Dossier pieces coming together

Yea! The F@d Ex guy just delivered our packet of certified documents from the Secretary of State's office! So they *were* open this week--fabulous!

Also, I got an email back from our homestudy agency saying that our country report would be ready sometime *next week*, and they'd send it out to our placing agency for review then. We don't even have to send them any extra money for that like I was thinking.

Having more pieces coming together is motivating M to work on getting the last few passport mug shots taken.

* * * * *

Recently I have been attempting to re-calculate how long our expected wait will be until a match. We have been telling everyone "at least two years" but I am wondering whether that's really true. So I have been looking for evidence that it might be either longer or shorter than 24 months.

Rumor Queen had a chart once, that I recall, but I can't find it. It might have been my imagination. In any case, it might not work for those of us just recently logging in.

I looked on my agency website again. They are currently saying 14-16 months for match wait, or 21-24 from application approval to traveling. In my mind, I am really thinking 18-24 months. But also, I am aware that the rumors of 3 years might be true...

My plan is that I will wait a year from our log-in date, and then see how things are progressing. Then wait another year and see, etc. I can't spend any attention nitpicking, er obsessing over, er trying to predict, time details until it gets closer to match time.

* * * * *

Reviewing our dossier instructions (which is as precise and detailed as doing taxes) to see what we should do next, I realized that the batch of docs that we JUST got back will ALSO need to be authenticated by the US Dep@rtment of State.

Looking at the clock, I saw that I had a bit more time this evening before the local mail shop closed, so I whipped out the cover letter et al in record time and got that whole batch of documents back on the road. Woot!

Next up:

Documents being verified and authenticated by various Chinese embassies depending on document source state.
That involves making photocopies of originals, and arranging for a self-addressed, self-stamped USPS return mailer, AND buying money orders. Not to mention the usual cover letter & application form combo. But we are psyched to move all of this forward as soon as humanly possible.

Yeah, I am spending a little more to do next day delivery in many/most cases, but if we are efficient with our time, we might squeak in our dossier submission by the end of January. This is where judicious pushing will shave off time. We shall see!