[Sean&Shan]

Hi all, I have two questions:
First, how long did it take to get your FBI clearance? We were told by our MD based agency that the couple before us got theirs back within five weeks, we are on week 10 and still waiting. We have had all of our other paperwork in for over a month and it is the only thing we are waiting on to have our final interview and finish our home study. Since we are adopting internationally we have several other steps of paperwork to go through but cannot move forward until we get the results of this fingerprinting back. It is driving me crazy. We were fingerprinted electronincally directly at CJIS in early October! Is this wait time normal? Since we were fingerprinted electronically it seems like they should be able to get the clearance within days not months.
Secondly, Is there anyone else out there that would like to be involved in a more active "chitchat" thread we could post on this MD link. I've noticed that this link is not too active. And since I check it almost daily to pass the time as we wait, I'd love to have some local e-buddies to compare notes with and give/get updates? Just putting the thought out there.

Shannon

[andiej]

I would love to hear what else people have to say about the fingerprinting. I have to do that next. Shannon I would love to participate on this board or just emailing since I am in the same boat as you. I check this forum everyday and not much activity. I know that we are out there! Anyway, lets start a rollcall or something like that!

[teamdandy]

We were fingerprinted earlier this year and I can't recall how long it took to get the federal report back, but it was considerably longer than the state clearance (even though fingerprints were taken once, electronically, at the same time.) Two months doesn't sound out of the ballpark for what I recall, although I don't have my timelines with me here to verify exactly how long it was.

[Jenn4615]

We did our fingerprinting directly at CJIS in Pikesville too. The state came back in about a month. The federal took about about 3 months to recieve back. Fortunately we are working on a domestic adoption. So our agency allowed us to keep working on the whole process.
Hope yours come back soon!
Jenn

[kllee4]

Hi, everyone! We're in MD also and have had a completed homestudy since June. Our fingerprinting was a nightmare since I had to redo my prints twice because they kept coming back unreadable! But after the second time, I went to a different State Police Barrack and finally got someone that didn't smudge the prints and they were back in about 8 weeks. But it was 13 weeks total due to the back and forth and kicked out prints!

Now that all of that is behind us, the waiting is the hardest part. We are waiting for an AA (domestic) infant girl and due to us specifying gender, our wait may be longer. They have had 3 baby boys born since July so we are trying to wait patiently. Hang in there everyone!
kllee

[Bgbrooks531]

HI kllee4 I am in VA and in the process of completing a home study we were told that it should be completed at the end of this month I was wone=dering have you been matched yet we chose not to specify a gender and maybe we will luck up (I want a daughter but this is my first I would have open arms for a son) I was just wondering if you could feel me in on some of the experiences that you have had and does your agency have many AA infants and what type of adoption are you doing.

[Jenn4615]

I do not know if this will help you out...I am not totally sure If she is still available. Although I think she is. My agency Adoptions Together had an AA baby girl born in January. I think she is still posted on the website if either one of you wants to check into it. Good luck with your search!
Jenn

[mke]

hello all, how fun there is a group of us waiting. My husband and I jumped on the adoption roller coaster in September 2003. Still waiting...

we had one match fail because the potential birthmother decided to parent (November 2004) and then we had a very bad experience with a shady attorney and potential birthmother in Florida (I was about to get on a plane when it all fell apart).

So we are patiently waiting and at the same time pursuing an adoption from China as well. Just getting that started.

Take care

Molly

[kllee4]

Hi, everyone!

As an update (the shortened version) we have since decided not to adopt an infant domestically but to pursue an adoption of 2 children from the foster care system. Our agency had made very few placements since we began and since we requested gender, we already knew that our wait was going to be longer than most. There have been some administrative changes and while did have 3 failed matches in which each mom decided to parent, we felt a calling to adopt older children who may otherwise need a loving home and forever family. We begin classes in July, the homestudy should be completed by mid-Sept. and we can then begin the search for our children.

I don't fault our agency, however, since we knew going into it that there would be some issues (they are a religious social service agency and have VERY low fees, we requested gender and we already have four bio, they have a track record of their moms mostly choosing families that have no children or one child, they only work with a few couples at a time, etc.).

We are optimistic about the new path that we find ourselves on and will, hopefully, be there for children who need us and who we would love to add to our family. Good luck to everyone!

[mildredjohn]

I'm adopting from Guatemala and I visit more that thread because our in MD is very slow I would love to share experiences with local people, that would be nice and very helpful for all of us. But there's no movement.

Sean my agency told me that INS takes from 4 to 6 weeks to answer and the time starts counting when they receive your homestudy. Without the HS they don't do anything.

Online they have a section that I don't remember right now that tells you how are they working. Last week they were working with the people who filed on November 19, 2004. This mean that they are very behind.

I'll check tomorrow the site and I will let you know.

[mildredjohn]

We went to Pikesville and in couple of days we received by mail our state clearance. ALso the following week we received the one with the Gold Seal.

One of the letter mention that the FBI is in progress.
We haven't finish our HS but we expect to finish it at the end of April. Let see what happen.

"Remember that is not our time, it would be in God's time and will" Faith and Patience should by our best friends.

[Sean&Shan]

OK quick update-
We did get our FBI clearance back, but it took 3 months to the day, the max time allowed before we can start to call and "bug" them.
We also got our INS paperwork processed, again took the max time to the day allowed before our SW would call and check on it.
So now we have sent our dossier off for it's final authentication at the Chinese consulates and we hope to have our paperwork in China any day now!
WhooooHooo

[Jenn4615]

Congratulations!!! Crossing my fingers for a speedy refferal!!!

[Sean&Shan]

And congratulations to you too! It is so exciting to see that you had a successfull match so quickly, you'll have to post pics!

[Jenn4615]

Shannon
Here is a picture of Taylor! Can't wait to see pictures of Lizzie! Where in MD are you? There are a bunch of us on another thread if you want to join that! http://forums.adoption.com/showthrea...858#post792858
this is the link...everyone is suoer nice!
Jenn