[gibbs7263]

I am new to the adoption thing. How and when do you get referrals?


HOlly

[Hopingsoon]

I think it depends on your agency. With ours, we received a referral after we received the I 171H and after we submitted our completed dossier. I think there are other agencies that allow referrals before the paperwork is submitted.

[ej-momtobe]

Check with your agency if you have one, or ask potential agencies if you are still looking. Usually it is after the dossier is done (or almost done) and after the I171H, but some agencies give you a referral sooner, which just means the wait to have them home is longer. Also, some agencies have waiting lists for referrals, especially girls, and others seem to have less wait.

[Disneycrazed]

We also had to wait until we were completely paper ready. (well we got on the waiting list a few days before we received our 171H)
We were placed on their waiting list (we were 4th on the list) and waited a little over two months for the referral of a baby girl.
Some agencies will put you on their waiting list or give you a referral before you are paper ready.
You just need to remember that there is a good chance then that your baby will be older when he/she comes home.

[adoptnky]

Our dossier had to be completely done, but we didn't have to have our I171-H. We didn't request a particular gender. We received our referral the day after our dossier was complete, and our I171-H arrived the next day.

It's definitely something to look into when researching agencies. I agree with most everyone that, although it may seem hard, it's better to not get on the list until you are paper ready.

Good luck!

Kim

[arthymom]

There is no standard.

Go with what is most comfortable to you.

I did not want to accept referral before having my I-171H AND I'm glad I didn't because we had trouble getting it...See my timeline. However, others on this forum have accepted a referral before having an I-171H.

I think it depends on your desire for some risks.

[kerrib]

I accepted my referral a week after filing my I-600A and got my 171H four weeks later, actually a few days before my dossier was complete! I'm glad I didn't wait to accept a referral because I would have lost out on my daughter. I think it really depends on where you have to file for your 171H. I was told it would take 4 - 6 weeks total and they had it back to me in five weeks so there wasn't much of a lag.

[krambk]

some States will expidite your 171-H If you have a referral, I know Missouri will. We got ours 3 weeks after we was fingerprinted. Because we had our referral! I dont think all states do this but it is something to check into!

Brandee

[kacmom1]

We were completely paper ready....the last thing that we were waiting on was the 171 form. That came in record time and we got our referral on that same day.

[mbandbrent]

Holly,
With your agency you will get a referral after your dossier is done and you have your I71H. The day after we got our I71H we had the option of getting a referral of a boy, but choose to wait on a girl. Maya's referral was less than two weeks after receiving that form.