Yes, yesterday we received instructions on how to fill out more paperwork for our trip to China. This included printing and reading/learning all about what was included in what they call "Travel Packet 2" (We received Travel Packet 1 awhile ago, and that was a pretty basic packet to read) We also printed out more forms to fill out including the first form that we put her American name on officially. It was so sureal, and amazing to actually write her full American name. I have to admitt, this is where the paperwork process gets confusing for me. Patrick had the items for this last stack of paperwork notorized (thank you Kim!) and has already sent it off via Fed Ex to our agency. It should be there tomorrow, as we sent it overnight. Below is a summary of what is still left to do:
1.) I-800 Provisional Approval (this is immigrant paperwork) Once we receive this document in the snail mail at our house (we think this comes in 2-3 weeks from now...), we need to fax it ASAP to our agency. Once they receive this document, they will mail all the items needed to Guangzhou China agency staff. (This is where we will be going at the end of our trip, as this is where the US Consulate is) At this time Patrick and I will apply for our Visas to enter China. There is yet another form to fill out, and we send off our passports (that part makes me nervous, but it is the way it is done) via courier service to receive our Visas. This takes about 4 days to complete.
2.) Contact NVC In order to ensure that our immigration paperwork has reached the US Consulate in Guangzhou, we will need to contact the National Visa Center (NVC) via phone. We need to ask the NVC when our case was sent to the US Consulate –Guangzhou. This is to be done as soon as we receive our I-800 Approal in the mail.
3.) NVC Letter After we receive our I-800 Approval, we are supposed to keep our eyes peeled in the mail for a letter from the National Visa Center stating that our immigration information has been sent to the US Consulate in Guangzhou. Once we receive this letter, we immediatly fax it to our agency. Our agency will then email this letter to the staff in Guangzhou and they will in turn deliver our documents to the US Consulate. (I think this is called being cabled....)
4.) Article 5 This document is a preliminary approval of our immigration file by the US Consulate and is required by the CCAA (Chinese Center of Adoption Affairs) in order to issue our Travel Approval. This usually takes 2-2.5 weeks to be issued.
5.)Travel Approval Once our Article 5 is delivered to the CCAA, they will begin the process to issue us our Travel Approval, or TA. This usually takes 2-4 weeks, but ofcourse, like everything in this entire process, it can vary greatly. The Travel Approval is what our agency is waiting for, in order to request a Consulate Appointment and receive confirmed travel dates for when we will get on that plane! We will typically have 7-10 days to book our flights, and be on the plane.
So, you can see why my mind is rapidly turning into mush. I am staring at the pictures of the most beautiful little girl in the world, while trying to be sure we fill out the correct paperwork and not make a mistake, which at this point in our journey could possible delay us if we need to re do anything. I also have a huge to do list of things to buy for our trip (ie: what we will be packing) things to do, like little projects around the house, baby proofing, stocking the freezer (that we have to buy another one for the basement) full of freezer ready meals, so that we do not have to think of what's to eat for awhile when we get home...and making sure I keep up with all my Avon related duties.....It is funny, I always joked that after I saw her picture for the first time, my mind would go to mush...well, it happend! It is mush, and it takes a lot more effort to think these days hahaha! We go on our next cruise next Friday, and just like our last one, this one comes at the perfect time! Naps in lounge chairs, great food, and spending good quality time with Patrick before our lives completely change. It will be nice to get one more relaxing trip just the two of us before we go to China. We can call it a "babymoon" :-)
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