Adoption Timeline

I've been wanting to post our adoption timeline as I know I was eager to follow along with other adoption timelines:

April 2008 talk to Keith on the way to the Brandon Fair about fostering or adopting and agree to look into fostering

May/June 2008 Attend fostering seminar (4 weekly sessions) in preparation for application.
Continue to discuss International adoption.

July 2008 order application packages from CAFAC and Imagine for International adoption
August 2008 Select CAFAC adoption agency for our Ethiopian Adoption (Agency fees 1 & 2)
Choose 4 families to act as references and prayer partners.

October 2008 Attend attachment seminar for fostering

November 2008 Attend CAFAC training seminar at Elkhorn
Everyone’s Dr Appointments – letter of health for homestudy

December 2008 Our lab tests/bloodwork and Mantoux tests (TB) 4 visits! for Homestudy
Order Criminal record checks for homestudy req.
complete homestudy questionnaire

January 2009 Order birth and marriage certificates for Dossier
2nd Dr apt for Keith and Leanne to confirm test results.

February 2009 Expresspost Homestudy Paperwork to CAFAC

March 2009 Complete Homestudy visits with social worker
Expresspost Dossier paperwork to CAFAC
Social worker confirms our homestudy is complete and sent to CAFAC
Make first ½ of Country payment to CAFAC

March 24 – Apr 13 Dossier Notarized at CAFAC

April 14, 2009 CAFAC sends dossier to the province

June 5, 2009 Received Provincial approval

June 5, 2009 Dossier sent to Foreign Affairs.

June 19, 2009 Dossier sent to Ethiopian Embassy in Ottawa for authentication

June 26, 2009 Dossier to Ethiopia! Arrives July 4, 2009



GATHERING OF DOCUMENTATION
(Agency estimated times in blue, Our actual times in red)
• Home study completion (*3-7 months) 7 months
• Collection of Dossier documents, including CAFAC course (*4-7 months) 7 months
• Provincial letter of approval for home study (1-2 months) 7w 4d. (14-4-09 - 5-6-09)
Estimated Running Total: 9 months
ACTUAL TIME: 9 months (minus 3 days)
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DOSSIER PREPARATION
• Notarization (2 weeks) 3 weeks March 24 – April 14
• Legalization by Foreign Affairs in Ottawa (4-6 weeks) 2 weeks June 5-19
• Authentication by Ethiopian Embassy in Ottawa (3 weeks) 1 week!
Estimated Running Total: 2 months
ACTUAL TIME: 6 weeks
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DOSSIER SENT TO ETHIOPIA – June 26, 2009
DOSSIER PICKED UP IN ETHIOPIA – July 4, 2009
PROCESSING OF FILE IN ETHIOPIA UP TO CHILD REFERRAL
• Translation, legalization, and authentication (4 weeks)
• Adoption Committee Approval (4-8 weeks)
• Child Proposal [the "Referral"] (8-14 months **revised – likely 20-24 months)
Estimated Running Total: 10-24 months
ACTUAL TIME:
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FINAL STEPS UP TO TRAVEL
• Immigration paperwork (*3-7 months)
• Adoption Finalization (*2-8 weeks)
• Travel to Ethiopia (4-7 months after referral formally accepted)
Estimated Running Total: 4-9 months
ACTUAL TIME: