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Hi Mel--
Congratulations!
As I recall, authentication at the NY consulate took only about a week to 10 days. The slow down was what happened in India. We accepted our referral in Oct. 2002 and our daughter didn't come home until May 2003. She was much younger, however, and I think that older children's adoptions move a little more quickly.
For us, we lost at least a month because the scrutiny board didn't like the way the orphanage did the paperwork and the orphanage insisted that it was right, so they had a standoff for a couple of weeks.
As near as I can tell there's an Indian holiday every two weeks that shuts down the necessary board or agency! However, I suspect that there are a number of things that have to happen before you'll even get to court and the May shut down won't be a factor. First you have to get your NOC (the no objection certificate -- where the government approves you) and then and that takes a couple of months. Then the case goes to the scrutiny board which may find a problem or may not. Finally it goes to the guardianship hearing. I don't want to discourage you, but all these things take several weeks to be put on the docket.
I'm curious about the order you're going through...We had our dossier authenticated long before the referral -- with our agency the referral couldn't happen until the whole dossier was in India.
Where in India will you be traveling? We traveled but without any other children. Could you take another adult? That way your son could do something fun, while you're waiting at the embassy, doctor etc. If you think you can keep two pre-schoolers entertained on a 24 hour flight, then I say go for it -- it would probably be comforting for your daughter to see another child...
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