[vickih65]

It is so odd that we are all going through things differently. That is one thing I have learned in this process. I do think that SW's handle things differently but would'nt you hope that all of the paperwork would be streamlined by now. We were given the choice to use ARTS for our DCFS prints or just go to our local police station and have the prints done for free. We chose our local police station, I think the ARTS prints were like $39 dollars a piece. Our SW told us that if we use ARTS she gets the results almost immediately. If we go through the police station and send our prints in ourselves it will take a few weeks. We got printed on a Saturday and I mailed our prints to the Illinois State Police on Monday. I wrote on our paperwork that it was for an international adoption, please expedite. We had our results back in less than two weeks. Where was the ARTS facility you used? The one that our SW told us to use was in Joliet, but she said the results would be to her in a matter of days. Of course they would probably prefer us to use this method but the local police printing worked out great for us, and it was only $16 dollars a piece. (the fingerprinting is free but you send the state police $16 for processing). Our homestudy agency does not do fostercare licensing, they only do homestudies for international adoption. Maybe some of the agencies also do homestudies for foster parenting and domestic adoption and it is just easier for them to have all of their clients go through the same process. I would highly recommend our agency if anyone is interested. They are wonderful to work with and seem to be very knowledgable about international adoptions. We received our I-171H in 17 days after our homestudy was submitted. We did request to be expedited due to a special needs adoption but I was impressed with the timing as the USCIS was going through their staff changes at that time also. Best of luck to all for speedy paperwork in either case!

[vickih65]

Sorry I forgot to address the time issue. I understand that many people are having to deal with the issue of fingerprints expiring due to the longer referral waits. This was never an issue for us though, our daughter is a special needs adoption (repaired VSD heart defect). From beginning to end our total timeline will be nine and a half months from start to finish. (we are leaving soon, yea!!) If they would allow us we would adopt again before our prints expired but China has that one year wait rule, darn!

[julfre1]

I had my fingerprints done by Arts in Decatur IL. It was free. I just gave them a form that said it was for DCFS for adoption and there was no charge. I also had to have my fingerprints done at the local police(free) to send in for a FBS clearance so maybe I am just covering all and any bases. There was a fee -$16 sounds about right - for the FBS clearance. I still have to get FBI fingerprints done later. THe agency I am with does only international adoptions so maybe they are just being extra careful, but at this point I'd rather do something extra then to be told that I forgot to do something later down the road.

[meowhouse]

In Illinois you must be an approved and licensed foster care home, by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, prior to being able to adopt domestically or internationally. I know this not only as a parent having gotten through this stage of the adoption process, but also as a social worker. We are in Chicago.

There is not other way around getting approved for an adoption of any kind. DCFS will not throw a foster child into your home, so don't worry about that. But you need to be fingerprinted and attend a 6 or 8 hour adoption education session and have the background check--and pass all of this--prior to getting licensed as a foster placement, and then you can move forward in the adoption application process. Our licensing was good for about 3 years, so you should not have to be re-licensed during your application time.

Any questions, you can post privately.

Thanks.

[vickih65]

We are traveling in two weeks. We are adopting through the waiting child program and have had no issues with any of our paperwork. From beginning to end our adoption has taken 9 months. I understand that if you are adopting NSN your paperwork may expire and maybe it will eventually be helpful to you to complete whatever extra paperwork you were required to do. We however did not have anything go wrong. I think that we all may have completed the same paperwork, maybe it was just explained differently to us. I can't wait to do it again!! Best of luck to you and happy paperchasing, it will be over soon!
Vicki
DH Joe
DD Meili Ping waiting at Yangquan SWI, Shanxi
DS 25,DD 19,DD 14
LOI 3/15
DTC 6/23
TA 9/6

[Teekay74]

I am from Il. too, the Chicago area. I would love to get to know all of you. We have an LID of 3/22, this long wait is killing me!

[vickih65]

I thought I would pass on this info for anyone interested. I hate to see someone go through extra paperwork when it is not necessary. I wrote our SW who is in the Chicago area, if you would like the name of their agency please email me privately and I will forward it to you. They are highly recommended by many adoptive parents. The do however only do homestudies for international adoptions. The following is the email I sent to her regarding the topic of Illinois foster parent licensin:


"_ _ _ _ Can you clear something up for me? We do not, and were not required to be licensed foster parents in Illinois right? I thought that was only necessary if one parent were to travel or something like that. I know we have DCFS approval but it is not a foster parent license. Just wanted to get a straight answer. I have someone telling me that in order to adopt domestically or internationally in Illinois you must be a licensed foster parent and I didn't think that was so.

Don't worry, this person was misinformed. Yes, for
domestic adoption you must be licensed. For
international, you only need to be licensed if both parents do
not see their child prior to finalization of the
adoption or the foreign country does not finalize the
adoption (such as India, in many cases, they only give
guardianship). I hope that clears things up "

We are picking our daughter up in two weeks, we live in Illinois and we do not have a foster care license.

Vicki

[doxie_mom]

From the Illinois Adoption Act (this is an excerpt, link at the bottom takes you to the full act) No exceptions noted for only one parent traveling to China or for special needs.

"(c) In the case of any foreign-born child brought to the United States
for adoption in this State, the following preadoption requirements
shall
be met:
(1) Documentation that the child is legally free for
adoption prior to entry into the United States shall be submitted.


(2) A medical report on the child, by authorized
medical personnel in the country of the child's origin, shall be
provided when such personnel are available.

(3) Verification that the adoptive family has been
licensed as a foster family home pursuant to the Child Care Act of
1969, as now or hereafter amended, shall be provided.

(4) A valid home study conducted by a licensed child
welfare agency that complies with guidelines established by the
United States Immigration and Naturalization Service at 8 CFR
204.4(d)(2)(i), as now or hereafter amended, shall be submitted. A home
study is considered valid if it contains:

(i) A factual evaluation of the financial,
physical, mental and moral capabilities of the prospective
parent or parents to rear and educate the child properly.

(ii) A detailed description of the living
accommodations where the prospective parent or parents
currently reside.

(iii) A detailed description of the living
accommodations in the United States where the child will
reside, if known.

(iv) A statement or attachment recommending the
proposed adoption signed by an official of the child welfare
agency which has conducted the home study.


750*ILCS*50/**Adoption Act.(c)

[vickih65]

I have crossed out the name of the agency from where I have copied this info. They are not my agency but had a the info on their website. They are located in Chicago and are a very well known and reputable adoption agency licensed in Illinois for international adoption, I am finished with the debate, in the end it is up to each individual to choose their homestudy agency. I have DCFS approval, no foster parent license and am picking up my daughter in China in two weeks
Licensing
Because XXXX is an Illinois licensed child welfare agency, we are authorized to provide licensing services to adoptive parents at no charge. Families residing in Illinois are required to obtain licenses in two instances.
These licenses, called Foster Family Home Licenses (FFH), are required in all domestic adoptions. Licenses also are required in international adoptions if only one parent in a two-parent family personally sees the child prior to adoption or the adoption is finalized in Illinois rather than the child's country of origin. Adoptive parents from other states that use XXXX placement services should consult the child welfare authorities in their states for licensing requirements.Licensing begins during the XXXX initial application process and is completed during the Home Study. The FFH process involves gathering information in several areas.

• Criminal and child abuse background checks are obtained.
• Results of physical examinations conducted by parents' personal physicians.
• Reviewing other family documents including marriage licenses, divorce decrees, tax returns and proof of medical insurance.
• Reviewing personal references.
• Including as part of the Home Study a physical inspection of the home focused on safety features and a thorough review of the FFH regulations related to adoption.

FFH licenses are issued for four years, may be renewed and may be dropped at any time after finalization of the adoption upon written notice. To maintain an FFH license, parents are required to engage in an annual compliance check at their home and each parent must participate in at least 16 hours of training and education over the four-year course of the license. Six hours of training and education are required prior to issuing a license. XXXX offers on-site and correspondence education and training courses that may be used to fulfill the FFH training requirements

Best of luck to you all
Vicki