our adoption logistical hurdles...it was a learning process!

1. We began working with Family Adoption Consultants in Kalamazoo Michigan to adopt from Korea. They assigned us to work with Kids Hope United in Illinois in order to complete the homestudy in 7/05
2. Our approved homestudy was complete on 10/03/05
3. We received our referral from Family Adoption Consultants on 10/12/05
4. We officially accepted our referral by completing and sending all the appropriate paperwork to Family Adoption Consultants on 10/30.
5. We completed our adoption conversion course for DCFS on 10/29/05 at which point our social worker, Devin Dittrich at Kids Hope United in Joliet, assured us that all of our paperwork for foster care licensing was complete on approximately 10/29/05.
6. We completed our I600 for USCIS including payment, our daughter’s legal documents from Korea, and approved homestudy information on approximately 11/1/05
7. We completed our fingerprinting for USCIS on 11/15/05.
8. On 11/29, I spoke with Mary Donnelly at DCFS. Mary works in Springfield coordinating international adoptions for DCFS. Mary told us that she would be sending a confirmation letter to USCIS by 12/02/05 confirming our foster care license.
9. On 11/29, I spoke with Diane at USCIS to relay the message from Mary Donnelly. Diane let me know that once the letter was received, she would be able to grant us visa approval. She would then wire the information to Korea who would then begin working on passport approval.
10. On 12/2, I received a call from our social worker, Devin Dittrich, telling me that we had to do some additional paperwork for DCFS. She said that she was unaware that we would need to complete this paperwork before that point, but that it was necessary to complete before DCFS could process our foster care license. Devin assured me that the delay would not be a big one. However, this is the first time that I was told that we would once again need to be fingerprinted, this time by a company called Arts Investigations.
11. We completed the new DCFS paperwork and were fingerprinted by Arts Investigations on 12/6/05 at the Laidlaw bus company in Villa Park, IL. The paperwork was over-nighted to DCFS by our social worker the following day.
12. Since 12/6/05, I have been in communication with Mary Donnelly at DCFS and with Karen Powell at Kids Hope United (Karen works as Devin’s supervisor). On 1/10/06, I spoke with Mary Donnelly who informed me that the reason our foster care license had yet to be issued is because DCFS is waiting on FBI clearance. She told me that they only need FBI clearance when a couple has lived outside the state of Illinois within the past three years – which Matt and I have. Mary then told me that the time period of when we should hear back from the FBI is unknown and that there is no one to call to track where we are in the process.
13. Since 1/10/06, I have been in communication with Karen Powell at Kids Hope United who also is unaware of whom I can speak with in order to expedite this process.
14. On 2/2/06, I received a message from Sue at State Representative McCarthy’s office. She informed me that she forwarded on my information to Senator Obama’s office who would be contacting me with a release form that we would have to fill out. With it, they would try and track the FBI fingerprint clearances.
15. On 2/3/06, I spoke with Camille at Dick Durbin’s office who was very helpful, but unfortunately, could not assist in tracking the federal FBI fingerprint clearance. She did insist that if she could help in any other way, I let her know.
16. On 2/3/06, I spoke with Mary Donnelly at IL DCFS who informed me that she had contacted Devin Dittrich at Kids Hope United to encourage her to follow up with DCFS licensing office. She also informed me that in addition to the FBI clearances, we were also missing the following documents:
1. CANTS clearance for me, Shannon Schans (Matt’s had come in)
2. IL state police clearances for both Shannon and Matt Schans
At this time, Mary also confirmed with me that there could be delays in retrieving these clearances because the licensing office of DCFS had recently relocated from Springfield to Chicago and it was a chaotic move.
17. On 2/6/06, I left a message with Karen Powell asking her to verify the information Mary gave me on Friday.
18. With the help of Kevin McCarthy’s office, we were able to determine that our fingerprint request had not been properly submitted. They were able to expedite the process and we received our clearance within days of the discovery – approximately on 2/10/06.
19. This allowed for our final visa clearance to be granted approximately on March 10, 2006.
20. Our complete file allowed Sophie’s visa request to be processed in Korea on April 1, 2006.
21. On April 12, 2006, we received news that Sophie’s visa had been approved in Korea and that she would travel to the US on April 25, 2006.
22. I took a nap. :)