[JJJRP]

We have been waiting for a referral and I'm getting nervous that all our documents will start to expire before we get a referral or get the child home. I keep hearing that things may get better but from what I see the referrals will be older and the refferal times are getting longer. Anyone else waiting and know of any optimistic information? Last year referrals were coming along fine. Thanks for listening and sharing

[wannabamom]

Hi JJ,
I'm really sorry that you're feeling this way. I know the feeling. Dh and I have waited so many years and just last year, they started making this so hard for NRIs, etc.... Well, the agencies we contacted- some in Arizona, one in MA (WACAP, I think), etc.... all told us that it's easier for NRIs but the referrals will be 2 years or older children. Some even suggested finding our own child. So, you've to decide and then do the right thing for you. But usually my understanding is that the HS, etc is valid of 15-18 months?????? So, please contact your HS agency and find out the time limit, and then maybe you can try to find the child from India if you have relatives, etc.. there????? Also, what age are you looking to adopt??? You can contact the orphanages in India (which is a real hard thing to get response from......). I wish you all the best!!!!!!!!

[Terry22]

Hi JJ,

How young a child have you requested? Usually the children will be over a year old by homecoming (and very often that old at referral) both because of regulations in India and the process here.

Does your agency have a waiting child program? If you are open to something minor or correctible like cleft palate that may speed up your referral (as well as giving a harder to place child a loving home).

My son is older (just turned 6 years old) with correctible needs that will be taken care of by Shriners. This child was available to be adopted as an infant but nobody looked beyond his little misshapen face! He has facial clefting and a club foot and had operations to address these issues. He will need more operations but as I said they are taken care of. There are little ones out there that have substantially fewer issues than he does.

Courage to you whether special needs are an option for you or not! If you go through WACAP in Seattle, they have a waiting child booklet that they will send you if you request it each month. That is how I found my son. There'll be a picture and a short paragraph about the child.

Terry in OR

[JJJRP]

Currently we have requested for up to 18 months child on our homestudy. We turned in our homestudy and fingerprints in August. I still think that being on the wait for any more months, and then all the time to get visa, and approval to come to US will use up my 15 months(fingerprints) and 18 month (homestudy) `lifespan' and they will need to be updated/renewed. Terry, I think you are a wonderful and special person for adopting a child with special needs and it is awesome that Shriners are taking care of the surgeries! I just need to be patient as God will guide us to the child that was meant to be in our family. Thank you again for your support.

JJ

[denise marie]

I know the children from India are comming home at 2 yrs or more.I have adopted 2 children but both of mine were older.Our daughter came home at age 7 yr and has been home 3 yrs now.Our son came home at age 41/2 and has been home 14 months.Terry i also have a special needs child.Our son from India.His needs are not correctible but i would not want him any other way.He is the greatest kid ever.

[Mindy82]

F.Y.I. Any homestudy is only valid for 6 mths

[spaypets]

That's not the case everywhere. My homestudy was good for a year (we still needed to update it because it took that long to bring DD home). The INS permissions were good for 18 months.