[kwien]

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if everyone would mind, for the sake of reference, saying the date they were first entered into the MOJ registry and if they re-registered, that date as well?

Registered: September 2005

Re-registered: Febuary 2008

-K

[Gypsy740]

Registered December 2004

[Splinter]

Originally Posted by Gypsy740

Registered December 2004

You registered in 2004 and are still waiting? We are sending our dossier off soon...didn't think the wait was that long???

[2Bulgarianbeauties]

Splinter,

For a couple years they were only letting out 100 kids per year. That policy ended with the firing of the old Minister of Justice. But, there were many dossiers caught in the system. Bulgaria is trying to work though the old dossiers, while simultaneously processing the new dossiers.

Many of the families of the old dossiers changed countries or just gave up, but never pulled their dossier. So those who had old dossiers but were still wanting to adopt had to update their dossier to continue on in the process.

[Kayse]

Registered on March 13, 2008

[kwien]

Please also note the US Embassy in BG's statistics:

Recent statistics reflect the following pattern for visa issuance to Bulgarian orphans adopted by American citizens:

2001 - 295
2002 - 257
2002 - 198
2004 - 110
2005 - 29
2006 - 28
2007 - 20

The statistics for fiscal year 2007 shows that the Embassy in Sofia issued 20 adoption visas. This number reflects the current trend of steady decline of intercountry adoptions in Bulgaria. If this trend continues, we may expect less than 20 visas issued to Bulgarian orphans in FY 2008.

Taken from: Adoption - U.S. Embassy Sofia, Bulgaria

A recent note from my agency in BG said that there is a separate "group" for waiting parents willing/cleared for SN children, older children, and to adopt two or more children.

They said that there is only one US family listed in the MOJ's published information, on the register from 2004. (This family is currently also up on the MOJ's published list of applicants they are currently reviewing for potential referrals.) That they expect a low number in the registry for 2005, and that there is currently alot of interest from US families that will be registered in 2008 and they will receive referrals in at least a year.

I do not intend to be discouraging...but we need to keep this real.

Up to now, I personally know of no US referrals that were referred as "healthy" children since 2004. They have all been listed as SN children or older children.

...if anyone knows differently, I would be happy for them to post it.

It looks to be a wait either way we go and it does cost something (both emotionally and financially) to start with one country and later to switch to another country or just to simply have an unexpected wait for a referral.

On the positive, things do sound like they are starting to move in BG. My agency there says the first referrals (non-US applicants) for healthy children, young children, and babies have already started. And that the council is meeting weekly.

HTHs,

K

[2Bulgarianbeauties]

Please also remember that most Bulgarians are adopted by Europeans, mostly Italians and the French. Bulgaria is unknown to most Americans. So the statistics represent U.S. adoptions only, not all children adopted from Bulgaria.

In 2002/2003 a large percentage of Bulgarian children available for adoption were being placed. In 2004, with the drive to become part of the EU, the system slowed to a basic closure until the change in the MOJ.

[olive123]

Kayse,

Congratulations on your dossier registration! How long were you told for a referral?

We are a bit behind you, just filed our I-800A and awaiting approval.

[Kayse]

Hi Olive,

My agency's reps in BG advised it could be 9-12 months from date of registration. I could possibly receive a referral as early as December. It also depends on the child you are requesting, too. We are requesting a boy 12-24 months and since there are more boys in the baby homes than girls, our request may be honored sooner (that's my thinking anyway). Eight out of ten families request girls and many healthy boys languish in baby homes just because of gender.

Do you have preference on gender and age?

Kayse

Originally Posted by olive123

Kayse,

Congratulations on your dossier registration! How long were you told for a referral?

We are a bit behind you, just filed our I-800A and awaiting approval.

[mom4three]

Kayse, that is exciting. Keep us posted. We are also requesting a boy 12-24 months old. We are waiting on our FBI background check then should be submitting our dossier. I will be so relieved when it is gone and we are waiting.

[olive123]

Kayse,

Thanks for the update - we requested a boy or girl up to 24 months.

Keep us updated if you hear anything!