Ugh, the wait for TA has been torture. It is always stated as "2 to 4 weeks from LOA," so we've been on pins and needles since July 24. Of course, our agency sends packets to China only on Fridays, so our signed LOA didn't leave Austin until August 1st.
However, several families on the "Rumor Queen" website have posted TAs, with LOAs of 7/31/08. Not only does this make me feel left behind, but those families are scheduling consulate appointments in mid to late September. There are even a few consulate appointments already booked in October. My concern is that there won't be any consulate appointments left in September, and that we will experience yet another delay.
On a positive note, we have our Chinese visas. Scott's mother, Dian, endured road raging motorists and Disneyworld-length lines to deliver our passports and applications to the Chinese consulate on Monday. Then she went back Thursday to pick them up and express mail them to me. They arrived in perfect condition yesterday (Saturday). In January 2008, the application fee for a Chinese Visa magically jumped from 75 dollars to 130 dollars per person. Can you say Olympics?
It would be so wonderful if our TA finally comes this week. Considering all the important papers that have arrived on birthdays, I am led to believe that we will get it on August 27, my mother's birthday. We are already one month from receipt of LOA, and 3 weeks from return of signed LOA.
But getting our son will be all that much sweeter after all this waiting.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Thursday, August 7, 2008
GUZ# confirmed
Yes! I received an email today from the American Consulate in Guangzhou. They have our Homeland Security / USCIS file and emailed me our GUZ#. There are so few hurdles left!
A few of the families who received LOA/LSC on July 24 have started receiving TAs. Our agency held ours for a week, so I don't expect anything until the middle of next week at the earliest. There is a rumor (isn't there always?) that a large group of TAs will be mailed out next Wednesday. My fingers and toes are crossed. The people just ahead of us from our agency have received American Consulate appointments on September 9th and 10th, which means they are traveling 8/28 to 9/12. Remember the American Consulate Appointment happens at the end of the 2 week visit. So it is still very possible that we would be in China 9/4 through 9/19 with a consulate appointment on 9/17. We could potentially leave even earlier if we can get an earlier consulate appointment. Hey, I'd be quite happy with a consulate appointment on September 11, 12, 15 or 16.
What we really need now is for the Olympics to be peaceful and smooth. I can see the Chinese government freaking out about the Olympics and shutting down all the government offices. Yikes!
A few of the families who received LOA/LSC on July 24 have started receiving TAs. Our agency held ours for a week, so I don't expect anything until the middle of next week at the earliest. There is a rumor (isn't there always?) that a large group of TAs will be mailed out next Wednesday. My fingers and toes are crossed. The people just ahead of us from our agency have received American Consulate appointments on September 9th and 10th, which means they are traveling 8/28 to 9/12. Remember the American Consulate Appointment happens at the end of the 2 week visit. So it is still very possible that we would be in China 9/4 through 9/19 with a consulate appointment on 9/17. We could potentially leave even earlier if we can get an earlier consulate appointment. Hey, I'd be quite happy with a consulate appointment on September 11, 12, 15 or 16.
What we really need now is for the Olympics to be peaceful and smooth. I can see the Chinese government freaking out about the Olympics and shutting down all the government offices. Yikes!
Friday, August 1, 2008
LOA sent to China today
Today we are about 2.5 hours from home, picking up Eiley and Mia from camp. It's a nice distraction from my constant anxiety about the TA (Travel Approval). I want to make it magically come SOON. It was sent to China today, so I'm really, really hoping for TA on or before 8/15/08 and travel on or before 9/4/08. There are lots of rumors flying through the China adoption Yahoo groups about what effect the Olympics will have on the adoption process. Some families are still getting consulate appointments in mid-August, so it seems that the CCAA (Chinese Center for Adoption Affairs) is expecting to be fully functional.
Several of the families who received their LOAs on 7/11/08 reported that they received TAs today. This is great news, because we are in the very next group! TAs and LOAs tend to happen in 2 week cycles, so keep your fingers crossed.
Once we get the TA, our agency will book an American Consulate appointment. This appointment occurs near the end of our 2-week China trip and makes Jon Wiley an American citizen. Luckily, this appointment is one of the few things that can be booked online. Then we will know our exact departure date, and better yet, our "Gotcha" day!!! We will express-mail our passports with visa requests to the Houston-area grandparents so they can hand-deliver them to the Chinese Consulate in Houston. We did the same thing for Devyn 3 years ago. Chinese consulates will not accept Visa requests by mail; they all must be hand-delivered.
I also learned today from my online-adoptive-mom-friends that our file number for the American Consulate in Guangzhou (aka GUZ#) might be contained on a specific letter from the American Visa office. Tomorrow, I will go home and tear through the files to see if we have it. That would be a relief.
I have a feeling that we will be celebrating Jon-Jon's 2nd birthday in the White Swan hotel in China. How great for us, and how confusing for him. We have all been practicing singing "Happy Birthday" in Mandarin.
Several of the families who received their LOAs on 7/11/08 reported that they received TAs today. This is great news, because we are in the very next group! TAs and LOAs tend to happen in 2 week cycles, so keep your fingers crossed.
Once we get the TA, our agency will book an American Consulate appointment. This appointment occurs near the end of our 2-week China trip and makes Jon Wiley an American citizen. Luckily, this appointment is one of the few things that can be booked online. Then we will know our exact departure date, and better yet, our "Gotcha" day!!! We will express-mail our passports with visa requests to the Houston-area grandparents so they can hand-deliver them to the Chinese Consulate in Houston. We did the same thing for Devyn 3 years ago. Chinese consulates will not accept Visa requests by mail; they all must be hand-delivered.
I also learned today from my online-adoptive-mom-friends that our file number for the American Consulate in Guangzhou (aka GUZ#) might be contained on a specific letter from the American Visa office. Tomorrow, I will go home and tear through the files to see if we have it. That would be a relief.
I have a feeling that we will be celebrating Jon-Jon's 2nd birthday in the White Swan hotel in China. How great for us, and how confusing for him. We have all been practicing singing "Happy Birthday" in Mandarin.
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