bulgaria. We are hoping to do this is April/May.
Then we return to Germany without the kids for 60-120 days to wait until the adoption is finalized. Attorneys in Bulgaria will go to all of the court appointments for us. Then we get a new date to go pick up our kids. We will be in Bulgaria for about 7 days while we get their passports and medical appointments done. We are hoping to do this sometime this summer (but of course the sooner the better).
I hope this helps explain it a little. This is how I understand the process to work, so it could be a little bit different. Right now I am just super excited that we are able to adopt! We are committing to the children now -- and I am 99% sure that the children we are seeking are ours -- but until they officially officially hold there file for us -- my lips are sealed!
Have a fabulous Friday!
Love,
Lura
Many of you have wondered what we were waiting on and where we go from here. Instead of answering everyone individually, I am going to be lazy and answer everyone at once. :)
Since we live in a Hague country (Germany) and are adopting from a Hague country (Bulgaria) we had to get permission from the Germans. to complete the adoption They had to agree that we were not going to stay in Germany past my husbands tour here, that we did not intend on returning here. Since we are technically U.S. residents and are only here on orders -- they had to agree with that we were still U.S. residents and give their blessing. Yes, it sounds simple -- and it should be -- but its not. Getting several people to put it in writing that we do not rely on, and we will never rely on the German system for us and our children is hard!
But we are past that hurdle. We got the email we needed, the confirmation from our social worker that everything is correct and now we are blessed to move forward.
Right now our Social Worker is finalizing our home study. They have to include the information for the children, and update everything to Bulgaria. This should be done by next Friday.
After the home study is complete we will send it off with our USCIS paperwork to file our immigration paperwork. This can take between 30-90 days to get our "Golden Ticket." Once we get this back we get everything notarized and apostilled again -- and mail it all to Bulgaria. If you are trying to keep a time line, we are expectint to have this back and completed Feb/March.
Next, we mail everything to Bulgaria and wait for an appointment to go and meet our children. We are expecting to do this is March/April.
After we spend 5 days (Mon-Fri) with each child -- so two weeks in country -- we officially start the adoption process in Bulgaria. We are hoping to do this is April/May.
Then we return to Germany without the kids for 60-120 days to wait until the adoption is finalized. Attorneys in Bulgaria will go to all of the court appointments for us. Then we get a new date to go pick up our kids. We will be in Bulgaria for about 7 days while we get their passports and medical appointments done. We are hoping to do this sometime this summer (but of course the sooner the better).
I hope this helps explain it a little. This is how I understand the process to work, so it could be a little bit different. Right now I am just super excited that we are able to adopt! We are committing to the children now -- and I am 99% sure that the children we are seeking are ours -- but until they officially officially hold there file for us -- my lips are sealed!
Have a fabulous Friday!
Love,
Lura
Sounds FABULOUS! Congrats on making progress!!!
ReplyDeletethanks!!! :) I am super excited!!! :)
ReplyDelete