I can NOT believe that when I wrote this post that less than a month later I would be in Denver getting our documents certified!
I am speechless really, because HE so has a plan for this baby. Last year it took FOREVER to get where we will be at next week!
As in we sent our paperwork to our homestudy agency BEFORE we left for spring break at the end of MARCH and our DOSSIER was not sent to China (DTC) 07/08/11. We were approved for our I-800A on 06/20/11. It took 65 days to get our approval last year plus the time it took for our homestudy agency to realize they forgot to ask for the correct amount in a check AND we were RFE'd because they forgot our marriage certificate (which we were able to email.)
Also last year we paid Great Wall entirely to much money for their Dragon Dossier service because frankly getting items notarized, certified and authenticated jsut sounded like a LOT of work for this disorganized ADHD person.
FOLKS, you basically HAVE to get everything notarized because it is your signature they are agreeing to. One down.
THEN the certification is a joke. You take your little stack of paperwork (ok you can mail it too) to the secretary for state's office, fill out their little paper and pay your money (CO it is an extra $10 per document to stand their and get your papers back in 10 minutes, but when you figure in gas it's worth it.) They look in their magic computer and determine your notary actually is certified with the state. Then they print out a nice little paper and STAPLE it to your notary page. Do NOT ever remove those staples!
It is downtown Denver on 17th street, in the Wells Fargo building. The elevators on the right take you to the 2nd floor, the other ones start at the 12th floor. Best of all there is a Starbucks in the lobby, Wells Fargo will notarize, and the bathroom is on the 4th floor but don't tell anyone LOL!
OK, authentication - this requires sending your paperwork to the Chinese Consulate for one more agreement that everything is official. You can use your designated Chinese consulate (Colorado's is Chicago) OR everyone can use Washington, DC. IF you have birth certificates, etc from different states and they would then have to go to a different consulate THEN use Washington DC.
I think most consulates require a courier but truthfully for less than $100 it's worth every penny to make sure you documents are done correctly and NOT lost!
Sooo, since the Chicago courier doesn't go on Weds & Fri delaying my paperwork until next Tues (Mon is a holiday) I chose the DC office. They sent me a list I needed to include in my packet.
In Denver if you head UP 17th street you will see Fedex (ok really you will think you are lost but when you see the shoe repair sign your there!)
Oh BUT I waited to read my list from the courier and realized that I needed a MONEY ORDER! ugh for the Chinese Embassy. Well, I was directed jsut one block up the street on the right and there was a 7-11! I have never gotten a money order LOL! Apparently they need to be signed - the checker thought I was a total dork!
Ok the money order was purchased and back to Fedex! (did I tell you I had signed up for an account a few days before so all I needed was to fill out the airbills and include them in my package - everything will be charged to my account!!)
Also, the fabulous courier agreed to send my originals back to me AND copies directly to our adoption agency. I made an extra set of copies (in addition to those for the consulate) and included them so all they have to make copies of are the authentication pages! I included an airbill for Madison and one for me! Theirs is overnight and mine is slowboat home LOL! I was able to pay the other fees with a personal check.
You can overnight from Fedex until 7:15 PM and I think the consulate closes at 4:30 (I got there at 4pm and there weren't any time issues.)
So, tomorrow our paperwork arrives, AND then Weds they should be delivered.
I am speechless really, because HE so has a plan for this baby. Last year it took FOREVER to get where we will be at next week!
As in we sent our paperwork to our homestudy agency BEFORE we left for spring break at the end of MARCH and our DOSSIER was not sent to China (DTC) 07/08/11. We were approved for our I-800A on 06/20/11. It took 65 days to get our approval last year plus the time it took for our homestudy agency to realize they forgot to ask for the correct amount in a check AND we were RFE'd because they forgot our marriage certificate (which we were able to email.)
Also last year we paid Great Wall entirely to much money for their Dragon Dossier service because frankly getting items notarized, certified and authenticated jsut sounded like a LOT of work for this disorganized ADHD person.
FOLKS, you basically HAVE to get everything notarized because it is your signature they are agreeing to. One down.
THEN the certification is a joke. You take your little stack of paperwork (ok you can mail it too) to the secretary for state's office, fill out their little paper and pay your money (CO it is an extra $10 per document to stand their and get your papers back in 10 minutes, but when you figure in gas it's worth it.) They look in their magic computer and determine your notary actually is certified with the state. Then they print out a nice little paper and STAPLE it to your notary page. Do NOT ever remove those staples!
It is downtown Denver on 17th street, in the Wells Fargo building. The elevators on the right take you to the 2nd floor, the other ones start at the 12th floor. Best of all there is a Starbucks in the lobby, Wells Fargo will notarize, and the bathroom is on the 4th floor but don't tell anyone LOL!
OK, authentication - this requires sending your paperwork to the Chinese Consulate for one more agreement that everything is official. You can use your designated Chinese consulate (Colorado's is Chicago) OR everyone can use Washington, DC. IF you have birth certificates, etc from different states and they would then have to go to a different consulate THEN use Washington DC.
I think most consulates require a courier but truthfully for less than $100 it's worth every penny to make sure you documents are done correctly and NOT lost!
Sooo, since the Chicago courier doesn't go on Weds & Fri delaying my paperwork until next Tues (Mon is a holiday) I chose the DC office. They sent me a list I needed to include in my packet.
In Denver if you head UP 17th street you will see Fedex (ok really you will think you are lost but when you see the shoe repair sign your there!)
Glass building is the consulate (behind me on the other side of the street is Fedex.)
They have a copier - we had to send the originals PLUS a set of copies. AND I needed a copy of our update too!
Oh BUT I waited to read my list from the courier and realized that I needed a MONEY ORDER! ugh for the Chinese Embassy. Well, I was directed jsut one block up the street on the right and there was a 7-11! I have never gotten a money order LOL! Apparently they need to be signed - the checker thought I was a total dork!
Ok the money order was purchased and back to Fedex! (did I tell you I had signed up for an account a few days before so all I needed was to fill out the airbills and include them in my package - everything will be charged to my account!!)
You can overnight from Fedex until 7:15 PM and I think the consulate closes at 4:30 (I got there at 4pm and there weren't any time issues.)
So, tomorrow our paperwork arrives, AND then Weds they should be delivered.
Ok BUT I HAVE to tell you about this God moment. I was looking through my cash stash and was so disappointed that I only had grabbed $120 and I needed $160. I went back to the car and dug through my purse, my husbands car looking for enough money. I had gotten so far WAHHH! I dug, ugh it was hot, I prayed, I dug, and then I googled the closest bank which isn't close, I prayed again and then decided to see how close I was.
I somehow missed a $50?!?! I dunno but I sure LOVE when prayers are answered.
So excited for your family!
ReplyDeleteohhhh what a week y'all have had! And yes, I agree - HE will bring your baby home!!!!! Sooooo excited for y'all!!!
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