Progress for Our USCIS Application

Mabuhay (welcome/hello)!

As I mentioned a few posts ago, we recently submitted our application to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Essentially, we're applying for the right to bring children into the country with the intent to adopt them.

As a part of this application, we had to have our fingerprints taken so they can perform a background check…yet again. This time, though, we actually had to go to a USCIS facility to have the fingerprints taken. That was quite the experience!

Oddly enough (and potentially quite inconveniently enough), they mail you a notice that indicates the date and time of your fingerprinting appointment. If we had needed to reschedule the appointment, we would have had to mail in our request to reschedule – isn't that weird? Thankfully, our appointment time was one that we could re-arrange other items (including work), so off we went to the USCIS facility a few weeks back!

Once there, to be honest, there aren't many instructions provided. It was a bit intimidating…and we were only there for our adoption application! Many individuals were there for their visas, citizenship items, etc. While in the waiting room, we saw quite a few other people waiting for other purposes. There were men, women, children, attorneys/representatives – many waiting for actual interviews for their citizenship process.

Everyone there, ourselves included, looked to be a bit nervous about the whole ordeal. Our appointment was first thing in the morning – 8am. But when the doors opened at 8am, there were approximately 20 other people waiting for the appointment just for fingerprints (more were waiting for interviews). Thankfully, we had arrived early enough that we were #5 and #6 in line. While the fingerprinting itself only took about 2 minutes, we waited until 8:30am to actually be called.

Quite frankly, it made me feel sympathy towards those going through the US system trying to get citizenship or even just visas. While I certainly don't know the full process they are encountering, from my small glimpse, it seems to be scary and uncertain. I am thankful our portion of the experience is done – at least for now (as renewals might require us to go back for fingerprints again). Now, we wait until they request more information or approve our application!

My prayer request today is that our USCIS application would be approved and then the Philippines would quickly approve our Dossier, so that we could be on the list to be matched. I pray for our kiddos that the Lord would give them comfort knowing their future parents are doing everything they can to get to them quicker. May they feel the Lord's presence and take comfort in that. Thank you, Lord, for putting us on this path and taking care of our kiddos.

Until next time - all of our love!