[jessibird]

I am full of questions lately...Does anyone know when we can send in our I600a form? I asked our social worker (who is currently working with another sw as she is new) and she said that we had to wait until our medicals AND homestudy were complete. Was this the case with you? I have noticed a few people have sent theirs before their first HS meeting?? I am just trying to be efficient in all this paperwork.

Thanks,

[DPline]

It depends on your local office. Some will accept the I600A without the homestudy and some require that the homestudy be submitted with the I600A or they will send it back.

Good luck!

[Mich71]

We are in Michigan and in 2005/2006 we sent in our I600A before our HS was complete. Once the HS was finished we sent that in and then received our fingerprint appt.

[DPline]

I am in Michigan too (I should have looked at where you were jessibird!) and I believe that Michigan has recently (the last year or so?) stopped accepting them without the homestudy. Double check though. That is just what I had heard.

You might post on the Guatemala, Russia, or China boards for someone who submitted their I600A to Detroit in later 2007 to double check. Those boards are all pretty active (Guatemala especially) so you are bound to find someone.

[blminter]

with my first international adoption in 2005, i sent the I600A in before my homestudy was complete. this time, they wanted me to wait. not exactly sure why. probably because of so many uncertainties. you run the risk of it expiring too soon-that's my guess.

[Jessi_76]

Like one of the PPs, we sent in our I-600 just about right away!! Our HS followed when it was complete, but we had our fingerprints done and completed a few weeks before the HS. The timing was just perfect!

Also, our agency has told us that many of the offices have MAJOR delays in processing the I-600A approvals - for your I797c or I171h these days. Our process was smooth, but I know other families in our agency have really had to wait. Do it ASAP to be safe!! However, I know when we looked into China, we were told a 3-4 year wait. If that is still the case, your I-600A will likely expire. Fingerprints are only good for 18 months.

Good luck!!!!

[DPline]

Originally Posted by Jessi_76

Fingerprints are only good for 18 months.

Your 171H/I797 is good for 18 months and fingerprints are good for 15 months.

USCIS now allows one free reprinting and one free extension of the 171H as long as you apply for them before your prints/171H expire.


Jessibird - Did you ever get a definitive answer on whether the Detroit office will accept an I600A without the homestudy?

[jessibird]

No they will not, now with all the changes they actually think we need to do a 1800A instead. So, while they are checking on that...we are finishing our HS.

[DPline]

Yeah, depending on the country, it may now be an I800A. Isn't all this USCIS stuff fun?

[Jessi_76]

Good luck, Jessi! I never heard of the I-800A. Geesh. It will all be worth it though.

Have a great day!