Orphanagemom...So happy for your family!!!!

Thank you so much! Yes we are extremely excited! We got the word today that we won't be going for another week or two. Her travel approval from the DSWD didn't get all the way done yet, and the Philippines closes down everything for holy week next week, so we still have to wait to go for a little bit, but we're still excited. Our little sweetie will be 2.9 years old, and yes we were put ahead because of my husbands Filipino descent, and the fact that he was adopted from that orphanage. We are very grateful to the ICAB for letting us adopt from the same orphanage, they don't usually let you choose the orphanage. I feel so excited for you too, I hope all goes well with your adoption. It has been wonderful to be in contact with the Sisters at the orphanage, they have let us know the details of the different waiting periods, and it has made it not so frustrating to wait. Let us know if we can be of any help to you - even if you just need to chat! Happy waiting! I almost forgot to answer the rest! We have three bio children. Two boys and a girl, and they are so excited to have a new little sister. We have included them in the entire process, letting them help fill out forms, pick age of child, knowing what it is we're waiting for at the different times, and they've helped with all the fundraising for the orphanage. They are 9, 7, and 5. Our waiting time was: dossier made it to Philippines in beginning of July 2003, and our approval letter was dated July 9, 2003 - so pretty fast. Then our match proposal was dated Oct. 30, 2003, and we accepted the day we got it, which was right before Thanksgiving. Our immigration office here was extremely slow with the I-171, and we ended up having to send in a congressman and the Senator to get it done. We had taken it in in early Dec. and finally got the approval on Feb 25, 2004. From there, they forward it on to the embassy in Manila - takes about three weeks or so to get there. Then a sw will schedule a visa medical - usually about a week later again. Then they will schedule an embassy appearance - about a week later again (this is what our little one just did). Then the embassy approves that (if they don't need any other documentation) and sends it on to the DSWD for travel approval. They approve your child for travel out of the country, and send it on to ICAB, who then emails your agency that you can come! Hope this helps!! Jen

Hi. My husband and I are considering adopting a child. We have requested brochures from the Lutheran Services but have not attended any meetings at all. We will be in the Philippines in June and we are interested of visiting Hospicio de San Jose. However, we don't know the protocols. Do we just go there or do we need an appointment? I have an uncle who is a priest and he told me we have a nun relative who used to work at Hospicio de San Jose but was unable to get hold of Sister Zoe. It's kinda strange asking information from complete strangers but I cannot ask my immediate family for help regarding adoption because they are not receptive to the idea. So any information you guys can give me about Hospicio de San Jose and adoption will be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Rochelle

Hi, You can just go visit if you'd like. That's what my husband did a year and a half ago. You might find better information about visiting from Sr. Kit, who started up the thread called Mabuhay from Hospicio. As far as adoption, you cannot pick the child (or orphanage) you want to adopt, if that was one of your goals while visiting. In your dossier you will fill out a Type of Child form which will give the age, sex, and medical conditions you will accept! All the children there are beautiful, and well cared for. I hope you have a wonderful trip!! Jen

Hi Orphanagemom, From the timeline you posted, it sounds like we're on track for a June travel like I've been hoping for. Providing, of course, that we don't have the INS problems that you did. I'm wondering about the travel also. I've been checking on airfares and I've gone into sticker-shock! I know that the price is only going to go up when the lead time goes down. Once all the paperwork is done and the child is cleared for travel, do they then tell you to come right away or do they give you a specific travel date a month or so in the future?

That will be soooooo wonderful for you! For adoptions, Northwest Air does adoption fares which are half off the regular price. There are no penalties for changing days/times/cancelling, or anything! Our tickets are $1,065 per adult and $506 for child to come home - it's cheaper if you can get yourself to Minneapolis (that is where their hub is). What happens is the adoption agency will get an email (usually on a monday or tuesday) from ICAB, giving them a proposed itenerary and your approval to come. You can go anytime after they get that email, and you have up to 30 days to get there. (We are going the day after we get the call hopefully!!) The itenerary they send is only what they suggest, you can do whatever you'd like, but you do need to send your flight itenerary, and what you plan on doing there, to your agency so they can know where you'll be, and they send it on to the social worker in the Philippines so they can plan for your arrival!! Good luck, and have a wonderful trip! Jen You can find the airlines at nwa.com, go to the promotions tab, then to event, then over to adoption. They have a phone # you can call to make your reservation, and to ask any questions you have.