Right now, we have one foot in the Home Study process, and the other foot in the Dossier Preparation process. While our social worker is writing the first version of our Home Study report, we have started to gather information from our Ontario agency.
Our Dossier will consist of:
- Our approved Home Study report
- Our approved International Adoption Application
- Both our Birth Certificates, translated to English and notarized
- Our Marriage Certificate, notarized
- Our Medical Reports, notarized
- Our Interpol and RCMP police checks, notarized
- Our Employment Letters, notarized
- Copies of our Passports, notarized
- 2 Passport Photos each, notarized
- A few forms that our agency will send us once we register with them
In the next few weeks, while we wait for the Home Study report, I need to get my passport redone (it's expiring in December!), Pablo has to get his Birth Certificate translated and we both need to get passport photos taken. Then, we will make an appointment with a lawyer to notarize everything. We should also have received the forms from our agency, so we can fill these out.
If we manage to do all this by the end of the year, we should be ready to send our Dossier as soon as the approved Home Study comes in!
The interview weeks were somewhat of a break from paperwork. Now here we go again!
Hi Gen.
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I are just in the grassroots stage of looking into international adoption and I have found your blog very helpful and encourageing. I'm just wondering if you live in Ontario, or if you just went with an agency in Ontario. We're in Alberta and I'm trying to figure out how to go through an agency that has ties to the country we want to adopt from.
Thanks so much.
Rachel
Hi racheldux,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment!
We also live in Alberta. The government has licensed a handful of agencies to provide training and perform home studies for all prospective adoptive families in Alberta. You have to get a Home Study from one of these agencies.
However, these agencies do not provide lawyers or any matching services in the country of origin. They can guide you in chosing the country you wish to adopt from, and they should be able to provide a list of agencies or ressources (either in another Canadian province or abroad) that can help you put your Dossier together and match you with your child.
There is some information here:
http://www.child.alberta.ca/home/606.cfm
Don't worry, it's normal to feel as if you're walking in thick haze at first :)
The International Adoption Training was amazing for me, as it clarified a lot of details. As soon as you have picked your agency, I would recommend registering right away for the training, even if you're still not completely sure of your decision.
I hope this helps...
Best of luck!