USCIS Frustration

I have called USCIS National Benefit Center (NBC) who handles all I-800A applications three times within the last 10 days. They still haven’t received our application. It has been 16 days since we submitted I-800A to USCIS San Diego office and we got a receipt letter from them on July 10. The lady at NBC was very nice and she told me it shouldn’t take this long to receive I-800A. She suggested me call our San Diego office. I have tried several times to call our San Diego office, but nobody answers unless you know the person’s name. I finally found the person’s name from a document our home study agency provided. I just called the San Diego office and the lady tells me that our file is still sitting on their desk. Because they are changing furniture in the office, there is no one handling the files. What an “excellent” explanation! She said our files are sitting with a bunch of other applicants’ files and they should be sent to NBC next Tuesday, July 22. I will keep my fingers crossed. For a moment, I felt very frustrated.

July Referrals Arrived

今天又看到了很多家庭等到了小孩的referrals, 看到网上发布的照片及这些家兴奋的心情，我也跟着高兴。正常家庭等待了30个月，有中国血统的家庭等了19个月。我们的领养文件刚刚送到美国移民局，大概要等3个月才能批准，然后还要由我们的领养中介公证所有文件，再送往中国领养中心（CCAA），CCAA收到材料后，通过领养中介告诉我们登记日期， 又称Log In Date (LID)。有了LID，漫长的等待就正式开始了。等待虽然漫长，但是我心中充满希望。
Today, I saw that a lot of families got their referrals. I looked at all the pictures listed on the RQ site. All the babies are so cute and precious. I am very excited for all of them. Normal families waited for 30 months and the expedited families waited for 19 months. Our adoption documents (I-800A) were just submitted to USCIS and it may take about 3 months to get approval. Then our adoption agency will send our dossier to CCAA followed by a Log In Date (LID). Once we get our LID, our long journey will officially begin. Despite the long wait, my heart is full of hope and joy.

I-800A is on its way!!!

Today we were finally able to walk in and submitted our I-800A and home study report to USCIS in downtown San Diego. Now we keep our fingers, and toes, crossed that USCIS will not reject the application and the home study. Our adoption agency was very careful about trying to make sure the home study meets all the new requirements, and our social worker was very good and quick about making all the necessary changes. Hopefully, this is it. Next, we wait for a fingerprint appointment. We don’t know how long it is going to take to get the fingerprint appointment and eventually 171-H, since the officer hasn’t got any feedback due to very few applications filed since April 1, 2008. I hope there will be no problems and they'll get ours done soon!

等待是值得的! The waiting is worthwhile!

这几天，CCAA 发出了每月一次的referral, 正常排期截止日为2006年1月20日。Expedite 家庭经过6个月没有任何referral, 这次也有了消息，截止日期为2006年11月29日。每天都能看到很多家庭网上发布照片，真是替他们高兴。每个小孩都很可爱。想想每家经过这漫长的旅程，终于看到了宝宝的照片，我常常高兴和感动得热泪盈眶。我们虽然才刚刚开始一个月，但是看到可爱的孩子，我想一切等待都是值得的。