Fingerprint Invitation

June 25, 2007
I wasn't expecting our fingerprint invitations from the USCIS for another 3-4 weeks. On the "received application" letter, they indicated that our home study needed to be submitted prior to being given the invitation for fingerprinting. Either Hand in Hand submitted our home study a lot faster then they said, or the USCIS is not really following their rules. Whatever. I am just glad that we got it. I have a feeling that things may move pretty fast for us even with the current wait. We'll see.

Logged in At USCIS

June 19, 2007
Received a letter from USCIS saying our filed was logged in June 11, 2007. However, no fingerprints until home study is sent. Vickie says in couple of weeks. Just as well. Spoke with Sonia from Hand in Hand. She feels that we need more documents to prove that not only was I born in Taiwan but is actually ethnically Chinese, since the certificate of citizenship does not state ethnicity. I pointed it out to her that there are no document that states ethnicity from Taiwan, most Taiwanese are just Taiwanese not a mixture of Irish/German/etc...Granted that the population both in Taiwan and in China is actually genetically diverse, politically speakingk we are just Chinese as only Chinese can be... how about looking at my picture? I suppose I could have been half Japnese? Anyways, we will be sending them the same stuff as last time, which is no problem with me. There are certainly enough evidence that I am about as Chinese as one could get short of being born in mainly China. But hay, according to PROC, Taiwan is definitely part of China so no problems...

certificate of citizenship

After reading all I can about the expedited process, I decided that the single most important document seems to be my certificate of citizenship (from the US) which ironically is THE document that proves I am indeed Chinese!? Therefore I made a trip to the Chicago USCIS today. Their service was not bad, just not friendly. I did get out in time to take Esther to Chinatown for lunch. Nevertheless, I thought as I was leaving that unless the service at the USCIS improves, anyone not born in the US will always feel like a second class citizen. The funny thing was, I was not there to prove my citizenship and all its entitlements. I was there to obtain a certified copy of my certificate of citizenship to prove that I am of Chinese heritage to the CCAA. Whatever works...

Getting Started

June 7, 2007 3:07 pm
We just started the paper work for our second adoption. The wait for a referral from China is so much longer now. I spend all my spare time reading the Rumor Queen and try to predict how long the process will be this time. Our agency just submitted our I-600A to the Chicago USCIS (posted June 5th). I called the bank today to see if they cashed our check yet...not yet....will check again in a few days. Yesterday was a "referral day" and very exciting even for those of us not in line yet. So far, the paper chase has been pretty easy. I was able to collect all newly issued documents in two weeks and requested for a speedier home study that took place last Saturday (May 26, 2007). Hoping for better luck with the INS (USCIS) this time. Last time, they forgot to request our fingerprint from the FBI, and took more than a few phone calls to every agencies involved to solve that issue. I am fairly confident that we qualify for the expedited status due to Chinese heritage so I am hoping that our adoption journey will be less rocky than the other's. My goal is DOC by September 2007. It's all up to the USCIS now.