Timeline

One of the questions we get asked frequently is, "How long will it take?" Here is a guide with approximate times...

1. Get official homestudy document from social worker. - Maybe 3 weeks from now.
2. I-600A to United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS): Just a form, kind of like doing your taxes. Lists basic info about us and gives them forewarning that we want to adopt. We have to wait on our homestudy before we do this. - Fingerprinting will probably be 4 weeks from when paperwork is sent...
3. Fingerprinting: The USCIS calls us to tell us we can have an appointment for fingerprinting. I think this is for visas or something. - comes back maybe 2 weeks from fingerprinting appointment?
4. Dossier to Agency: Everything goes together to be bound by our agency and shipped off to Ethiopia. This is TECHNICALLY when the process BEGINS. - One month to 6 weeks after our homestudy document is finalized.
5. Dossier to Ethiopia - about one month after it goes to the agency.
6. Referral of a child with information and a picture! - Likely 4 months from the date Dossier goes to Ethiopia.
7. Wait for court. - Likely 3 months after referral is accepted
8. Wait to pass court. (Some people end up having multiple court dates. Passing is NOT guaranteed on the first round). - This is when you start praying. Could go very fast, could take 6 months or more!
9. TRAVEL! - Approx. 6 weeks after we pass court in Ethiopia.