[Mariais5]

We had to have city, county, and state clearance checks with no fingerprints. We then had to have the FBI clearance with fingerprints for our I171-H... Angie, we traveled before DNA, and I guess it is a risk you take because it's so early in the process. I wouldn't trade that time for anything though. Besides, God forbid, anything could happen during any part of the process until that final sign off.... Good luck!

[oldbear]

Angie - you have my sympathy. We've had to redo stuff since switching countries and it's a pain in the ***
I hope your husband gets some satisfaction with your first agency. But at least it is not the second one that's screwed up....

Best of luck with paperwork and your visit!

[rrrajan]

one thing i know, that when being authenticated, they break up the dossier according to the origin of the document.

i.e.--hs done here in pa, so went to new york consulate. BC (mine) and marriage certif from ohio--went to chicago consulate. the consulates sent them back to my agency who put it all back together and sent it to guat.

my advice about travel before DNA--i would try to wait...only because we lost our first referral because the birth mother ended up refusing to come in for it and the lawyer gave up trying to convince her. i would have been much more devastated if i had gone, held and seen her...now she is in abandonment proceedings, which takes years. since then, we have taken a new referral. i would wait, and make sure the parent is committed...

last, about adoption supervisors...i contacted them by email--they reply in a very personal manner, which is nice--and if you PM me your email,i'd be happy to forward his email to you in which he explains very clearly when they get involved. they cannot get involved before DNA and i cannot remember about family court, although i think they'll work with you then but it is mroe expensive.

good luck, hang in there, this is hard, i know...