Adoption Status & Timeline

El Salvador Adoption Update, July 2010 –  We just got word that our file has made it through the OPA review and is now waiting for approval at the next Reunión Conjunta (Joint Meeting).

We still have a ways to go, but this is our first real sign of movement IN El Salvador, so we’re grateful for it!  There should be a Reunión Conjunta at the end of this month, but there’s no telling whether OUR dossier will really get looked at.  They haven’t been great about timely processing in the past, but supposedly they’re trying to improve that track record.  We’ll see.

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.