So what is the timeline?
We get asked a variation of this question almost daily - "When does
Rowan come home?" "What is the timeline to custody of Rowan?" "When do
you think you will travel?" It is so very clear - People care, are
excited for us, and are hopeful for us, in adding to our family through
adoption. I wish the answer was RIGHT NOW! But there is a legal
process that we are just at the beginning of, and its equal parts
amazing and heart breaking to watch her grow through once a month
pictures and medical updates.
On one hand, I feel so so incredibly blessed that an answer to prayer - a consistent loving caregiver - is answered for her, and for us. Rowan is living with a foster family, who is caring for her in this process. What a gift they are to Rowan, and to us!
And at the same time, we wait for a month to get ONE picture of her sweet face. And that picture is everything. EVERYTHING. I just never thought about the instant ability to have as many pictures at almost any time of my other two. But with her, we wait. We wait to see her pictures. We wait to see updates medically. We wait to find out more of her personality and spirit through written updates. I am so thankful for every last picture, and every last update. And at the same time, it is gut wrenching to long for a child that you can't hold, but you hold fully in your heart. It is something that cannot be explained.
So the timeline. There are many steps, and we are months into waiting on the next step alone. So I will try to give a general time frame, and general explanation of each step, for those who are curious!
Completed Steps:
Application: We applied to Holt in December 2018, hoping to apply to adopt from China.
Application to adopt from Korea: February 2018
Home Study - Started February 2019
Received Rowan's file - April 8, 2019
Home Study Approval - May 22,2019
Officially Matched with Rowan - May 22, 2019
USCIS application - May 26, 2019 (Where we applied to be able to bring Rowan home, with the US immigration office)
USCIS approval letter - July 1, 2019
Dossier to Korea - July 5, 2019
Steps ahead of us:
Emigration Permit submission - Although it was shorter at one point, our agency is guessing this could take 6-7 months. We are 3.5 months into this wait, and praying for a quicker timeline than what is stated. This is the process on the Korean side, for Rowan to be able to leave the country after her adoption is final.
Emigration Approval - Once submitted, approval is happening in 1-5 months. Quite a range! This is where the Korean government looks over our dossier (documents that prove that we are physically, mentally, and financially well) before they give her the ability to be adopted by us.
Court Submission - After EP approval, we wait to get submitted to court. This can take anywhere from 1 week to 1+ months.
Wait for Court Date - This depends on the judge given, and there is no set timeline, though it is usually 2-3 weeks after the court submission.
Court/ Meeting Rowan - Once we have a travel date, we make plans to travel for our court date, and visit Korea. We can't wait to explore in Korea and meet our sweet girl!
Custody/Visa- After the judge gives us final approval, we will travel for custody and her visa appointment, about 4-6 weeks after our court date!
So, as you can see, we are staring down a LONNNNGGG wait, until we bring Rowan home. Some days, its easier to wait, and other days, it feels as though we will never hold her in our arms. We are hopeful! We are trusting in God's timing, even when its hard! In the meantime, we are trying our best to stay busy, distracted (activities, little road trips, and projects around the house!), and we are praying for her heart, health, and her transition that is to come.
On one hand, I feel so so incredibly blessed that an answer to prayer - a consistent loving caregiver - is answered for her, and for us. Rowan is living with a foster family, who is caring for her in this process. What a gift they are to Rowan, and to us!
And at the same time, we wait for a month to get ONE picture of her sweet face. And that picture is everything. EVERYTHING. I just never thought about the instant ability to have as many pictures at almost any time of my other two. But with her, we wait. We wait to see her pictures. We wait to see updates medically. We wait to find out more of her personality and spirit through written updates. I am so thankful for every last picture, and every last update. And at the same time, it is gut wrenching to long for a child that you can't hold, but you hold fully in your heart. It is something that cannot be explained.
So the timeline. There are many steps, and we are months into waiting on the next step alone. So I will try to give a general time frame, and general explanation of each step, for those who are curious!
Completed Steps:
Application: We applied to Holt in December 2018, hoping to apply to adopt from China.
Application to adopt from Korea: February 2018
Home Study - Started February 2019
Received Rowan's file - April 8, 2019
Home Study Approval - May 22,2019
Officially Matched with Rowan - May 22, 2019
USCIS application - May 26, 2019 (Where we applied to be able to bring Rowan home, with the US immigration office)
USCIS approval letter - July 1, 2019
Dossier to Korea - July 5, 2019
Steps ahead of us:
Emigration Permit submission - Although it was shorter at one point, our agency is guessing this could take 6-7 months. We are 3.5 months into this wait, and praying for a quicker timeline than what is stated. This is the process on the Korean side, for Rowan to be able to leave the country after her adoption is final.
Emigration Approval - Once submitted, approval is happening in 1-5 months. Quite a range! This is where the Korean government looks over our dossier (documents that prove that we are physically, mentally, and financially well) before they give her the ability to be adopted by us.
Court Submission - After EP approval, we wait to get submitted to court. This can take anywhere from 1 week to 1+ months.
Wait for Court Date - This depends on the judge given, and there is no set timeline, though it is usually 2-3 weeks after the court submission.
Court/ Meeting Rowan - Once we have a travel date, we make plans to travel for our court date, and visit Korea. We can't wait to explore in Korea and meet our sweet girl!
Custody/Visa- After the judge gives us final approval, we will travel for custody and her visa appointment, about 4-6 weeks after our court date!
So, as you can see, we are staring down a LONNNNGGG wait, until we bring Rowan home. Some days, its easier to wait, and other days, it feels as though we will never hold her in our arms. We are hopeful! We are trusting in God's timing, even when its hard! In the meantime, we are trying our best to stay busy, distracted (activities, little road trips, and projects around the house!), and we are praying for her heart, health, and her transition that is to come.
Can't wait for the day you get to hold your sweet girl in your arms!! We love her already!!
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