Timeline to Home

Many of you have asked how you can specifically pray as we wait for what's next to bring our son home. These are all the things that have to happen. We will keep this page updated as we complete each check point. Almost all of these steps are completely out of our hands. We just have to wait for word that they are accomplished. Please pray with us!

TIMELINE TO BABY COMING HOME

• Sign referral acceptance form and pay Foreign Fee
• Our agency will gather the PAIR paperwork (estimated 8 weeks)

•   When all info is gathered, they will e-mail/mail it all to us
•   Then we send those docs plus our completed I-600 form to USCIS

• USCIS reviews documents and issues PAIR approval letter (estimated 6-8 weeks)

•   They may ask for additional documents
•   When they are satisfied with the info, they issue PAIR approval letter
•   When they issue the letter, they will e-mail it to us. We will forward it to our agency. 

• Our agency sends PAIR letter out, eventually gets to Addis (estimated 2-3 weeks)

• We send letter to our agency-->agency sends to DC (US State Dept. and ET Embassy) -->DC sends it to our agency in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

• Our agency in Addis submits our file to ET courts (estimated  2 weeks)
• Judge issues First Hearing/Court (estimated  2 weeks)
• First Hearing/Court

•   Judge is determining if case is ready to move forward, so he will review the documents and interview people (birth family, orphanage director, agency director)
•   Hopefully, MOWA will already have given approval letter for this hearing. If the letter is not there, then we just wait until it arrives before the judge issues our court date.
•   If the judge is satisfied and everything is there, the judge will issue the Adoptive Parent court date

•   First Hearing Court Decree Issued (estimated  1 week after First Hearing)

•   It usually takes the judge about 1 week after the First Hearing to issue an Adoptive Parent court date. The Adoptive Parent court date set for 2 weeks later.

• Adoptive Parent Court Date--THIS IS WHEN WE TRAVEL TO MEET OUR SON!!! (estimated 3 weeks after First Hearing)
•   Judge will give an official decree usually within days for us.
•   Apply for New Birth Certificate and Receive (estimated 2 weeks to get) 
•   After Birth Certificate is received, Apply to MOWA for 2nd Approval Letter (estimated 2 weeks to receive)
•   Use MOWA letter to get ET Passport (estimated  2 weeks)
•   Embassy Medical Exam (done 1 week after passport is given)
•   Takes 1-2 weeks to get Doctor’s report from exam
•   Submit to Embassy
•   When all above are complete, you get submitted to Embassy.
•   This is usually about 8 weeks after AP Court
•   Embassy gives clearance (estimated 1-2 weeks after submitted)

WE CAN COME AND GET HIM AS SOON AS WE HAVE CLEARANCE!!!