We had a conference call with our adoption agency today, which answered a lot of questions about upcoming travel and the “hand-off” of Rex. It’s amazing how many people and organizations are behind this adoption:
Rex is in the care of the CRIBS Foundation, which is a leading child-care agency licensed by the Dept of Social Welfare and Development of the Philippines.
CRIBS certifies foster families to care for children who are not living at the CRIBS facility. Rex is currently living with a certified foster family.
Concordia is a social work agency in the Philippines that is representing our US adoption agency. They’re working with the US Embassy and CRIBS on our behalf.
Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin (LSS) is the adoption agency that is facilitating the Philippines-side of our adoption, making sure we meet all of the foreign requirements.
Lutheran Children and Family Services near Philadelphia is the adoption agency that is facilitating the United States-side of our adoption, making sure we meet all of the domestic requirements. They are affiliated with LSS.
CRIBS has a website at http://www.cribsfoundation.org. You can see pictures of the facility. This is where we will meet Rex and spend time with him and where we will receive custody of him.
A special surprise from the CRIBS website is a newsletter article written by an adoption social worker about her first admission of an abandoned child. Guess who the child is? Rex! This is a precious article because it talks about Rex’ first caregiver and helps to fill in the pieces of his past. You can read the short article here: http://www.cribsfoundation.org/newsletter/CRIBS_files/Page323.htm. We are so grateful for this information.
We were advised that we will probably be able schedule our travel the last week of August, which puts our travel into September. Of course, this could go quicker. We’re waiting on the US Embassy in the Philippines to assign a case number. Once a case number is assigned, Rex gets a medical exam and after he clears the exam, we can schedule travel. The Embassy is the second busiest US Embassy in the world, so that’s why it takes several weeks to get a case number.
We did find out that our adoption worker is going to the Philippines in a couple weeks, and she is willing to take a gift to Rex from us. We’re sending her with a teddy bear!
So we understand the process much better but we were not able to ask personal questions about Rex. We won’t be able to find out about his daily habits until we’re with him.
So, if you’d like to pray, you can pray that our approval reaches the correct officer at the Embassy and a case number is assigned in due time. Please also pray for the last remaining weeks that Rex is with his foster family, that it will be a good and pleasant time for him and for them.
Thank you!
Friday, July 31, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
July 17
Well, we have some movement! Thanks for praying. On Tuesday I heard from the man who approves our I-600 for the US Customs and Immigration Service (USCIS). He said he would be approving our application and we would receive the approval letter in 7-10 business days. Instead, we received it yesterday (after two days). That was a blessing.
We do understand the process better. Here's what's next:
1. The USCIS notifies the National Visa Center that Rex is now cleared for receiving a visa. The US Embassy in the Philippines will then get an announcement about it and assign Rex a case number. This can sometimes take 4-6 weeks. Don't ask me why it takes that long. Just give me the phone number for the Embassy and I'll let them know.
2. After Rex is assigned a case number, he will be scheduled for a medical exam. We don't know how long it will take to get a medical appointment. If he passes, he moves on to getting a visa. If he doesn't pass, like if he has a fever or a complication, he has to get better and then have another medical exam.
3. After Rex passes the medical exam (sounds like he's becoming a doctor), he goes to a visa appointment at the Embassy, which is 3-5 days later. His visa is issued within 2 days after the appointment.
4. After receiving his visa, then waalaa, Rex is now free to travel with us. We can bring him home.
So, it's still hard to tell how long this can all take. Even though this whole process has already been almost two years, each time we've filed something with the US or state government, it's taken shorter than expected. The USCIS approval letter is a good example. So, they say 4-6 weeks to notify the Embassy but that could be shorter. Getting the medical exam and the results of it are unknown too.
Somewhere in this time frame we have to make travel plans and it is uncertain what the dates will actually be.
We would appreciate you praying for several things:
1. Quick processing and notification of the US Embassy in the Philippines of Rex' visa approval
2. Medical exam is available on a timely basis
3. Rex stays healthy and passes his medical exam
4. Wisdom for making travel plans
Thank you so very much,
Chris & Colette
We do understand the process better. Here's what's next:
1. The USCIS notifies the National Visa Center that Rex is now cleared for receiving a visa. The US Embassy in the Philippines will then get an announcement about it and assign Rex a case number. This can sometimes take 4-6 weeks. Don't ask me why it takes that long. Just give me the phone number for the Embassy and I'll let them know.
2. After Rex is assigned a case number, he will be scheduled for a medical exam. We don't know how long it will take to get a medical appointment. If he passes, he moves on to getting a visa. If he doesn't pass, like if he has a fever or a complication, he has to get better and then have another medical exam.
3. After Rex passes the medical exam (sounds like he's becoming a doctor), he goes to a visa appointment at the Embassy, which is 3-5 days later. His visa is issued within 2 days after the appointment.
4. After receiving his visa, then waalaa, Rex is now free to travel with us. We can bring him home.
So, it's still hard to tell how long this can all take. Even though this whole process has already been almost two years, each time we've filed something with the US or state government, it's taken shorter than expected. The USCIS approval letter is a good example. So, they say 4-6 weeks to notify the Embassy but that could be shorter. Getting the medical exam and the results of it are unknown too.
Somewhere in this time frame we have to make travel plans and it is uncertain what the dates will actually be.
We would appreciate you praying for several things:
1. Quick processing and notification of the US Embassy in the Philippines of Rex' visa approval
2. Medical exam is available on a timely basis
3. Rex stays healthy and passes his medical exam
4. Wisdom for making travel plans
Thank you so very much,
Chris & Colette
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