[Kathy629]

Hi. My I600A expired and I am currently working with my state senator's office to have it reinstated...but in the meantime, someone asked me if there are any children who have come home when their I600A was expired. I was not sure and thought I'd see if anyone knew the process (i.e. how and when the I600A comes into play at pick-up) Thanks!

[Guatemom]

This is complicated....let me first clarify,
since you only mention filing the I-600a, does that mean you did not receive your approval (I-171h) yet and the application itself has expired????

[susy...patience]

(and not expired) in order for US Embassy to make you pink & thus enable you to get a visa to bring child home.

There was a prior discussion on Guatadopt about the importance of not letting this document expire..

[Kathy629]

I did receive my I-797C back...a few of them since I have had it renewed three times already. Any insight is great.

[Guatemom]

If you have the approval, then as long as you keep it in good standing, you should be ok to proceed (and since you've done that 3 times, I'm sure you know what that entails to keep it 'good')...the only thing I'm concerned about it is why they would care to continue to renew it. There shouldn't be a problem to continue to renew it as long as your homestudy is updated, etc. Susy is correct...if that document expires.....I'm sorry, it's over. And the U.S. is not even accepting the new versions (I-800a) for Guatemala at this time.
Sounds like you're having trouble getting the 4th renewal...you might try contacting the Joint Council. They worked out something a while back with the USCIS to take care of situations like this, I believe.

[Mommy K]

The I 600a ( advanced processing of orphan petition) stands in place for the I 600, a document that is presented at the embassy appointment and is necessary for your child to come to the US.

The I 71 H is the document that is the I 600a's approval and the embassy needs a current I 71 H in your file to approve & issue a pink appointment.

I don't know what an I 797 C is--is it finger print renewal?

Hope this helps-

[DPline]

Originally Posted by Mommy K

I don't know what an I 797 C is--is it finger print renewal?

Some states issue a 171H and some issue a I797C. They are the same thing.



The previous posters are correct. You must have a valid 171H on file with valid fingerprints for the Embassy to issue Pink and the visa appointment. You will not even get an appointment, not to say the visa issued without it.

Technically if you have let it expire it is over as Guatmom said, unless you can find someone who can pull strings for you to get it reinstated.

Good luck!

[KayV]

We came home on a 171H that had expired over a year before, BUT that was because we went ahead and filed the I600 and it was approved for pick-up. It still took another year after the I600 was approved, but we had no trouble when we picked up in Guatemala. You file the I600A first, then you get your 171H, and then the I600 is filed in Guatemala before pink is issued. If you want someone to escort the baby home or, in our case, if your state is agreeable, you can file the I600 state-side and wait for its approval. Then, you're free to pick up whenever you want.

KayV

[DPline]

Originally Posted by KayV

We came home on a 171H that had expired over a year before, BUT that was because we went ahead and filed the I600 and it was approved for pick-up. It still took another year after the I600 was approved, but we had no trouble when we picked up in Guatemala. You file the I600A first, then you get your 171H, and then the I600 is filed in Guatemala before pink is issued. If you want someone to escort the baby home or, in our case, if your state is agreeable, you can file the I600 state-side and wait for its approval. Then, you're free to pick up whenever you want.

KayV

But when you filed the I600 your 171H was still valid, correct? My understanding has always been that your 171H needs to be valid to file the I600 either in the US or Guatemala.

[Guatemom]

Debbie you are correct. This is why the joint council AND uscis is urging all of us pending cases to keep our I-171h's CURRENT. We are currently in our 2nd appeal, over another issue altogether with our I-171h, but still an issue nonetheless. If we lose this appeal, the adoption is over b/c it will mean the clearance is not amended, ie expired/not extended. We have this from the highest in USCIS, not just our local office. We have involved the highest to get this 2nd appeal going...so trust me! Point: do not let the I-171h expire, period. If it expires, regardless of when the I-600 is filed in Guat, then you are finished. No ifsandsorbuts, sorry. If that were the case (as KayV mentioned), then we would not be in this mess with ours!