Welcome and I hope this step by step process post will shine a light on some of the darker corners as we wait for our children to come home.
The first question and the continuing question we are asked is "How long.."
How long will it take?
How long have you been doing this?
How long until it is over?
Honestly that is a question we ask ourselves too. And it is a bit like asking "How long is a bit of string" or "How long til we get there?" Someone knows but they ain't tellin! cause who knows what might happen between here and there!
On average though adoptions from Haiti have been taking between 18 and 24 months.Yes some are faster.. we hope you are the exception to the case... and some are longer, we feel your pain!
At this point I would like to recommend that if you are starting the Haitian adoption journey that you find a Hague credited, reputable adoption agency to work with. The Haitian government is making some changes to it's adoption processes and it looks like private adoptions are soon to be a thing of the past.
So....
You collect up all the documents you need:
Your adoption agency should give you a list of papers you need or the creche you are adopting from will assist you.
Send the following documents to USCIS (immigration) along with your I600A application form.
Homsestudy done by a liscensed social worker
Form I-600
Birth/ marriage/Divorce papers
Form FD-258 Finger Prints for USCIS (you will recieve an appointment to have your finger prints taken at a local USCIS office once you submit your I-600 A and documents
Form I-600A
| Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative | I-600 | $720. (No fee is required if you are filing based on an approved I-600A filed within the previous 18 months. An $85 fee for biometrics services is required for each person 18 years of age or older who is living with the applicant. See the form instructions for full payment details.) | 01/12/11; (11/23/10; 12/30/09 editions also accepted) |
| Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition | <><>I-600A | <><>$720. (An $85 fee for biometrics is required for each person 18 years of age or older who is living with the applicant. A one-time, no-fee extension can be requested before the expiration date indicated on Form I-171H. See form instructions for additional details.) | <><>01/12/11; (11/23/10; 12/30/09 editions also accepted) |
research the AOF option and talk to your agency to see if this is right for you.
http://www.uscis.gov/USCIS/Laws/Memoranda/Static_Files_Memoranda/Archives%201998-2008/2003/orphanpilot060403.pdf
Now you have everything completed, notorised and authorised from your local agencies and your Secretary of State it is time for your dossier to :
Send for translation:
Some recommendations but not endorsements:
Emmanuel Pierreuse
Franslations@aol.com
(619) 435-3931
Isabelle Gallemaert
igallema@club-internet.fr
Isabelle lives in France, has adopted from Haiti, and is FAST; she does everything via email
Send for approval:
Once you recieve your papers back from translation everything must be approved by the Haitian consulate or Embassy here in the States (if adopting from the US). http://www.haiti.org/ this link will tell you which consulate to send your dossiers to. Call ahead and find out the fees to be sure.
FED EX to Haiti
When you recieve your dossier back from the consulate it is time to send (FedEx) it to Haiti (if you are doing a private adoption otherwise I would assume your adoption agency will be doing this for you!)
WAIT
And then you wait for that miraculaous moment when you recieve your referral, you gaze at the face of your child for the first time and the reality hits..you are never going to be the same again, you want to rush out the door and go bring that little person..or bigger person..into your home and start with all the joy of parenting. All of us who have walked this pathway before you wish you could go and bring them home right now too, but the truth is.. the journey has really just begun!
After all the hard intense work of getting things done, collecting things, notorising things, rushing papers here and there..this next bit..the "Just hurry up and wait" part is hard on the emotions, faith, spirit and relationships around you. Find a good support group!! Subscribe to blogs and read up on adoptions and bonding and everything you can. Limit watching reunion vidoes on you tube!
What happens next to my paper work once it reaches Haiti?
This is a common question and the best answer I have read is posted here: Haitian adoption answers: and http://kashaiti.blogspot.com/p/hatian-adoption-process.html
Step one:
MFA Minister of Foreign Affairs:
Authenticates the documents: 1st legal step for your
dossier:
can take 2-4 weeks
Step two:
Adoption Lawyer: Preparation of File for IBESR
This requires your paper work to be put in a certain order.
Social history and psychological exams for your children will be added. This
info. will be added in a homestudy type format and added to your dossier.
Additional documents will be collected from Haiti.
-passport pictues of each child
-Birthcertificates
-Attestation of signature on BirthCertificate or Extract from the National Achives
-Legal relinquishment of custody from the biological family to the orphanage from the local judge
-Psychological evaluation
-Medical evaluation
-Laboratory tests
-Social History
-Process verbal ( the adoptive parents grant the cresche the right to place their child with your family specifically.. your dossier has to be in Haiti for this to occur.)
Step threeAOF Investigation: If you have applied for this request your papers in advance so that the investiagtion can go ahead.
Again please read this link so that you throughly understand the process.
Step 4
IBESR Haiti's Social Services Department
Social workers will look over all your documents and decide
whether to grant your adoption request.
If you do not meet the requirements as outlined in the 1979 Adoption law your dossier will be submitted (by IBESR) to the Presidential Palace for dispensation. Once approved your dispensation will be published in the legal journal Le Moniteur :
(You may exit IBESR at this point but you can not move forward until your dispensation has been published)
To be approved you must gain:
IBESR directors,
IBESR lawyers,
IBESR head of adoption services and
IBESR Social workers signatures.
The four stages of approval can take from 2 - 18 months. (With the political situation in Haiti the change of President, the change of Government, the change of Prime Minister this process has been taking awhile to complete. We are seeig more movement now (April 202) )
Once you have IBESR approval your dossier is prepared to enter the Parquet stage:
Step 5
Parquet: Head Commissioner
The Head Commissioner is responsible for making sure the
adoption is what the parents want and that the children are able to be legally
adopted. This stage protects the birth parents rights if parents are alive and makes
sure they are in agreement with the adoption. He asks the birth parents to come
and see him and interviews them to make sure they understand the children are
being adopted.
The stages the dossier has to pass through in this section of the adoption process is as follows:
Attorney submits a Request for Judgement to the Chief of Parquet Court
Birth parents are interviewed if alive
Parquet Court signs off on "approval judgement for adoption"
Adoption facilitator takes approval to DGI for stamp of approval
Back to Parquet for enforcement of approval
Civil Registrar Officer authorizes and redacts (pulls all the information together) and readies the paperwork for the legal adoption decree
Civil Registrar Verifies all the adoption documents
Civil registrar signs adoption decree
FIRST LEGAL: adoption decree passes in Parquet Court
SECOND LEGAL: Adopton decree papsses Ministry of Justice
THIRD LEGAL: Adoption decree passes Ministry of Foreign Affairs
This process can take 2-12 weeks.
At this stage you may.. or may not.. be required to come to the Second Court stage. The Judge in Port Au Prince has just been re-appointed. If you are called to go plan to be in Port Au Prince at court at least three days.
Take along a photo album of you with your children and of your family with the children to be adopted if possable.
Sometimes it can take an hour sometimes the Judge is not able to see you and you will need to return.
This process can take 2 -8 weeks
The adoption decree then goes to the National Archives to be registered. Once it has been registered you ca retrieve a copy of it (or your adoption worker can). Send the copy to be added to your USCIS paper work to file with your I 600 papework http://home4achild.blogspot.com/p/documents-to-file-your-i-600.html
| Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative | I-600 | $720. (No fee is required if you are filing based on an approved I-600A filed within the previous 18 months. An $85 fee for biometrics services is required for each person 18 years of age or older who is living with the applicant. See the form instructions for full payment details.) | 01/12/11; (11/23/10; 12/30/09 editions also accepted) |
| Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition | I-600A | $720. (An $85 fee for biometrics is required for each person 18 years of age or older who is living with the applicant. A one-time, no-fee extension can be requested before the expiration date indicated on Form I-171H. See form instructions for additional details.) |
Step 7
MOI Minister of Interior Affairs
Passport application process. Passports are issued with the adopting
parents last name
The Ministry of Interior will grant authorization to submit the dossier to Haitian Immigrations for a passport
The adoption facilitator collects and submits the following:
Four passport sized pictures
Birth Certificate
Attestation of Birth Certificate
Extract from the National Achives for the Birth Certifcate
Relinquishment
Proces Verbal of Adoption
Adoption Approval Judgement
Adoption Decree
Attestation of the Adoption Decree
Power of Attorney for Creche Director and/or attorney
Stamp from DGI
Notary Letter for the Passport
Identification card for the facilitator and/or attorney
Biological parents identification cards
Adoptive parents MOI form, identification and passport photos
The Ministry of Interior will grant authorization to submit the dossier to Haitian Immigrations for a passport
This can take 2-14 week
Step 8
Passports
The adoption facilitator submits the authorisation from MOI to Haitian Immigrations.Haitian Immigrations issues passport This can take up to 2 weeks if the machines are working properly
Step 9
Child is taken to have a Visa Medical Examination which is required as part of the visa application. Usually the medical exam has to be done after the passport is issued because the Embassy Doctor has to ensure that he/she is examining the child who is applying for the visa.
At this point everything moves to the American Officals Side of the House. You re-visit the Haitian authorities once more for an IBESR exit letter at the very tail end of the process.
Step 10
1-600 DHS (American )
Hopefully sometime between IBESR exit and parquet you will receive
the documents to file for your I-600 (having already submitted an I - 600A with
your initial dossier paperwork) http://home4achild.blogspot.com/p/documents-to-file-your-i-600.html
You will need the final adopton decree and passports to finalise your I600
The I 600 petitions to bring the named children home.
I 600 filed and approved by DHS.
* You will recieve updated notes on where you are in this process. One will tell you that your provisionally approved I600 has been sent to the Embassy in Port Au Prince for adoption interviews.
This stage relates to the adoption interview of living birth parents , you are not required to travel yet..but it is good to know that all the dots and crosses are being put to finally bringing your child home. If you have already had parent interviews as part of the AOF this part should go smoothly.
This can take 1-3 weeks: ( this has been taking longer)
*You will recive a piece of paper on the bottom right corner it will say Form I 171 provisional approval of I 600.
In the top right hand box it will say I 600 Petition to classify Orphan as immediate Relative.
Scan this and send to your adoption facilitator.
sub step DHS may request DNA testing (0-6 weeks)
Step 11
Consulate
Approximately three to four weeks following completion of all USCIS investigations and adjudication of the I600 for the child, the case will be forwarded to the Department of State for issuance of a Visa. The Department of State also has the right to request DNA testing for birth parent and child. Adoptive parents may or may not need to be present for the Visa appointment
You will recive an email from PAP Adoptions asking for the original copies of your paper work. forward this to your adoption fascilitator:
Please ask your agent to bring the original and copies
of the Haitian
civil documents
listed below to the Consular Section any weekday between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00
p.m.
1.
The
child's birth certificate (Acte de Naissance) and, if available, extract of
birth
(Extrait de l'Acte de Naissance) from the Haitian National Archives;
(Extrait de l'Acte de Naissance) from the Haitian National Archives;
2.
The
Renonciation du Droit Parental
3.
The
Consentement d’Adoption
- The Extrait des Minutes du Greffe by the Justice of the Peace;
- The Adoption Authorization (Autorisation d’Adoption) from IBESR, indicating that the adoption conforms to the laws of Haiti;
- The Extrait des Minutes du Greffe by the Civil Court; Extract of the death certificate (Extrait de l' Acte de Decès) of the deceased biological parent(s) from the Haitian National Archives, if applicable. Other documentation of the death of a biological parent might include the burial permit, receipts for the funeral, etc;
- The child’s passport – annotated with adoption and an ID picture
-
The Adoption Unit generally requires a period of administrative
processing time following the I-604 interview to review the case. We are unable
to provide any specific time frame for completion of this
process. However, be assured that we will notify you immediately once we
have completed our review. We make adoption cases a priority, and strive
to adjudicate these cases as quickly as possible. Once we are able to confirm
that the child meets the legal definition of an orphan and the adoption process
is complete, we will contact your agent to schedule the final visa
interview.
recieve email with visa appointment date.
Some folks decide to go to PAP for the visa interview, others send a power of attourney so the adoption facilitator can go. Regradless the child will be taken to the Embassy for the final immigration visa interview.
Step 13
Visa Appointment (1 week prior to bringing child home)
NOTE!
Parents who can prove that they visited their child prior to the issuance of the Adoption Decree by Parquet Court will be issued an IR-3 Visa. Their children will be automatically granted full US Citizenship upon arrival in the US
Families who did not visit their children prior to the date of the Adoption Decree must file for citizenship for their children. Failure to file for citizenship will leave the child as a legal immigrant and unprotected by the rights of full citizenship. Please refer to the USCIS website for form N-600 and instructions on how to file
Step 14
Recieve exit letter from IBESR
This step is a formaility and allows IBESR to track which of the authorised adoptions they have approved have actually recieved visas to leave.
Step 15
FLY HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is a general overview of the process as we and others have experienced it. While some time lines look relatively short..others have taken over two years or more! This is key and essential to being able to waether the wait. You will see folks pass you, only to pass them later on.. or you will see people come in and take their children home and you will not have moved.
This is a good reminder to me that all the processes take time and that the safe, legal and finalised adoption of the child is the number one importance.
Also, the safe guarding of the birth parents rights and understanding is vital. These parents are giving their children the gift of life and it should not be taken lightly.
Finally, I want to make sure that my children's furtures are secure. So making sure that every i is dotted and every t crossed is important to me.
I hope this has been helpful.
Wendy
This information has been compilied from several sources and will be added to as more information and personal experience becomes available. Thanks to Margarette Saint Fleur of BRESMA orphanage for her blog and post on this topic. http://kashaiti.blogspot.com/p/hatian-adoption-process.htmlExtract of the death certificate (Extrait de l' Acte de Decès) of the deceased biological parent(s) from the Haitian National Archives, if applicable. Other documentation of the death of a biological parent might include the burial permit, receipts for the funeral, etc;
