IBESR
2-6 months
Your child's paperwork is put together with your documents and the file is then presented to IBESR (Haiti's Social Service Department) where a social worker will look over all of your documents and decide whether to approve your adoption request.The director of IBESR, the IBESR lawyer, the head of adoption services at IBESR, and the IBESR social worker must all sign off on your dossier. This is four stages of approval.
Parquet
2-12 weeks
This step involves one person(?) releasing the child(ren)'s file(s). Parquet is the head commissioner. He is intertwined with court. He asks all of the birth parents to come for interviews to make sure that they understand that there children are being adopted. Apparently there was some fraudulent activity going on and he wants to protect the birth parents interests. i.e. make sure they are in agreement.
Civil Court Legalization
2-8 weeks
The adoption is finalized. After this point, the children are legally yours. (2nd Legal)
Minister of Interior Affairs (MOI)/Haitian Immigration
2-14 weeks
The file is submitted into the passport process. The passports are printed in the adopting parents last name.
DHS Processing (U.S. Parents)
1-3 weeks
I-600 is filed by adopting parents. File is reviewed and approved by DHS
DNA Testing
0-6 weeks
May or may not be necessary. Depends on DHS' opinion.
Consulate/Visa Appointment
1 week lead
Child receives visa in preparation for travel to their new home
-Can I just say that I detest this list! I intentionally deleted the timeline before we got into IBESR. That reality is almost too much to bear. Struggling big time with the fact that what should have taken 1-3 months max took 11 months and 3 days for us. I've decided not to go into the why of all that. I don't fully understand the why, but what I do understand is enough to throw me into the depths of despair for longer than I'd like to admit. Lost time. I hate it. I hate the fact that my heart feels like it will explode any day now. I hate that I am missing my girls grow up. That I am completely lost to the life I once cherished. That life I once knew has lost its flavor. We have so many blessings here. How come all I want is to be in Haiti? Really? Haiti? What the heck is wrong with me? Roaches and rats, hot as hell Haiti? Who are you and what did you do with me? When I don't think I can take it another second...
"When I feel I'm slipping further away
I remember that everyday I get a little bit closer to you
These are the days that I won't get back
I won't hear you cry or hear you laugh
And when it's quiet and I don't hear a thing
I can always hear you breathe
You know there's nowhere else I've wanted to be
Than be there when you needed me
I'm sorry too but don't give up on me
And just remember that when you were asleep
I got a little bit closer to you." -from the song "Closer to You" by the Wallflowers (check it out in our playlist)
Always God is faithful to provide something to get through each day. Sometimes it is reading a blog or hearing from someone who truly understands. Sometimes it is the prayers of dear friends and those we don't even know. Sometimes it is through God's word which is a constant comfort, though we don't always allow it to be. Today it was the reminder through a song that each night we sleep worlds apart, is one less night we will spend apart.
