Here is a general timeline of the adoption process from Alberta to Ethiopia, per data from my international adoption facilitator, CAFAC. The CAFAC dates are estimates - there are no timing guarantees and every case is different. I will keep this up-to-date as activities take place and maintain a link to this on the right-side menu.
I started on November 22, 2006, with my attendance at Adoption Options' mandatory International Adoption Information Meeting and I signed up with them on December 12, which I consider my official start date. I am guesstimating my referral by Jan/Feb '08 and travel to bring my daughter home by Spring/early Summer '08.
Note: The Ethiopian courts are closed for three to twelve weeks between July/August and October (dates vary each year). This means families with a referral in early July face the possibility their court case will be put on hold for up to three months, thus delaying their travel by that much time. Hopefully this will not affect me as I anticipate my referral well after this time. Update July '09: Scratch that - it's a year later and court closures WILL affect me after all.
Legend:
Estimated Time Frames from CAFAC
My Actual Time Frame
(*) done simultaneously with other tasks
GATHERING OF DOCUMENTATION
I started on November 22, 2006, with my attendance at Adoption Options' mandatory International Adoption Information Meeting and I signed up with them on December 12, which I consider my official start date. I am guesstimating my referral by Jan/Feb '08 and travel to bring my daughter home by Spring/early Summer '08.
Note: The Ethiopian courts are closed for three to twelve weeks between July/August and October (dates vary each year). This means families with a referral in early July face the possibility their court case will be put on hold for up to three months, thus delaying their travel by that much time. Hopefully this will not affect me as I anticipate my referral well after this time. Update July '09: Scratch that - it's a year later and court closures WILL affect me after all.
Legend:
Estimated Time Frames from CAFAC
My Actual Time Frame
(*) done simultaneously with other tasks
GATHERING OF DOCUMENTATION
- Home study completion (*3-7 months) 6 weeks
- Collection of Dossier documents, including CAFAC workbook (*4-7 months) 7 months
- Provincial letter of approval for home study (1-2 months) 6 weeks
Estimated Running Total: 9 months
ACTUAL TIME: 8 months
----------------------------------------------------------------------
DOSSIER PREPARATION
- Notarization (2 weeks) 1 week
- Legalization by Foreign Affairs in Ottawa (3 weeks) 2 weeks
- Authentication by Ethiopian Embassy in Ottawa (3 weeks) 3 weeks
Estimated Running Total: 2 months
ACTUAL TIME: 6 weeks
----------------------------------------------------------------------
DOSSIER PICKED UP IN ETHIOPIA - Nov 9
PROCESSING OF FILE IN ETHIOPIA UP TO CHILD REFERRAL
- Translation, legalization, and authentication (4 weeks)
- Adoption Committee Approval (4-8 weeks)
- Child Proposal [the "Referral"] (8-14 months) May 14 = 18 months and 5 days!! (not that I'm bitter or anything...)
Estimated Running Total: 10-14 months
ACTUAL TIME: 18 months and 5 days
----------------------------------------------------------------------
FINAL STEPS UP TO TRAVEL
- Immigration paperwork (*3-7 months)
- Adoption Finalization (*2-8 weeks)
- Travel to Ethiopia (4-7 months after referral formally accepted)
Estimated Running Total: 4-9 months
ACTUAL TIME:
Average Adoption Time Frame: 14-25 months duration
