Our Complete i800 Timeline

Someone asked me how long our i800 process lasted, so I thought I would write it out here. (You can also look at my timeline in the other tab.)

Essentially it took Immigration 8 days to issue our first part, which was the RFE. Our application packet had two main problems: 1) Zac's birth certificate listed the wrong date. LAN had to ask the hospital in Kenya to reissue a corrected birth certificate, and 2) the NAC letter was missing the official raised seal and stamp. The NAC's stamp was broken back when my approval was sent, so Immigration had to contact the US Embassy here in Nairobi to ask whether the NAC letter is still valid without the official raised seal and stamp. It is. (THANK YOU JESUS!).

Once we got all the corrected documents sent back in to Immigration, it took exactly three weeks for Immigration to approve our application. Our officer fedex'd it to us, and we should receive it here in Nairobi in a few days.


October 12, 2012 - i800 approved!

September 21, 2012 - USCIS received our corrected documents.

September 19, 2012 - Stateside agency mailed supplemental i800 documents.

August 22, 2012 - i800 RFE'd (Request for Further Evidence) - need to reissue birth certificate

August 14, 2012 - Email from USCIS that they received our application.

August 7, 2012 - Stateside agency mailed i800 application.

i800 Approved!

We found out our i800 was approved and was mailed out to us yesterday! Such a huge relief!!

The two agencies chatted about our case (stateside and Kenyan) and now the agency can send our care  package to Baby Zac. I had assembled our care package and dropped it off at their office before we left for vacation at the end of August. So I am happy they already have it in their possession and can just drop it off.  That is the first step. Next the orphanage sets the date for when we are allowed to start the bonding process. They say it usually takes two weeks to prepare the child for the bonding process, but given the fact he is so young then maybe they will waive that two week period. Honestly, in my opinion this two week period is completely unnecessary. His mommy and daddy and brothers and sisters literally live 30 minutes away (or less if no traffic!) so why can we not get him immediately? I have to say I will be very, very upset if they set a date that is far out.  Today is the 16th. Zac needs to be with his family! Why would they want to keep him any longer?  So we'll see...

Trying to be patient.  But this is so stressful!!

USCIS has our corrected documents.

I received an email from our stateside agency on September 19. My coordinator received all the correct  documents from LAN and was writing a cover letter to USCIS to accompany the corrected documents. I then received a confirmation email from fedex that all our materials arrived at USCIS on September 21. WooHoo!!

There was a very quick turn-around the last time we sent in corrected documents to USCIS.
I pray the same happens this time. It is getting close to the holidays. I hope Zac can spend them with us.

Praying and Hopeful,

i800 RFE'd

We found out Tuesday that USCIS issued an RFE in our case on August 22.
Request for Additional Evidence.
In some of the baby's paperwork his date of birth is listed as the 5th of the month, while other paperwork lists it as the 4th of the month. So clearly his date of birth has to be consistent on all his paperwork.
This is a big, big deal for our timeline!
This means our Kenyan agency must request that the hospital issue him a new, corrected birth certificate.
I have no idea how long that process will take. It will take even longer if a hard copy has to be sent back and forth everywhere instead of being emailed.

So prayer warriors, pray specifically that 1) the hospital quickly reissue Zac's birth certificate, 2) that USCIS will accept emailed versions of the certificate as opposed to a hard copy, 3) that USCIS will hear our case again quickly, and 4) that all the paperwork is complete and accurate so our case can be accepted!

God knows our timeline. He knows when we are scheduled to leave this country. God is bigger than all our paperwork struggles! Depending on you, Lord.

USCIS Notification

I received an email from USCIS that they offcially received our i800 application.
Countdown to see how long this portion will take. Exciting!

The Steps From Here

We received an email from our stateside agency (from LAN) that outlines the exact next steps of the process from here. We were REALLY HOPING to have custody of Baby Isaac by October, but I'm not sure that will happen now. In fact, looking at our timeline is really making me nervous.
The foster period is 3 months, then court dates are 6-8 months. We have to be out of here in June. Well, God is going to have to step in and do another miracle! I'm so glad to keep giving Him these opportunities to shine and I have to keep giving him my worries in the meantime!


Ø  USCIS grants the I-800 approval
Ø  CAS formally communicates the approval to LAN and sends a copy of the approval
Ø  LAN does an official letter to New Life Home to officially introduce the Powers family, in addition to the letters, a family album and a small toy is sent to the home to start preparing the child for placement (on average a two week period is required for child preparation but this varies depending on age of child)
Ø  LAN and New Life Home agree on a date for the first meeting between the child and his prospective family.
Ø  The family goes to the home and meets their son and start the bonding visits
Ø  The family takes the child to a doctor for a second medical opinion
Ø  The child is placed with the family officially and agreements signed to begin the three month foster process

i800 Filed!

I just received notification that my stateside agency mailed our i800 packet to USCIS today!

THIS IS THE LAST DOCUMENT WE HAVE TO FILE IN ORDER TO HAVE ISAAC IN OUR ARMS!!

I cannot believe I am writing that last sentence!!

We Accept the Referral!

Today we officially accepted the referral for Baby Antony.
It has taken only 2 days to decide - - but it feels like 2 weeks while we looked over his medical file and prayed about whether to accept the referral.

I feel very, very at peace about this decision. This is our little boy!
Can't wait to kiss his chubby little cheeks and hold him in my arms!!

Now to work on our i800 application and get that sent in the mail!
We cannot take custody of the baby until this last part is approved by Immigration.
We estimate it will take 60 days...hopefully less!

This is our little boy!!

Waiting for a Match!

I heard from our Stateside agency and our agency here.
Stateside says it might take several months to match us to a child. The agency here says it generally takes them 4-8 weeks to match families to a child.  Friends, please pray that it is shorter. We have to file our next round of paperwork to Immigration before we go on vacation in August! If so, then maybe our approval from Immigration will be ready when we get back.

I know God has a specific child that he wants to become part of our family. I also know there is an enemy who is trying very hard to keep that child away from our family. So, prayer warriors, continue to declare blessings over our adoption process (which will keep the enemy away!) and let's keep focusing on how big and how great our God is!  Father we commit this portion (as with every part!) to you and we wait with praise and thanksgiving!

Father I pray that as the folks from Little Angels open our folder and open the folder that contains the names of all the babies, that your Glory would descend into that room, that your Glory would literally manifest on that page of names. That your Glory would shine on our child's name on that page, and it would appear as if a highlighter had marked his/her name. Then LAN would know this indeed is the child that is meant to be ours.

In Jesus Name,