Not There Yet.....But Another Step Closer!

We received word that our LID status changed and is now, "Match Review!"  The next step will be a status of, "Matched," and from there, "LOA"!!!  LOA is extremely close to receiving permission to bring our boys home!!!  Our agency said that once our status becomes, "Matched," it is typically about 2 weeks when the LOA is issued!  Y-E-A!!!!

Okay, what does this all mean?  Match Review means that someone is reviewing our request to bring the boys home and that person, whoever they may be, will send a request to both orphanages requesting them to forward the documentation on our boys! Once the officials receive the information from the two orphanages, the LOA can be issued!!!!

LOA= Letter of Approval to adopt our boys!!!!

I know, I know-- about now-- you are thinking.....the "PA" (Pre-approval) means your approved to bring these boys home, right?! ......and oh yea, what about the Dossier, the mounds and mounds of paperwork that tells every last detail of our family, doesn't that mean we can bring our boys home. 

Well, no & no. 

Yes, we submitted a Letter of Intent to China requesting permission to adopt the boys and from there, a PA (pre-approval) was issued, which allows us to submit our dossier with the "intent" to bring the boys home, but not until China reviews our Dossier and verifies that we do meet all the requirements to adopt from China, does China make it official that we are approved to adopt these precious boys! 

LOA= Letter of Approval to Adopt, Ming & Eli!!!

Okay, we're not there yet!  LOA, simply states that yes, we submitted all our paperwork up to this point, yes we meet requirements to adopt from China and yes, Eli & Ming will be our children BUT, several more steps must occur.  The I800 or US Immigration paperwork, that will allow both boys to be US citizens, the moment the plane touches down on US soil, then the Article 5 is issued, which my understanding is paperwork that says, China received the I800 from the US Immigration and it's approved from the US Government, for us to bring the boys home.  THEN and only then, the Travel Approval will be issued.

Travel Approval: Allows us permission to travel to China.  China is a communist country and a travel approval is required (along with a valid passport & visa) to travel to China.

Now, don't get too anxious, we're not there yet.......when China issues the TA (travel approval),we request a visa from the US government.  But, a visa cannot be requested or issued without the TA (Travel approval)

Are you completely lost now?????  Yep, probably so, and  we were too the first time we adopted.  Now that we are on our 4th adoption, it's starting to make more sense.  I say "sort of" only because China is always changing things and with each adoption, something has been slightly different than the previous adoption.

Either way, it's a joy and a blessing that we are further along and another step closer to bringing the boys home to their family!!!!   We are singing praises of thanks!!!!