Thursday, March 13, 2008

I Have Not Received This From CIS Yet, But I Am Told to Expect It (probably on day 60 of my I600 wait)

"The USCIS office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is in the process of reviewing your Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative (Form I-600), to determine whether the child qualifies as an orphan under US immigration law.

Please be advised that Tu Du Hospital administrators and Vietnamese officials have prevented the U.S. Government from conducting an inquiry into the status of the child identified in your petition. This interference will add significant time to the processing of your case while the U.S. Government seeks to resolve the problem or find alternative ways to conduct its inquiry. You should know that this interference could result in a determination that the child may not be eligible to immigrate to the U.S. as an adopted child.

In all cases, USCIS strongly recommends that you do not travel to Vietnam until USCIS has provided notification to you that the child qualifies as an orphan. Traveling to Vietnam prior to getting this notice from USCIS will not advantage or prioritize your case, and may result in a prolonged stay in Vietnam. The USCIS office in Ho Chi Minh City will provide you with an update on the status of your case in 60 days.

If you do not wish to wait until such time as the Vietnamese authorities allow the U.S. to proceed with a field inquiry in your case, you may request a final decision on your petition based upon the incomplete record. Please note that this may result in a denial of your petition.

Alternatively, you may wish to consult with your adoption services provider or attorney to consider the other options that are available in your particular case, including, but not limited to, withdrawing your petition, filing a new Form I-600 after identifying another child for adoption, filing a new Form I-600A and selecting a different country, or filing a written request for a change of country with USCIS. Please note that these options may require a new or updated home study and/or incur additional fees."

1) I will not be filing a new I600 for another child because I do not see children as commodities. This child needs a home, and I love him. One child is not the same as another; a mother cannot just go to the store and choose a different model if the first one is temporarily out of stock. I will not have him grow up in an orphanage because he was referred to me and my government has seen fit to take much of the first year of his life to decide that because they cannot strong arm private information from health care professionals that he is not going to be able to come home...now almost 9 months old and less likely to be adopted by a couple from another country. Thank you for telling me my "options" though.
2) Change the name of this procedure. Orphans First my a**.
3) Senators, quit dismissing me with "DHS and D of State say 'blah blah blah.'" How many letters do I have to send to get you to READ one? I want my child's case investigated. I just don't want the people investigating it to be taking for granted the PRECIOUS nature of life and childhood. I don't want them maligning the people of my child's country of birth. I don't want them lying to my agency about how investigations are taking place. I want YOU to help ME, your constituent, and quit giving me the party line propaganda. I know what CIS is saying! I probably spend 20 out of 24 hours a day researching this.
4) Someone please tell me what to tell my 4yo son who recognizes his brother and is waiting "so much" for him to come home.
5) Is it LEGAL to hound hospitals for medical information about people who have given no consent for you to have it? Could you (CIS and Dof S) do that in the USA?
6) I know that I do not have the RIGHT to a child. I have never thought that was the case. My objective in adopting a baby is not to glorify myself as a parent or to take a baby from a mother. If CIS was saying, we have learned that your child's mother was wronged, I would pray that he could go home to her. That is NOT what is being said in this letter.
7) Although I do not have the RIGHT to parent Daniel, I have the desire to do so, and I will not be ashamed of that. I feel like his mother, and good mothers LOVE and want to PROTECT and PARENT their children. Please quit telling anxious PAPs that this is all for the best for ethical reasons. I want ethics, and I want the investigations(to be efficient and to also be held to ethical standards), but I am not ashamed to also want my child HOME SAFE with ME instead of in an orphanage.
8) You will let me know the status of my case in 60 days? Another arbitrary increment of time that means JACK.
9) Daniel is going to be 9 months old in a week.
10) I got physically sick because I was so upset today.
11) What is the next step?
12) If we moved to Vietnam could we adopt him there?
13) Could I get a job teaching in Vietnam?
14) Would there be a place for Scotty to go to school?
15) How crazy is that?
16) I'm a mess.
17) G is a mess.
18) We were supposed to have 18 days left until 60. %^&^*%^(&$&^#%^$*&

9 comments:

Unknown said...

Oh my gosh... when is enough enough... that letter purely shows the lack of compassion for the US Government. That letter has nothing to do with right or wrong or human compassion... it has everything to do with the US Gov't saying jump and then being upset when someone says "no". I will say an extra prayer for you and your family tonight. My heart breaks for your little one having to "wait this out".... I am sooooo sorry.

K said...

I was hoping you would get some good news. I'm so sorry. Please feel free to vent away kross-keller@adelphia.net

I hope you hear something positive soon. I'll be thinking of you.

Jill said...

I don't even know what to say. I agree with you on all points. I feel helpless

Anonymous said...

You have to be gutted. I am at a loss. Just know there are people helping you fight this. I won't say more in this comment.

James and Melissa said...

This is just so wrong. You all are in our prayers, believe me. I truly hope you hear something soon. It is hard to believe how insincere this letter sounds.

Anonymous said...

Hi Gregs,

We are fighting this together. We had the same thougt..CIS left out one option. We could move to Vietnam. I am planning to inquire about this topic with Gail. Looking forward to meeting you on Tuesday.

Our thought are with you,
Donna and Barry

Alix said...

My heart goes out to you!!!! No words can adequately express my sympathy and horror that you have to go through this.

After all the moralizing propaganda by the US DOS - "child comes first, blah, blah, blah" - to just send a heartless letter like that - "go pick another kid". Cruel,cruel, cruel.

I hope you get the attention from your elected representatives that you deserve.

Aloha Kim and Rocky said...

So sorry to hear this! If there is anything us fellow PAPs in waiting can do please post and we will try to do what we can. Our positive thoughts are with you!

Lee said...

Just wanted to let you know we are thinking of you guys during this unbearable time. Jon Lee and Zoe