No so fast! Paperwork still needed.

Just wanted to explain the last few steps. They get a little confusing even to families that have adopted previously. I want to thank Courtney for her great website. Without which many waiting moms would have gone insane with the lack of information our agencies give us. china-adoption-online.com I got this information directly from her site. You absolutely MUST go there if you are in the process of an adoption from China.


After approving our I800 file, our officer will mail our approval to the National Visa Center by 2nd Day UPS Air. However, the approval isn't always mailed out the same day it's approved, so applications can take up seven days to arrive at NVC. Upon receiving our approval, the National Visa Center (NVC) will enter our information into their computer system. 

1. Within 1-3 business days, the NVC will "cable" (basically emailing/sending electronically) our file to the US Embassy in Guangzhou, China. This is approval of our visa petition.
2. Upon doing this, the NVC will then mail us a letter stating that our petition has been forwarded to the Embassy. CAWLI needs this NVC letter in order to proceed with our adoption! Unfortunately, this letter can take up to a few weeks to arrive in the mail. So instead, we will ask the NVC to email us the letter as a .pdf attachment.
3. CAWLI's in-China rep will take the emailed NVC letter to the US Embassy in Guangzhou along with our DS-230 application and Parental LOA. The US Embassy does not allow representatives to drop off paperwork on Mondays. 
4. Article 5 will be ready to be picked up 10 business days later by CAWLI representative and taken to CCAA for TA. CCAA is averaging 21 days from the receipt of Article 5 to issuing TA. 
5. CAWLI receives TA and books CA. We can travel as fast as the day after TA is issued. 

So here is the basic run down from now:

1. When approved our I800 is mailed to NVC.
2. 1-3 days NVC cables (emails) US Embassy and mails letter to us.
3. We scan latter and Email to CAWLI.
4. CAWLI emails letter to their China representative. 
5. CAWLI representative drops off Article 5 paperwork at US Embassy.
6. Representative picks up Article 5 paperwork in 10 business days exactly. 
7. CAWLI rep takes paperwork to CCAA.
8. CCAA mails TA (travel approval) to CAWLI in USA.
9. CAWLI tells us TA has arrived and asks when we want to travel.
10. CAWLI emails US Embassy to request Consulate appointment for oaths and tells us which day our appointment is scheduled.
11. WE BOOK INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS!!! We can leave as soon as we book!!!
12. CAWLI books our hotels, in country travel, guides and drivers. 

Here is a sample itinerary Courtney posted on her website. Remember we will have to repeat some of the steps since we are adopting two children. I tried to make a list on the side of the blog also and will post dates once we know them. In this example if we left on October 25th we would return on November 18th. This is the earliest travel schedule to not get into Guangzhou until the day after the trade fair is over. 24 days in the air or in China.

1. Tuesday: Leave for China!
2. Wednesday: Arrive in Beijing, China
3. Thursday-Sunday: Tour Beijing
4. Sunday Night: Overnight Train to your child's province
5. Monday: Gotcha Day!! Meet Jewel!
6. Tuesday: Adoption Finalization
7. Wednesday: Touring/Rest
8. Thursday: Touring/Rest
9. Friday: Get Jewel's Chinese passport - overnight train to Guangzhou. 
   1. Monday: Gotcha Day!! Meet Joseph!
   2. Tuesday: Adoption Finalization
   3. Wednesday: Touring/Rest
   4. Thursday: Touring/Rest
   5. Friday: Get Joseph's Chinese passport.
10. Saturday: Medical Exam for visa on Shamian Island/TB test
11. Sunday: Free Day/Touring
12. Monday: Get TB test read
13. Tuesday: Consulate Appointment and Oath
14. Wednesday: Get US visas! Take train to Hong Kong
15. Thursday: Tour Hong Kong
16. Friday: Fly home!