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.
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.
