[Mcclay]

Hi there, By now many of you know that the USCIS is granting an extention for those of us using the I600a. I want to share with you what I have been doing to extend the length of our 171H renewal and what not. Once the application is submitted you will have 12 months to complete the application. So say you wait and turn in your final document (HS update or finger prints) at say 11 months you have just delayed the new 171H by 11 months or so. What this will do for you is (A) Keep your file open until all documents or complete so that USCIS can complete the file (B) this buys you time, because the new 171H count down of 18 months will not start until after you complete your I600a application (renewal). So in a way you are indirectly extending the process and delaying when your document will expire. In this case 18 + 11 = 29 months. If I see interest in this thread I will include more detail. This is what I am doing for the free renewal. If all works well I will complete this adoption using the I600a application and avoid the I800 altogether. I hope you all find this helpful, those of you using the I600a that is

Rod

[KarenInCa]

Rod, we've also decided to extend it all as much as possible.

Two things that I want to add to this...
First, there are some things that MUST be completed BEFORE 12 months after the I600 form comes back to you. We were sent info from CIS that we must submit 2006/2007 income tax returns, as well as our own birth/marriage certificates, and evidence that we will have health insurance coverage. These must be submitted within 87 days of the approval.
The HS update has 12 months from the date of approval, and if we hold out on just the HS then we can extend the life of the I600a. But the other items are important to submit ON TIME.

Second, much to our disappointment, our adoption agency does not approve of us waiting on the HS update. They're trying to make us feel that we're playing with our adoption. And if I had not already been thru this with DD#1, I might just fall into the trap of thinking that our agency is more equip to make this kind of decision than ourselves. Our SW is inhouse with our agency, and our HS update is more costly than I assumed it would be.
I just wanted to forewarn people that their agencies might not like you waiting, but it's YOUR adoption, and you have every right to make your own decisions.

[Mcclay]

Hi Karen,

Can you elaborate a bit more about those documents. All of those documents that you mentioned are included in my HS update. My HS agency is holding off on noterization until March of 09. So really our HS update is done, just need to get it stamped and turn it in. That will only leave me to get prints done a few months ahead of I600 expiration. I was told by CIS that I just need to turn in those docs, and there was no mention about the 87 days time line on those other certificates and what not. Anyways more info would be helpful. Maybe all of my documents will be fine, and the clock wont start until they are officially stamped

Thanks

Rod

[KarenInCa]

It seems that each agency is specific, and that is exactly what I found with our first daughter.
We sent in our I600a to the CIS person, and got back a form stamped that it was received, but that we need to provide a checklist of items.
1. HS updpate
2. birth and marriage certs
3. verification of income; eg: bank statements OR 06/07 tax returns
4. Verification that she will have automatic health insurance.

Items 2, and 4 the agency is going to just copy from the first one and send it in. Item 3 is to be sent in (according to CIS) within 87 days of stamping our renewal form.
Item 1 (updated HS)- we will have one year from the date they stamped our renewal form.

Here's the crazy part (if it's not already).....Our AGENCY insists on not just 06/07 tax returns as CIS lists, but
1. new bank statements
2. updated income/expense forms
3. income and employment verification on letterhead
They insist on it as if these things were somehow law by CIS or CCAA for renewals.

4. fingerprint updates
5. HS update
Both ASAP....do not hesitate...even though we have 12 months.

All of these to be sent to our agency and they will submit the needed documents within the 87 days, and then they wil send the updated HS to CIS-with updated fingerprints. However, on the letter we got from the agency, it says "updated fingerprints ASAP". The only thing I can think of about that, is so that they can HURRY UP and get the HS done, leaving them room for at least one or two more HS's to be paid before our adoption occurs....and I hate to say it, but more money in their pockets from the expired info happening sooner than we would like.
So, yeah, I think the fingerprints go with the HS update which does not need to be done till almost a year after the I600 is stamped from CIS.
It might be different per state. We're in California. So, the items above (#2 and #3 and #4) were definitely mentioned as needed before 87 days.
I just think it's crazy that our agency insists on so much more, and if I didn't know better, I'd think it was mandatory for all of them ASAP.

[mom3boys]

Also, some CIS offices differ as to whether you can send in the homestudy after the application. We use the Boston office and they have required our homestudy to be turned in with the application. We don't have the option of sending it in later.
Also, the plan of turning in the homestudy late hasn't worked for some people. I know of people who have done exactly what you have said, however, the date of the updated I171H is the original one. For example, if your original expired 1/09 and you don't send in the homestudy until 11/09, the extension sometimes has still stated 1/09 as the new date because it is an extension of the original. This plan may work better for the third time around of the I600A as it is a brand new application and not just an extension.
Does that make any sense?
I hope it works well for all of you!!

[Mcclay]

Great information. Karen I wold lie to add that y agency is also wanting to tun n the update sooner rathe than later because it is only valid for 12 months they said. So I told them them to hold a n stamping it until later in the year. CIS uses the stamp to determine the 12 month count down. Also I have bee doing everything paperwork realate on my own when it comes to dealing with USCIS. I have been using the walk in hours to hand deliver my doc's directly to the adoption officer. I think you can doi this too up in Sacramento. As for the time when the new 171H is issued it will be stamped with the delayed date. This is what I was told by USCIS. Also no mention about the 87 days. I will have to look in to that.

Thanks

Rod