FBI Background Check Complete!

Well, we have it...the final paper we've been waiting on. Our FBI background check arrived today and we're clean. Now all that we have to do is get this, along with our I171H notarized, certified and apostilled. Then, off they go to Russia for translations.

Our dossier has been in Russia for two weeks now. I've been in San Francisco all week so I didn't get a chance to get an update from CSS on the translation effort. Hopefully I can spare a few minutes on Monday and get an update.

Regards,
G

I-171H received and other exciting news!

Another milestone has been reached!! Today we received our I-171H from the UCIS. This is a major milestone and reason for celebration! This form allows us to file for Daniel's visa for entry into the United States when we bring him from Russia. Without this form, even if we had successfully adopted him from Russia, we wouldn't be allowed to bring him to the US.

Our dossier made it to Russia the morning of the 9th of August. It is being translated to Russia by CSS staff in Moscow.

OK, so everyone is allowed 1 mistake...I've had mine. I forgot one of the forms. In the mad dash to get all the forms filled out, signed, notarized, certified and apostilled...I MISSED ONE FORM!!! ;> Katrina called me on the 8th asking where the form was. I felt like an idiot!!! So...off we go doing the mad dash again. Signing, notarizing, certifying and rushing it to Nashville to be apostilled by the Secretary of State. We're keeping UPS happy with all these packages flying around the state of Tennessee.

But wait...there's more! I got a confirmation that our FBI background check was progressing and that they hope to be done with it within 1-2 weeks.

So, if we can get our FBI background check done and get the results back here in Tennessee, get that plus our I171H notarized, certified and apostilled...WE'LL BE DONE WITH ALL OF THE PAPERWORK REQUIRED HERE IN THE UNITED STATES!!!

(Of course...there's all the paperwork while we're in Russia to take care of...but that's for another day).

Regards,
Greg, Mary & Katie

Dossier enroute to Moscow

We have handed off our dossier to CSS, who in turn handed it off to a family from Greeneville, Tn who is heading to Moscow Friday 8/8/2008. They are heading over on their second trip which is the trip where they go before the judge.

Our fingerprints are on their way to the FBI for the ever popular background check.

Now that word of our blog has spread, we're fielding some questions. Here's some common ones and the answers:

1. Do you have any information regarding the child you're receiving? - No. We have requested a boy up to age of 18 months. We won't get any information until we walk in the door at the orphanage in Moscow.

2. Is the child you're adopting named Daniel? Daniel is the name we have picked out. One of the final things you get to do when you're before the judge on the second trip is have the child's name changed to something more 'appropriate' for your country. It is highly recommended that we keep some part of his Russian name, but as for the first name we have chosen Daniel.

Regards,
Greg, Mary and Katie.

We've given birth to a dossier!!!

Ladies and Gentlemen, we're pleased to annouce the birth of a 85 page dossier. It was a difficult birthing process but Greg, Mary, several Notary Publics and our laser printer are all doing well.

;>

OK, so what's that mean???

We've finished the paperwork phase!!! Our dossier (packet of certified documents) is complete and we are taking it to Asheville to be sent to Moscow for translation.

Next steps:

1. Once the dossier reaches Moscow, it will be translated to Russian and registered with the Russian Ministry of Education.

2. We're getting our fingerprints done August 6th for our FBI background check.

3. Wait for the big phone call from CSS to indicate they have a referal for us.

The 'current wait time' puts us at traveling on our first trip sometime in October.

Greg, Mary & Katie

So close...and yet so far...

Well, we have all the documents notarized and ceritified in the county they were notarized in. They are all now either enroute to the Tennessee Secretary of State via UPS or are already on their way back from the S0fS. We're hoping that by Tuesday or Wednesday we can offically turn the document packet over to CSS in Ashville.

Next step, fingerprints so the FBI can do a background check on us.

g