Here is our timeline:
August 10th, 2019: Officially started on the path towards adoption (after years of praying for God’s will to align our hearts)
September 9th 2019: Submitted Application to Holt International online, approved the 10th
September 12th-October 8th 2019: We were out of the country for the month
Oct. 11th 2019: Submitted Application to home study agency via mail, approved the 17th
October 25th 2019: First Home study meeting. Now we can begin paperwork and appointments
December 12th 2019: All home study paperwork turned in, complete (this includes having to drive 5hrs for a physch evaluation, getting Rachel’s International Birth documents, writing up 22pages each of our entire life stories, Dr. Physicals etc)
December 17th 2019: Paperwork APPROVED! Caseworker assigned
December 30th 2019: First interview with social worker in Grand Junction (3hrs), unfortunately we live in a small town so there are no local social workers…this made these visits trickier as we have to drive one of the most trechurous mountain passes in the lower 48 to get to our social worker or drive 5-6hrs to get around
January 7th 2020: Second interview with our social worker in our home (6hrs)
January 17th 2020: third and final interview in Grand Junction (3.5hrs)
February 4, 2020: our social worker presented our case to our local adoption board, waiting approval now
March 12th, 2020: We had a follow up interview in Grand Junction and are currently awaiting approval of our home study
March 24th, 2020: HOMESTUDY APPROVED!!!!!!!!!!!!! now it will take our social worker 45 days to write up our home study report
May 27th, 2020: Home study was sent to placing agency for 2 week review
June 15th, 2020: HOLT approved home study (now dossier can be started)
June 24th, 2020: Our local agency mailed our I-800A (Colorado laws require this)
July 1st, 2020 Paperwork sent to Denver Department of State to be Authenticated. In person is still closed due to COVID
July 23rd, 2020 I800a immigration biometrics appointment letter arrived
July 24th, 2020: Colorado State authenticated Dossier arrived back (Took 3.5weeks due to covid delays)
July 27th, 2020: USCIS immigration biometrics appointment in Albuquerque
July 27th, 2020: Dossier mailed to courier in Washington D.C.
July 28th, 2020: Dossier arrived with Courier and he mailed it to the Department of State
July 29, 2020: Dossier is with the Department of State in Washington D.C.
October 1, 2020: Dossier was returned to Courier
October 2, 2020: Dossier was dropped off at the Thai Embassy in Washington D.C
October 13th, 2020: Dossier arrived on our doorstep at 2:45pm (This step took 3months!!! due to covid)
October 13th, 2020: Dossier was sent UPS overnight to HOLT!
October 14th, 2020: Dossier arrived at 12:12 at HOLT
October 16th, 2020: 2:45pm officially on the WAIT-LIST (#16)
April 23, 2021: First movement, (#11) on the WAIT-LIST
June 2021:Homestudy updated
August 11th, 2021: Moved up to (#5) on the Waitlist! Hopeful Match next month
October 1, 2021: Anticipated Match date, email sent told we were unable to be matched due to the children’s history/backgrounds. Still #5 (families ahead of us were unable to matched either)
December 2021: Decembers standard program (the one we are in) Referral group never came in 😦
February 09, 2022 We were MATCHED!!! with a 16month old
February 24, 2022 Officially waiting for First Approval & Travel is expected in (10-15months)
May 2022: Update report and photo’s received (the report & photos were taken 1 week after match in February)
August 2022: Annual Home study update complete (our 2nd home study update)
August 19th, 2022: Thailand asked for clarification on a piece of our file (means our file is being prepared) to go to the board. Could be approved next month, maybe in 4months or up to 9months with travel aprox. 4months later
August-October 2022: There has been ZERO First Approvals in our specific program during this time :(, the timelines have officially switched from 7-10mo to approval to 10-15+months 😦 and then 4-6months until travel AFTER that)
September 9, 2022 Officially in this adoption process for 3yrs