[Jessi_76]

As you know, we're in the process of court and bringing the kids home, and it has been AMAZING!! I consider our process to be very quick and trouble-free considering all that I have read and the families I have met who have waited endlessly for two years or more just for a referral (even nowadays when the accreditation issues are over).

Like you, we did have a few glitches, but nothing major, and nothing that could have been anticpated...not to the fault of anyone (like chicken pox quarantine). It's all in the agency you select...quick, easy processes can be a reality.

Application: October 17, 2007
October - January 2007 - Three months working on Homestudy and dossier
Dossier Registered in Region - First week in Feb. '08
Boy Referral two months later - April '08
Girl Referral three weeks later - May '08
First Trip - May '08
Second & Third Trips will be August '08

Total Process: Application to completion - 10 mos.
Dossier Registration to Home with two amazing babies - 6 mos.


If you have the money, GO FOR #3!!!!!!! Best of luck, Becky!!!

xoxoxo

[pwnort64]

Easy as pie. My friends tell me to always qualify my story with "it doesn't always go this way" because things just chugged along exactly as I was told. I adopted in November of '04.

My agenecy predicted 4-6 months for a referral. Dossier was submitted at Memorial Day, referral came the middle of August, first trip at the end of September and left Oct. 31 for court on November 4. Home forever on November 20. Everything my agency and my coordinator in country told me was like gold.

Cost also fell exactly in line with what the agency told me with no hiddern surprises.

[Russiamomto3]

My data is old but our adoption #3 in 2004...Very easy, very quick. We told the agency in Mid-June that we'd like to adopt another little boy within the year. Last week of July we had a referral, information rec'd mid-August, paperwork completed and submitted End of September, had our court date 2 days before Thanksgiving, flew out the Saturday after Thanksgiving (yup 4 days notice). The region at the time was 1 trip for some agencies, so we arrived November 29, Court December 2, Home in the US December 7 !!!
It felt like a whirlwind. We went from expecting withing the year to having him home within a few months !!!

[Kasey]

We did two adoptions, 2004 and 2006. 2004 was rough because we had to switch agencies, once we switched we completed our adoption in 4 months it was very easy.

2006 was 8 months total, during the period without accreditation. A few paperwork stresses because of that, but nothing that wasnt taken care of quickly.

Both adoptions were 2 trips and 10 days waived for both.

[angelkisses0102]

In 2002 we visited our agency for the first time in early January...we had done nothing for the dossier at that point. Met DD at age 7.5 mos in late March, had court in early July and was home in mid July with DD at 11 mos old. So almost exactly six months total process.

DS is as close to an accidental adoption as possible...LOL. We were not even offically in process when we got his referral in early December 2003...he was home in mid March 2004. I usually say it was about 4 months because we did start updating our homestudy and sent our USCIS application in November 2003.

We had two very smooth and easy processes...although I personally struggled with the 14 weeks between trips one and two with DD because she was so very ill and hospitalized.

[Drazil]

Very quick and easy for us. From sign on with our (wonderful) agency to coming home with our DS was 6 months and 2 days. First (and only) referral, very healthy, age and gender we requested. We give our agency all the credit for our flawless and wonderful experience. They took care of most of our paper work as well so it was really easy for us.

[momofMikhail]

We had a very smooth process. It wasn't as fast as I've heard of. Signed with our agency 3/07 and was home with our adorable little boy 4/08. But well worth the wait. We had some paperwork issues, but my agency was upfront about the whole issue, which made it easier to deal with, and it was resolved very quickly. It was also during the reaccred. period.

[becky26]

Two easy adoptions - nine months from the first call to the agency until we brought each child home. However, nine months can be VERY long when you are waiting for your child!

Emotionally, we had very tough moments. Court was delayed in the first adoption (though only for a week as it turned out...). Also, we decided to turn down a referral when adopting our daughter in 2006 (blind referral process). It broke my heart saying good-bye to this little girl. But the next day, we met our daughter!

[ophelia72]

In process and can't complain. Except for USCIS. When your agency tells you to send stuff to them first they mean it. GOD Buearcracy sucks. I don't want to say anymore becasue I am hoping to go on my second trip an dGod willing bring my babaies home! But I think it is all in chosing the right agency.
If you can finacially afford go for it is my suggestion.
Good luck and God speed.

[MominPA]

We were fortunate to have two easy adoptions. We used the same agency. Both our adoptions happen within 7 months of making the inital call to our agency. We didn't have any paperwork started.

We were a little concern for our last adoption in 2006 since our agency wasn't accredited yet, but they assured us things were moving along for the regions they worked in. I felt bad while others were having accreditation issues we were moving right along. I also felt bad that one of our friends whom I met on FRUA was also adopting during the same time frame. We brought home our child one year before she did. She seemed to have to have a whole lot more paperwork then what we needed.

The only hicup we had is when we were ready to travel for trip one in 2006 and we didn't have USCIS approval yet. We needed to have it in order to travel. We already had our referal and we were told we would have USCIS approval but it never came so we had to delay our first trip. As soon as the approval came about a week later we called our agency. The coordinator in Russia was able to get us in prior to the MOE leaving on a vacation for three weeks. We had 6 days notice to travel or we would have to wait until the MOE came back.

Hopefully one day we can go back for #3.

[lahc1]

We started our homestudy in June 07, had our dossier done in Oct 07 and just brought our little guy home in June 08. We had a couple of failed referrals prior to traveling which was emotionally hard but overall the process went smooth and once we met our son it was very quick.

Lori

[Traci Major]

We signed with our agency on April 4, 2005, all paperwork was completed and to Russia on July 7th, 2005 and we had a referral by July 13, 2005. After we had a doctor review our daughter's medical records and picture and get the additional information she requested, we accepted our referral on July 21, 2005. Our daughter was only 3 months old at the time, but we had been led to believe from our agency that she was all ready on the data base. Wrong. She was not placed on the data bank until after we accepted her. So we then had the 6 month wait while she was on the data bank. As soon as she came off the data bank we were scheduled to leave, but then were delayed by 1 week due to the holiday slow down. We then had to wait 8 weeks between trips. Our court day was exactly 1 year, April 4, 2006, from when we signed with the agency. When looking back, 1 year does not seem a long time, compared to others, but when you know you have a baby lying in a baby home for 9 months before you can bring her home, it is horrible. I can't help but think that our daughter would not have had some of the struggles she has had, if we could have brought her home earlier. Early love, stimulation and good nutrition, would have made a world of difference for her.
We would do it all over again, but you can see the difference you can make in a child's life the sooner they are with a loving family.

[CTgirl00]

Our first adoption in 2005 was so horrific that I am still amazed that our son is home with us. It took 15 months total. 5 months in between trips with a court date cancelled a day before we were to leave. Paperwork would expire as soon as it got to the region and then there was the 8 doc medical which had to be done in the US with 8 different doc signatures and letters from the Specialty Boards.

Still, the pain must have diminished because we did it again! Different agency, different region - amazingly quick, painless, wonderful process! 5 months from first call to the agency to home with our 13 month old son. This was 07-08.

Would love to go back for a little girl, but the money tree is suffering through a drought

[Bcelli]

Amazing. I have the same tree at my house. :-)

[mommyto4]

We have been home 1.5 years so our experience may be a little dated. A two year process, one lost child to the Russian family. Our process should have taken about 6 months if not for the reaccreditation shutdown. You know with IA be prepared for a difficult process and feel blessed if it goes smoothly Faith in God everything happens for a reason, on his timeline not ours made the heartache and wait easier. Best wishes!