How many fingerprints does it take...

We began the month of April with a 4th visit to the Milwaukee Department of Homeland Security, for a 4th biometric screening. Fingerprints. Sent to the FBI for immigration approval.  They need to make sure we have not committed any crimes since the last time we were fingerprinted...a year ago.

They can't just run prints through the database again. They have to take new prints.

These trips to Homeland Security are in addition to the 3 other times we've been fingerprinted, also for FBI background checks. Apparently they are run through different databases that don't talk to each other. 

So we have been fingerprinted at least 7 times for 3 adoptions. All for the FBI. All but 2 times involved a fee. 

The day before our biometric appointment, we received a letter from USCIS (Immigration) with a Request For Evidence. They were unable to process our I600A, Application for Advanced Processing of Orphan, because our 15 page home study did not include two words. Strange, we've used this home study for two other successful I600As. 

But alas, the two words were missing, so there was another call to the social worker, another update, another trip to the post office.

Ah the inefficiency. I blog about this for one reason. I want to remember this when we get stuck. 

We got stuck in Ethiopia bringing Bear home. Legal blip that seemed to make no sense. A letter needed at the court hearing was locked in a file cabinet at a government office and the only person with keys was away on vacation. 

I'm sure we will get stuck somewhere in the Haiti legal process. It seems like no one makes it through a Haitian adoption without unexplained delays or frustrating, even conflicting technicalities. With the new laws and procedural changes, there are going to be blips. Perhaps several. 

When the blips come, I want to remember that we can get stuck anywhere. Inefficiency and confusion can be a part of any legal process. Maybe this will help for perspective. Maybe it won't!

And now a little update. It looks like the match maker is back. More referrals from Rivers of Hope! Including the first family we know of like ours that was not pre-matched with a child. So happy for these kids and their future families. These families are now preparing to travel. Hoping for more good news on the horizon!