Meili's Adoption from China

I sent my first email to the NVC (National Visa Center) today to check on the status of our case's cable. I just want to give a quick shout out to Courtney for her directions on her website. By following them, I was already ahead of the game. The NVC sent me back one of those automated email responses requesting certain information. Thanks to Courtney, I included all of this information in my original email. I figure that I'll hear something back from them tomorrow.
Best scenario? ...that we've been cabled and I receive a pdf letter in my inbox tomorrow!
Current {wishful} timeline projections based on a cable of this week:
Week of August 1: Article 5 drop-off
Week of August 15: Article 5 pick-up
Week of September 12: TA & CA issued
Week of late September: Travel to China

The Canton Trade Fair in Guangzhou starts October 15 and runs thru November 4. We have to either travel before these dates or after. Hotel prices triple during the fair and we cannot afford the prices. China also celebrates National Day on October 1. Their federal/provinical government typically shuts down for a few days around this time, thus adoptions cannot be processed. It'll be interesting to see how this travel situation plays out. While I would [LOVE] to travel at the end of September, I've been planning for 6 months now to travel November 1-15. I told Ben last night about the possibility of traveling in 8 weeks. I expected him to just say ok and to pretty much ignore what I was saying. He typically 'tunes me out' when I start chattering about the adoption process. But 8 weeks caught his attention! The normally level-headed Ben turned into an emotional Ben. What!?! We can't go in 8 weeks. We're not ready! Plane tickets will be too expensive. Her room isn't put together. He just sort of started rambling about expense and it being too soon. Inside, I was chuckling. In the end, I said something to the effect of when we get TA, we have to buy plane tickets and the agency will take care of the rest. He made me agree that we'd decide jointly on our plane tickets. I think he's worried that I'll purchase first class seats on the first available flight to China. That's funny! The economy plane tickets, themselves, are almost as expensive as the entire trip while in China, including hotel, guide, and food. Like I would pay $14,000 for plane tickets! He's a funny man....kind of like my Dad.

Just received the following email from my USCIS Immigration Officer:

Your application was approved on July 21, 2011.  You should be receiving the notice soon in the mail.  Thank You.

Next step? The approval is sent to the National Visa Center. They 'cable' or email the approval to the US consulate in Guangzhou. I will email them to send me a pdf version of the 'cable' via email. My agency must have a copy of this in order to proceed to the following steps.

It's getting closer! Meili will soon be coming home.

A few people on RQ have received their provisional approval for their I-800. Since I haven't heard anything, I figured that I would email USCIS and see where they're at with mine. Maybe the email will give them incentive to finish it before the weekend! I mailed off our visa requests. The courier should have received them today. It will take a week or so to receive those back. Other than these 2 things, there is really nothing to report for the adoption.

I emailed the USCIS on Monday about Ben's incorrect DOB on the receipt letter. About 2 hours later, they emailed me back. They corrected it in their system. Since I brought this to their attention, maybe we'll get our I-800 provisionally approved quicker. LOL! Now that's some adoption humor for you right there.

We received a letter from USCIS today. Basically, it just states that they received our I-800 application for Meili. I scanned over the letter and sat it down on the table. Something told me to take a better look at it....maybe it was God? I went back to the dining table and really studied the letter. Something wasn't right. My information was correct. It listed Ben and Meili. Then, there it was. Ben's date of birth was listed as 1980 instead of 1970. He was 10 years younger!!! Since all information has to be correct, I will call USCIS on Monday. Better yet, I'll email them. It's just another step in the process to bring Meili home.

Today I ordered Meili's second care package from Ann @ Red Thread. This will be her third care package total. I selected the standard girl's birthday package and added a book and set of 5 race cars. I know that the race cars aren't 'girly' but it's something that she can hold in her hand/play in her crib. Plus, the race cars can be given to other kids at the orphanage.

I also received the text from USCIS @ 12:43 am, stating that they received our I-800. Actually, I know that they received it on Wednesday but are just now sending us the text message. Whatever. It really doesn't matter. I would love for USCIS to provisionally approve us by the end of July. It's been taking them about 3 weeks, so I think this is a major possibility.

I've had many people ask me what's left. Here is a quick breakdown (information taken from Courtney's website: http://www.china-adoption-online.com/adopting-a-child.html) -----

1) We must file Form I-800 with USCIS. It will take approximately 3 weeks to receive I-800 approval.

2) When we have I-800 approval, our officer will forward our approval to the NVC (National Visa Center). NVC will upload our approval into their system and cable (send) our approval to the US consulate. Then the NVC will issue a letter stating they have done this. It takes about one week to be cabled and another week to receive the letter.

3) Once we receive the NVC letter , we'll immediately send it to our agency! They will deliver this letter to the US consulate in China.

4) When the consulate has our NVC letter, they will issue our Article 5 in 2-3 weeks. The Article 5 is the consulate pre-approving Meili for an immigrant visa. Our agency will have a courier pick up the Article 5 and take it to the CCAA.

5) Once the CCAA receives the Article 5, the Travel Approval will then be issued. This takes around 2-4 weeks. At this point, our agency will finalize travel arrangements for us to go to China and adopt Meili!

6) Secure an immigration appointment with the US consulate. This has to be done in order for them to issue Meili a visa. A US visa allows her to enter the US. She will enter the US as a US citizen.

7) Buy airline tickets.

8) Pack our suitcases and one for Meili.

9) Travel to China and bring Meili home!

Since today was the first day that businesses were open, I met Ben at the credit union to have our notary, Karen, sign about 20+ documents. Karen has notarized almost everything to date. We told her today that we'd bring Meili by once she was home.

After this was completed, I drove over to the post office to express mail 2 packages. One package needed to go back to the agency. It contained the original LOA, copy of the I-800, and various other documents. The second package was sent to the lockbox in Lewisville, Texas. It contained the I-800 and Article 16. Both packages should arrive at their destinations by noon tomorrow. I was going to try and get the visa applications ready too. But, I ran out of time and will do that next week. I'm leaving tomorrow to go to a conference in Chicago. I'd ask Ben to do it but it's just easier for me to take care of the visas next week.