[maccafan]

Hi there. I am new to this forum (which has been VERY helpful), and this is my first post.

DH and I are at the beginning stages - researching agencies, etc. We are interested in adopting from Guatemala, so feel we should get things started soon because of the whole Hague treaty thing. In reading the messages on this forum, it looks like some people filed their I-600A before having their home study done. Is this a good idea? Can you somehow "append" your application to include the home study results at a later date?

Thanks for your help!

--Jennifer

[ncurry3]

For me, I couldn't submit my I600A form until I had the HS approval. The HS report had to be sent with the I600A form. Hope this helps you out. Maybe some states are different. I'm in Washington State. Good luck to you!!!!!
Cameo

[lmvsmom]

In our case, we filled it out and sent it in to get the fingerprint appt., but we didn't get final approval until the homestudy was sent in. If you send the form in first, that would be better. We waited for several weeks for our fingerprint appt.

[StefB]

I am nearly finished with my paperchase and got the draft of my homestudy report yesterday, so this process is really fresh in my mind. I would recommend doing all the things right now that take some time and will be out of your control:

1) If your local USCIS allows it, file your I-600A and get your fingerprints done BEFORE your homestudy report is ready. Then all you do is submit the homestudy report and wait for that approval.

2) Order your birth certificates from Vital Records.

3) Order passports (new or renewed)

4) Call for a doctor's appointment NOW in case it is going to be a wait.

The only other thing I would mention is that if I could have gotten myself to choose a placement agency a little closer to the beginning of the process, that would have made a few things easier. I took quite a while to choose, though, and things are working out fine.

One more thing: I was very overwhelmed when I began (end of June), and now I am almost finished!

Best of luck!
Stefanie

[Tammy2005]

I sent mine before my home study was done but I added a note to the I600A saying the home study would be sent when it was finished. Tammy

[keithandkristy]

I agree with everything that StephB said and I did the same thing as Tammy did...I sent in my I600A (and everything except Home Study) with a cover letter stating that the Home Study would be sent at a later date.

[DPline]

Check with your homestudy agency - if you have picked one - or call your local USCIS office. Some will allow you to send the I600A in first without the homestudy and some will not.

[lotterino]

It depends on your USCIS office. We are in MN and our homestudy agency said always send in the application right away without the home study. Our agency sends the home study directly to the USCIS office and if our application isn't there, the home study is sent back and we're back to the bottom of the pile. Check with your home study agency.

[maccafan]

Thank you for the great suggestions! I'll contact my local USCIS office and see if I can send in the I-600A w/o the HS.

[newnan]

We sent in our I-600 before we even picked our agency...