Saturday, August 16, 2008

Thank you to everyone who posted here or e-mailed me with advice/suggestions. I guess it really wasn't fair to say that my agency wasn't being helpful. They have tried to answer all of my questions. What they wouldn't do is give me a specific list of things that we will have to have under the new Hague rules. They want me to sign a contract with them first. To update our paperwork with them under the new Hague guidelines they charge $1,200.00. Does that seem exorbitant to anyone else(besides me?). Twelve. Hundred. Dollars. To re-do paperwork that we have already done once before. I'm sorry. That seems outrageous to me. That's why I was asking about changing agencies at this state in the game. I wanted to get started on some of the things that were needed, and then sign the contract and pay the fee when we were ready to turn everything in. Bu they say they need the money first, so they can help us obtain some of the necessary items. It makes no sense to me. After much discussion we have decided to wait. The way things are moving right now we have at least two more years to go, and I am NOT renewing again(if I can help it). Especially at $1200. That amount doesn't even include the $125 per person fingerprinting fees, plus the $750 dollars to file the paperwork with the gov't. We have a few issues we have to work out before we can renew anyway that will take a couple of months, so right now we plan on waiting until after Christmas before looking at the situation again and deciding what to do. I am placing it in God's hands at this point. I can't tell you what a sense of peace I felt as soon as I decided that(yesterday). All of the worry and anxiety simply left me. Everything will work itself out. In time.

6 comments:

Kayce said...

I'm glad your feeling a bit better and more at peace. Still sending huge amounts of positive thoughts your way. Thanks for the chat last night by the way. :)

Special K said...

I think that's definitely the best decision if you're already expired. Let them work out the kinks first. And then you won't have to do it twice if you time it right. Good luck!

Martha is still telling me I can do another I-600a as long as I don't let it expire. But I'm already on my 2nd...the free extension. I'm having my doubts about whether that's right. Cuz I'm reading so much stuff on RQ. It sounds like nobody knows the right answer yet. And it's different with each USCIS office too. I'm sure they'll have a decision made by next summer when I expire again. I hope I really can stay with the I-600a. We'll see.

Anonymous said...

yowza. that is a lot of dough for an update. even a full home study update for a domestic adoption, after your other one changes because you adopt one child already, is only $500. at least with our home study agency. $1,200 is nuts. and $125 for fingerprints and $750 to file paperwork with the govt? man. I never realized international adoptions had so many fees attached. for reference for you, if you are curious, for our domestic adoption we paid a total of $1,500 to the home study agency and that included all background checks, etc. (oh wait, I did pay $25 to california for each county we lived in for a background check. so $100 total for two people, two counties, four background checks total.) and then we paid $4,750 to our agency pre-placement as we were waiting for a match and then $4,750 to our agency upon placement, and about $1,500 in birthmother living expenses and $250 to our agency for finalization expenses and $1,050 to the lawyer for our finalization fee last week.

Anyway...did you get my email? I wanted to see if you and the girls (don't want to give too much personal info of theirs out here)wanted to get together when I'm in cali starting aug. 27.

see ya...
teena

Courtney said...

We let our paperwork expire as well and now have to refile under the Hague. We are waiting as well. I told Joe that I wasn't putting another dime into this adoption until I knew for sure I was getting my baby! Hang in there, it's rough but it has to happen eventually, right?
Courtney
LID 11-13-06

Laura said...

From what I understand the requirements for the homestudy report under Hague are much more extensive, so the report is much more detailed and difficult to write. Also, things that many agencies and social workers "took your word for" before Hague they now need paper confirmation of (savings, life insurance, verification of income etc. etc.). I imagine that is why they are charging more. As long as you won't lose your place in line at the CCAA, and you have to re-do anyway to satisfy the i-800/Hague rules- why not wait awhile.

You are right - it will all work itself out.

Laura

Debra Sue said...

We let ours expire as well, and our agency has told us to hold off on re-filing for a while. Our LID is 6/27/06.

Still,that's a lot of money for an update, even with the new regs. Our agency is only charging us $250! It seems they have you over a barre!