Adoption Process Progress and Costs

PHILIPPINES ADOPTION TIMELINE - 
By April of this year, we knew God was moving us to adopt once more in this current season of life.  The first major task is the homestudy, and ours was recently completed!  

The next step is initial approval from US immigration to bring a child into the US for purposes of adoption.  That will take approximately 1 more month.

Third, a huge pile of paperwork confirming all the details of our lives is sent to the Philippines!  It's called the dossier.  Ours has been ready for some time except for the immigration approval (I800a).

Then we wait.  :)

The ICAB (Inter-Country Adoption Board) typically takes two to seven months to thoroughly review all the documents in our dossier.  This is the same entity that gave us Pre-Approval to adopt our sweet Ellie-Kate, so they have already seen a snapshot of all the dossier entails.  They send us a Placement Proposal letter, and we respond with an Acceptance Letter.  Once ICAB receives, they send legal documents that are the final documents needed for US immigration approval.  Approximately two months later, the USCIS sends their approval to the US Embassy in the Philippines.  The ICAB prepares and submits Ellie's visa request and Hague compliance certificate.

Once the Embassy issues the visa, a proposed itinerary is sent to the family so we can travel and pick-up our daughter!!  Trying to be as realistic as possible, we estimate travel around June of 2018.  It could be faster, or slower, but that's a decent guess.



FINANCIAL INFO
Madison Application - $250 (returning family)
Homestudy, Review, & PP Fees - $2337.20
Psychological Evaluation - $520
Dossier Expenses - $60
Doctors Review of Child's File - $100
Madison Agency Fees - $8000
US Immigration Fees - $945
ICAB Philippines - $2200
Translation & Document Expenses (including child's visa) - $2330
Foreign Program Expenses - $1500
Child Care Support Fund (for our daughter's orphanage) - $1000
Madison Charitable Aid & Contribution - $500
Travel, one trip - $6000
Adoption Finalization & Certificate of Citizenship - $3170
Postage & Miscellaneous Fees - $200
TOTAL ESTIMATE:  $29112.20

Amazing news is, our agency gives a $5000 fee reduction if adopting a child with Down Syndrome!  Our personal savings, donations, and fundraising efforts have raised $7941.  There is an additional $22 coming in from our Noonday fundraiser, and approximately $600 from our recent tee fundraisers, which leaves us with about $15,549!!!!  We continue using part-time job income as adoption funds, have a Lularoe fundraiser scheduled, and a booth at the local Harvest Days festival.  Plus we'll be sending off grant applications as soon as possible!  

God is great!  He has provided exactly what we needed to pay every fee so far, and we have total faith He will continue His provision.