It is official!!

Ok everyone. Here is the news I have promised. We are now officially adopting from TAIWAN. The terminology is slightly different than China. We had a log in date for China...for Taiwan we have a date on the Wait list. It goes in order and we will know (sort of) if we are next for a referral. Hopefully we will have a referral in 6 months. When we get a referral, we get a picture of her (usually newborn). At 2 months of age she goes to a foster family in Taiwan. Then we wait for the several court hearings(posted below.) We will be able to travel usually within 4-6 months after referral..depending how quick the judge is in Taiwan. The trip to Taiwan is only around 3-4 days long to pick our daughter up. EXCITING.....

Here is the court hearing:

1. District Court Process-
> a. The family court office reviews the case/petition and a Judge is
> assigned to the case.
> b. Judge reviews and considers the case and schedules a "hearing".
> Hearings are handled differently depending on the birth family's
> situation, the judge's schedule, persons representing the birth
> family
> and those representing the adoptive family. The time involved in
> getting a hearingscheduled depends on the judge's calendar/schedule
> and that of everyone else required to attend. Hearings can result
> in--The immediate decision to finalize the adoption (though this is
> rarelythe case) or - Result in the judge's request for more
> information (in one case wesaw the judge request additional
> counseling
> for the birth mother and hescheduled a follow-up hearing. Again,
this
> is rare).
> -Most often, the hearing just provides a judge with more information
> about the case and allows him/her to rule on the adoption with
> confidence. Most often, the judge's decision (final ruling) happens
> weeks or even as long as months after the hearing. The
responsibility
> of the District Court is to make sure that every issue related to
the
> best interest of the child has been considered. Though lengthy &
> frustrating at times, the District Court process protects the child,
> the birth parent, the organization caring for the child, AND in the
> end protects us as adoptive parents. When the District Court
> decisions
> have beenmade, adoptive families can be confident that the process
> was
> handled with consideration and in the best interest of the child.
>
> 2. Part I of Final Decree(first decree). Once the District Court
> hearing has been completed and the judge has had time to make a
> decision to finalize the adoption, he/she issues the firstpart of
the
> Final Decree. This is a short statement signed by the judge that is
> forwarded to the parties involved (social services organization on
> behalf of the adoptive family and the birth family) notifying
> everyone
> of his/her decision to finalize the adoption. This first part of the
> Final Decree must go to each party and there is a waiting period of
> 10
> days before any more can happen to ensure that everyone has been
> notified of the judge's decision.
>
> 3. Part II of Final Decree. Once the 10 day waiting period is up
(and
> the court staff finds time!), the second part of the Final Decree is
> forwarded to all parties. When the second part of the decree is
> received by your child's social service organization,the court
> process
> is DONE!
>
> 4. Household registration change and immigration requirements.
Before
> adoptive family travels, a lot must be accomplished by the child's
> social service organization. All court documents and background info
> on the child must be officially translated to English and submitted
> with certain paperwork to AIT. Also, the child must have his/her
Visa
> medical exam which is forwarded directly (unopened) to AIT's
> immigrant
> visa office. At some point the child's guardian must file for a
> household registration change. The household registration is a file
> located at local government offices in Taiwan that contains
> certificates and information about each person in Taiwan. Your
> child's
> household registration is attached to is/herguardian's file until
the
> adoption has been finalized by the Taiwan courts. Once the child has
> been legally adopted in Taiwan, the guardian files with the
> government
> office to remove the file from theirs and create a new file showing
> that the adoptive parent(s) are the new legal guardians. The
> household
> registration change takes a day or two or a week depending on the
> placing organization and the local government office.
>
> 5. New family receives a travel date. Each organization in Taiwan is
> different in when and how they schedule a travel date. Some wait
> until
> all of the above paperwork is filed and then give the family notice
> to
> travel quickly. Some schedule the travel in advance, while they work
> at preparing the above documents, giving a couple of weeks notice
> before
> travel.
>