On April 16th, go barefoot on the way to the water cooler, walking to the mailbox, in an afternoon meeting or on your lunch break; go barefoot for the entire day or long enough to raise awareness. One Day Without Shoes. C'mon, you CAN do it.
So...what's next?
Below is an overview of an Ethiopian adoption process from the time my agency receives adoptive parents' completed dossier and home study.
Agency Sends Dossier for Authentication and Translation Check!
Agency will forward adoptive parents’ dossier to the U.S. State Department and the Ethiopian Embassy for authentication. Once processed, the agency will forward the dossier to our staff in Ethiopia where it is translated
Referral Process Check!
Once the dossier is in Ethiopia, adoptive parents can wait six to eight months for a referral of a child. Once referred, the agency will send the adoptive parents referral photos, medical information and the child’s background information, including any known family history. Upon acceptance of referral, the agency's foreign staff will submit adoptive parents’ dossier, with the referred child’s documentation to the Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MOWA).
Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MOWA) Reviews Documentation Check!
MOWA is the branch of the Ethiopian government that reviews all documentation submitted by the adoptive parents and on behalf of the referred child recommends the adoption to be finalized to the Federal Court of Addis Ababa.
Federal Court Date November 11, 2008 Check!
Once MOWA recommends the adoption to be finalized, a court appointment is scheduled. At this appointment, the judge can either finalize the adoption or ask for further documentation and set another court date. Once the adoption is finalized, the court decree, new birth certificate and passport are issued, and the adoptive parents can travel.
Travel December 6, 2008 - December 11, 2008
Adoptive parents should be ready to travel within two to four months after accepting a referral. One parent is required to travel and the in-country stay in Ethiopia is five to seven days. During this time, adoptive parents will complete the U.S. Embassy Immigration appointment for the adopted child, which is necessary to bring the child to the United States. The agency's in-country staff will accompany each family throughout their entire stay in Ethiopia.
Post-Adoption- Until the child turns 18 years old In Process
In Ethiopia, an adoption is finalized before entrance into the United States. Upon arrival, post-adoption reports are due at three, six, and 12 months on the anniversary of the U.S. Embassy appointment date. After the first year, family authored self reports are due every year until the child reaches 18 years of age.
3 comments:
oh man, i would LOVE to do this, but i will be getting on a plane that day to go pick up my girlie in Ethiopia!! i will do it on the plane though! :) but i don't think i will in the airport b/c i think they frown on that....:)
I think it's a good idea...though I woke up to snow this morning. So, maybe I'll just do the barefoot thing indoors since it's really wet and cold outside.
Your daughter is just beautiful!
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