Picking up where the last entry left off . . .
Agency or Facilitator
Now is when you really need to have an agency or facilitator. You can sign with them at any point in the process up until now, but if you are tight financially, then it is better to get your homestudy and I-600A finished before signing with your agency and paying their initial fees. Agencies and facilitators basically do the same thing, so I will usually say “agency” but feel free to insert “facilitator” if this is your situation. In the future, I will write some entries on how to choose an agency or facilitator and the differences between the two.
Paper Chase
Once you have signed with your agency, you will begin adoption circles call “paperchasing”. This is where you gather together all of the documents that are required by the country you have chosen for your adoption. Some countries require a lot of paperwork (for example, Guatemala and Russia). Others require a lot less (Liberia is an example). Be certain that you listen to your agency and complete each form exactly the way that they tell you. This will help you to avoid delays later on in the process.
Wait
Waiting for a referral is definitely one of the hard parts. However, it is also just the beginning of the waiting in adoption, so it’s a good time to brush up on your patience! Depending on the country you have chosen, and the other specifics requests you have made for your child (such as age, gender, etc) your wait for a referral might be just a few days or it might be a number of months or even a year. When you sign with your agency, ask how long you should expect to wait for a referral.
Referral
This is the most exciting point you have hit yet. All of that paperwork has paid off and you have the picture of a child (or children) and your agency is asking if you want to accept the referral. Even though it’s hard, take your time on this. Make sure that you ask about the child’s medical information and any other information they have on the child. If you do feel like you need to turn down a referral, it will be difficult, but in the long run remember that it is best for both you and the child if you feel confident about raising your child.
Note: Some countries, such as Russia, do not provide referrals. Instead, you go to the country to identify a child after you have completed your paperwork. Once you have identified and met your child, then you will return home and wait for the in-country process to be completed.
Please see Steps in International Adoption Part 3 for the remaining parts of the process.