[thesojourners]

Hi!

Did any of you get a dossier ready BEFORE choosing a placement agency? Any tips?

And regarding the health letters: how many of you had standard format health letters from your doctor (she's healthy and that's it) vs. completed health forms that answer all the HIV, blood test, weight, height and blah blah blah ?? Did it make a difference in PGN?

We live outside the US and will be making a trip stateside soon . . . I am hoping to get docs notarized, authenticated, etc. and have them all in hand when we finally decide on a placement agency.

And did any of you have to get special gold seals for your NOTARY to stamp on? Ours just uses a little ink stamp . . . is that okay?

Maybe this is too optimistic and I need to pick an agency first. They seem kinda particular about using their own forms . . .

Comments, anyone?

Thanks, Anne

[becky]

Anne,

There are a few documents that you can get that will work for any dossier:
birth certifcate
marriage certificate
divorce decrees (if applicable)

Once you get beyond that you will find that almost every agency has it's own specific dossier list and they vary tremendously. I know that my agency has a very specific medical letter that we require and almost every person who has switched from another agency has had to redo that document. The same goes for the Witness Statements...the wording is very specific. While all of the agenices have 'similar wording' each is a bit different.

I would suggest that you get your home study underway and that you choose an agency fairly quickly...you may have some specific differences due to the fact that you do not live in the US and you are going to want your agency to guide you.

As for the notary...a stamp is sufficient, it doesn't have to be a seal. Just be sure to include the 'sworn and subscribed to...' statement on each document.

Good Luck!

[615bride]

Anne - Our agency generates a lot of forms for us and they are pretty specific so I don't know how it would be to choose an agency later in the game.

The notary stamp is fine according to our agency though...

Good luck!

[Newsie]

Anne...gold stamp is for China adoptions!

Newsie