Adoption Status & Timeline
El Salvador Adoption Update, November 2010: Another family from our agency has made it through the Family Court and their adoption is complete. Slowly, we rise to the top of our agency’s families-in-process-the-longest list. We’re approved – just waiting for El Salvador’s adoption authorities to select us as the right fit for a sibling pair or a single orphan currently without a family to support them/her/him.
For a more detailed explanation of the process, check out my El Salvador Adoption Process, Step-by-Step post.
1. Agency Selection. August 2008
2. Complete the Homestudy process. September 2008-March 2009, renewed in May 2010
3. Acquire U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services approval to bring adopted children into the U.S. March 2009-June 2009, then renewed in August 2010
4. Dossier compiled. April 2009-July 2009
5. DTES (Dossier-to-El-Salvador), translated into Spanish July 2009
6. Dossier review completed by El Salvador’s Officina para las Adopciónes (Office for Adoptions, OPA). July 2010
7. Dossier approval by Reunión Conjunta (Joint Meeting) at the office of the Procuraduría (Attorney General).
8. Approved dossier brought to a later Assignment Meeting and matched with waiting child(ren). Referral issued.
9. Declaration of the Intent to Adopt (acceptance of referral) sent to El Salvador.
10. Documentation processed and Family Court date set.
11. Travel to meet child(ren) and appear at Family Court hearing. Adoption finalized in El Salvador.
12. New birth certificate, passport, and visa issued for child(ren).
13. Travel home!
14. And lest anyone think we’re “done” at that point: BEGIN LIFE WITH A NEW CHILD/ NEW CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM HOMELAND, LANGUAGE, CULTURE, FRIENDS, CAREGIVERS, FOOD, EVERYTHING FAMILIAR AND LOVE THEM EVEN AS THEY AREN’T SURE THIS IS REALLY A GOOD THING.
15. THEN settle into the new norm – which will continually surface new meanings to #14 throughout their (and consequently our) lives – and keep the dialog open.