I-800 Approval!

I just got a call from USCIS that our I-800 has been approved!!!! The next wait is for our Article 5 and then we wait for TA (travel approval). There is still a lot that happens in there before we get those but we are getting closer!

I had planned on posting this sooner but never did get around to it. I got this off of a website that has been so helpful through all this.  It will help explain the process starting before we received our LOA. I bolded where we are in the process now.

BEFORE you get your LOA you will want to fill out the following forms:
*I800 application. Hopefully your agency has a model for you to follow. The directions are less than helpful, in my humble opinion.
*I864W if both parents are traveling. This needs to be sent with the I800 application. I think you do the I864 if you are traveling alone.
*For the I800 application you will also need some supporting documents from your agency and it doesn't hurt to start asking for them early on. You need:
* Your child's referral info in English and in Chinese.
* You will need a copy of your agency's Hague accreditation.
* You will also need a copy of your Hague training hours certificate- a photocopy was fine for us.
*Your agency will also have to write a letter stating that all the info translated in to English is accurate. This, along with your LOA, is what is considered the Article 16 info that is mentioned in the directions for the I800.
*Now all you need is a copy of your signed LOA and you can ship it off to USCIS.

BEFORE you get LOA--You will also need to fill out the DS230 application- this is the form that will go to China and begin the visa process for the child to enter the US. It’s pretty quick and easy but each agency seems to have their preferred way to fill it out, so check with yours. You will need to send this to your agency BEFORE you get LOA so that it is ready to go to China once you return your LOA to them. Your agency will get a second LOA that the consulate will have to sign. It’s called Letter Seeking Confirmation from the Central Authority of the Receiving State-- The American Consulate being the central authority. They need to get that LOA to their representative in China with your DS230.

AFTER you get LOA—Send signed copy of LOA and all supporting documents (listed above) to USCIS. They will processes your I800 application. This takes around 10 days but I know they are trying to make it as fast as possible. Then USCIS turns your file over to another branch of the Department of Homeland Security, called the National Visa Center (NVC). NVC scans your file into its system. Once they do this, the American Consulate in GZ can now access your immigration approval and file. This also takes about 10 days, depending on where the weekends fall.

Your DS230 and the second LOA need to be at the consulate by the time your file is uploaded so that they can begin processing your child’s visa. They cannot work on it without both parts though, so the file needs to be sent and your DS230 needs to be delivered to the consulate. Most agencies have a courier that is handling this in China. The courier drops off the documents at the Consulate.

The Consulate reviews your file and signs the second LOA. Once they do, your agency needs to pick it up and get it to the CCAA so your official wait for TA can begin. Most agencies have their courier pick it up and then overnight it to Beijing. The consulate is taking about 5 days to get these signed. They can occasionally ask for additional information if they need it. I know of one case where that happened. It doesn’t mean you won’t get approved. It will just add a few days onto the process while your agency or the CCAA gets the info to them.

So. Was that clear as mud?! I think my sister-in-law said it best, “It seems like you have to have an approval to get an approval to be approved for the approval to receive our approval.” It went something like that anyway and she is so very right!