More Paperwork

Just when we thought we were doing so good to collect all the paperwork for the adoption agency we now find out there is a whole stack of additional docs the BCIS (former INS) requires. The agency didn't tell us about this set of docs before because they don't want people to focus on the wrong docs early in the processes. The new docs include getting some of the first docs certified by the state and authorized by the Chinese consulate in that state. For instance, Bob has to send his birth certificate back to Texas to be certified by the secretary of state. Then he has to send it to the Chinese consulate in Houston to have them approve the Texas state certification!! Kelsey's birth certificate is more complicated because there is no consulate in North Dakota. Instead, once we receive the N.D. sec. of state seal, we have to have it certified by the U.S. Dept. of State in D.C. then taken to the Chinese embassy in D.C. We also have to write a letter to the government agency in China explaining why we want to adopt one of their children and what our lifestyle is like.

Then, all these docs have to be translated into Chinese!