Everything seems to be shutting down for the month of December. The High Commission in Nirobi is closing from Dec 15 to Jan 15. This doesn't directly affect us since we are still waiting for our referral but it does mean that things are getting backed up which slows everybody down! Our agency in Ontario is closing from Dec 21 to Jan 7. So that means no information.
Also in my inbox this morning was a timeline update of expected wait times. Here's a summary as it applies to us...
Referral time = 2 to 4 months
Court date = 2 to 3 months
Time of travel = up to 6 months
Total = 10 to 14 months
For those of you who are trying to count on your fingers here's what this means. Our paperwork (dossier) went to Ethiopia on October 11, add a week to allow for the postman to get it there, and that means our waiting started on October 18.
Referral time = December 18 to February 18
Court date = April 18 to May 18
Travel time = October 18
Total time = August 18 to December 18
When we started we were told that it was taking about a year from the start of paperwork until travel time. We started our process around April 13 and that is why we've been expecting to be picking up our baby in April or May. With the new timeline and all the delays we will be luck to be traveling next Christmas. It also means that instead of bringing home the baby that we were planning to bring home we will likely be bringing home a toddler.
I should also mention that the High Commission has a summer closure of 2 months (Aug & Sept) that we were thinking we wouldn't get caught in because of the timing of our dossier being sent. There is now a possibility that we will now get stuck in it! And that would mean that we won't be traveling until 2009!
This has not been easy so far and looking ahead I'm thinking that it's not going to get any easier. My hopes and wishes to be a Mum before I turn 30 are gone. I can't believe it.
8 comments:
Just for your information:
The Nairobi High Commission never closes for weeks. You have been misinformed.
During the Holiday break the Nairobi High Commission will only be closed for specific holidays.
However, they will be shorter staffed due to rotating vacation
of visa officers and staff.
You will note from their own postetd holiday schedule that they NOT closed during the summer months either. This is from their website:
Office closures during 2007
January 1 New Year's Day
April 6 Good Friday
April 9 Easter Monday
May 1 Labour Day
June 1 Madaraka Day
July 2 (in lieu of 1st) Canada Day
September 3 Labour Day
October 8 Thanksgiving Day
December 12 Jamhuri Day
December 25 Christmas Day
December 26 Boxing Day
You can find this information on the site: http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/nairobi/about_embassy-en.asp#holidays
Hopefully this will releive your anxiety as you await your adoption.
I think the above commenter is correct (or at least I hope so!). Its looking like the High Commission will probably be open (as per their website) but things will probably slow down because of people taking holidays. I freaked out when I heard it too! Delays suck.
I am sorry to hear about the time lines being extended. Its happened a few times since we signed on too (albeit only by a couple of weeks here and there) but its not pleasant. I will be thinking about you guys and hoping that you are the exception to the rule and everything happens FAST! :-)
Hey,
I'm with you on feeling sad and depressed. I expected the wait to gradually get longer but I was so shocked to see the news on the forum today. I guess I should really get the dream of having our baby home by next Xmas now. I'm hoping your wait will be shorter than expected. Who knows, maybe these are their "worse case scenarios"????
emily
(i think i'll call you later!)
I am sure that Kidslink is realizing that they are better off giving parents a broader timeline and have them pleasantly surprized if things move more quickly - rather than have people upset because it isn't happening as quickly as they were told.
We never expected to have a court date 6 weeks after our referral and were thrilled to hear about it because we were told to prepare for a longer wait. We have been told to prepare to travel 6 months after our referral and that if we get to go earlier - to count ourselves lucky.
I'm sure KL is trying to lesson disappointment in the long run...
I do hope your child is home much before the end of next year!
Shauna
sometimes the "big adventure" feels more like the "big torture". i often kiss these little ones thinking, i can't believe what we went thru to get you here. it will happen, sk
Oh Alicia! I have to agree with others, I think KL is just trying to put up the worst case scenario for people! At least I hope so. I hope that you get your referral soon and you know what? On December 22nd the new Immigration rules come into affect, and you will probably have your child home before I will!!!!
Alicia!! I'm so sorry to hear about the new delays...but I too believe that they are giving the worst case scenarios now..because they didn't before and people were upset when their referral didn't come in 8-10 weeks...so now they are giving out the worst case scenarios, with hopes of surpirsing people when they don't expect it...I truly do believe this.
Hi Alicica;
Yeah, the new timelines have me down as well. Let's hope we get e new email shortly after the news about the citizenship process change!
Fellow waiting mom;
Nicky
Post a Comment