Steps From Here

We thought we'd share a brief overview of the steps we'll go through from where we are now. Here's the steps...

I-171H
This is a document that we'll be issued from the US government. We have to have this before we can be given a referral. Goverment definition...Notice of Favorable Determination Concerning Application for Advance Processing of an Orphan Petition.

Referral of baby girl
This is where we get matched up with our baby girl! We'll get a phone call with brief information about our baby and then we'll receive photos, medical report, and lab test results via email.

Power of Attorney (POA)
We have to sign our Power of Attorney (POA) so that a lawyer can handle the legal stuff for us in Guatemala. We can either sign this here and have it notarized, certified (in Austin), and authenticated (in Houston), mail it to Guatemala and then it would be registered, translated, and notarized in Guatemala OR we can travel to Guatemala and sign it in Spanish in person. We're leaning towards going to Guatemala. This could cut up to 4-5 weeks off our wait time and we'd get to see our baby girl while we're there.

DNA
The US requires DNA testing to be done on the birthmother and our baby to make sure it is the birthmother giving up the child. This is to protect children from being kidnapped and sold.

Family Court
This is where a social worker in Guatemala will review our home study and interviews the birthmother and foster mother. Family Court takes place on the Guatemalan side while Pre Approval is happening on the US side.

Pre Approval (PA)
This is where we are given pre approval from the US to bring our baby girl home. Pre Approval takes place on the US side while Family Court takes place on the Guatemalan side.

PGN
This is the where the Guatemalan goverment (PGN = Procuradoria General del Nacion - the governmental human rights entity in Guatemala) looks over all of our documents with a fine tooth comb.

Pink Slip
This means everything is pretty much finished and our US Embassy appointment has been assigned. This is when we schedule our trip to Guatemala to pick her up!

Embassy Appointment in Guatemala
This is the final step before we can bring her home!

Home!

Hope that helps everyone understand the steps from here on out a little better. :)