Steps from LOA to TA...follow along

There have been lots and lots of questions about "what happens next."  It has been easiest to just say "we're waiting to travel."  However, there are several small steps that must be taken before this can happen.  It is a much busier wait than between referral and LOA.  That was treacherous.  Just sit and wait.  This is a little more exciting because there is so much going on.  There are several little waits (although they don't always feel little) instead of one big wait.  Here is what is happening...in my very best understanding, which is still a little shakey.

LOA - letter of acceptance occurs.  This was China telling us that they formally approve of us persuing the adoption of Sophie.

1-800 then gets sent out.  The 1-800 is our formal request to USCIS to adopt Sophie.  We had to do the 1-800A before our dossier was sent to China.  That was to get permission to bring a child into the states.  This is now permission to bring home Sophie specifically.  It is a necessary step to protect adoptive children from being taken to families who can't care for them.  Her special needs will be compared to the needs we felt comfortable with in our homestudy.  They will also make sure her age matches what we requested.  If everything is great they issue our approval.  Here is the tricky part of this process.  Our application was sent to a lockbox (which happens to everyone).  From there (Chicago) the application is sent to Missouri, the USCIS's NBC (National Benefits Center) where it is processed.  Before we get our approval letter, we get a letter notifying us that they've received our application. I'm assuming they do this when it's reached the lockbox, not the NBC because I called NBC today and they had no record of us.  Later on today we had our receipt letter in the mail box.  Once the letter makes it from the lockbox, it is assigned to our officer and they will process and send our approval letter (should be about 2 weeks from now).  The average wait for the approval letter is 20 days...looks like we'll surpass that be a couple of weeks.

After our 1-800 approval, it get's overnighted to the NVC (National Visa Center) in New Hampshire.  (((I'm getting tired just THINKING about all of the paperwork traveling!)))  This step is necessary to generate our visas (and not the type you shop with!).  Once NVC has processed the info it's off to the next step.

NVC will "CABLE" our file to the consulate in Guangzhou China.  This means electronically sending it...sounds like email if you ask me!  It is taking an average of 7 days to be "cabled."

However, we have to wait for our official NVC letter before the next step can happen.  NVC will be emailing and mailing a copy of their letter to us.  It is taking an average of 4 days from cable to NVC letter.

This NVC letter as well as copies of our LOA, DS-230 application, and passport photos will be delivered to the consulate to produce our visas. The consulate suppossedly acccepts these deliveries on Monday's and Thursday's only.  They must have this letter and the cable complete to move forward.

Once our file has been cabled and the consulate receives our delivery they can issue our article 5.  I'm not terribly clear on what the article 5 does.  It sounds like this is an official "US has jumped through a million and one hoops to approve this family" letter.  ????  I'll get back to you on this!  It is taking an average of 20 days from NVC letter to Article 5.

After article 5 is issued it is delivered to Beijing to the CCAA (Chinese Center for Adoption Affairs) where they'll see all of the ducks are in a row, US has said it's okay for us to bring Sophie into the United States, and will then issue our Travel Approval (TA).  It is taking ANOTHER...grrrr...20 days average from Article 5 to TA.  Boo!  Throwing tomatoes!!!

In case anyone is counting or wants to check my math, that's a total of 78 days average wait time from LOA to TA.  Today is day 17 for us...only 61 more to go!!!! 

Oh, here is the crummy part.  You obviously don't jump on a plane the very next day after receiving TA.  You have to have a consulate appointment in Guangzhou first.  The rest of the travel arrangements are then made around that appointment, with you spending the week prior to your appointment in your child's province (Inner Mongolia for us).  The average timeline from TA to CA (consulate) appointment is 37 days.  That means we can plan to travel around 30 days after TA...maybe less if we're lucky! 

Which brings our estimated travel time to 91 days from now!  Without counting days exactly, that brings us to China on OCTOBER 29, 2010!!!  Estimated "Gotcha Day"  Halloween!!!

Wow, I'm thinking I should have done this sooner!  So much for my thoughts of a September trip!

Here are a couple of links from the China Adopt Talk website you might find helpful.

http://chinaadopttalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=52826.0

If you look at this one...it's updated weekly.  This shows all of the families waiting to travel (on this one discussion group).  We are pish16. 
http://chinaadopttalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=53722.0

Finally, the topic that helped me unravel the process and shows my utter confusion.
http://chinaadopttalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=53786.msg798718#msg798718

Let me know what questions you have.  I'll be amazed if I can answer them!!!