I800 Approval and Cabled!

We received I800 approval last Tuesday, got it in the mail Saturday!  That means US immigration approves of us adopting Vivienne specifically, and grants approval for her to be considered our child upon her adoption.

Today, immigration forwarded their approval to the National Visa Center (NVC) and the NVC sent a letter to the Embassy in C*.  This is called being cabled.

What's Next, The Short Version: 

One more complicated step, Travel Approval from C*, Consulate Appt...FLIGHTS!

What's Next, The Details:

Our agency will now take a copy of our cable letter, our LOA and another form, and a courier in C* will deliver it all to the US Consulate.  I'm hoping this is actually happening as we speak, which is to say tomorrow in C*.

The US Consulate takes about 2 weeks to issue another letter saying we are all in order.  This letter is called an Article 5.

THIS letter will be couriered to the adoption authority in C*, and they will begin our travel approval process.  Travel Approval, or TA, should come 3-4 weeks after that...but it's been really more like 15 days lately...but there's a 3 day weekend in there...sigh.  Anyway.

Once we have TA, we can request our consulate appointment (CA).  Then we book PLANE TICKETS!!!  We'll only know exact dates a week or two before we actually board the plane.  Yes, to answer the most common question I get about this part, the tickets will be very expensive...ask me if I care!  

So...6-8 weeks?!

Prayer requests:

1.  For wisdom and, yes, even just good fashioned providence.  It's been one heck of a year, and it's crunch time!

2.  For a hedge of protection as we get closer to travel.  That last week seems to be really something- there just seems to be one last volley against the blessing and grace of adoption.  But, as our our agency's lead C* caseworker reminds everyone, nothing touches this adoption without God's permission!  

3.  We're praying Vivienne is getting all the care she needs and then some, and that her heart is soft and prepared to trust us and bond with us, in the face of leaving everything she knows, and that we would have God-given abilities to meet her needs- physical and otherwise.