Everyone has asked where we are in the adoption process, so I thought I might share what I think I know. First of all there is not just one process. For every orphaned child there can be different steps that need to be completed to finalize the adoption. So here is my disclaimer – not all adoptions are going to be like ours. Here are the steps that we still need to complete…
1. The regional director over the local inspectors (social workers) needs to approve the separation of siblings.
2. The local inspectors can complete their conclusion (the paperwork sorta like a home study of them watching us with Petya) and all the documents we have collected (petition to adopt Petya, petition to allow Katya contact, Petition for Katya to allow Petya to be adopted without her, Petition by Petya asking for permission to be adopted, a certified copy of Petya’s birth certificate) will be sent by train to their federal division in charge of adoption, the SDA.
3. The SDA should approve us for the adoption which gives us permission to continue in the local area with a court hearing before a judge.
4. We ask request a court date to have our case heard before a local judge.
5. We appear in court, the judge should approve our adoption and the 10 wait period begins. During the 10 day wait period Jon and I can come home as long as I sign over power of attorney to Jerry and fill out my portion of the necessary adoption records at the US Embassy.
6. After 10 days, unless the 10th day is a weekend day which makes the wait longer, we get Petya and he officially becomes ours!
7. We travel to the town of Petya’s birth to obtain a new birth certificate and apply for a new passport here in Zap. This can take up to 10 days, but it can take less.
8. After the passport and birth certificate are complete, we travel back to Kiev for medical check-ups and to obtain the documents required by the US Embassy.
That’s the way we understand it. We could have a few things mixed up, but we think these are the steps we lack. Hopefully we can get the dates and paperwork we need to get everything completed asap! Well its late and I now have a stress headache! So we are off to bed and miss you all terribly.
