Thursday, April 15, 2010

Friends

While we were in Northern Uganda Joseph had the opportunity to meet Acholi people.  They look quite different from him, and speak another language.  Joseph made friends quickly.  This is a young man (he is in a wheelchair but you can't tell) that Joseph got to know.  He lives at St. Jude's orphanage when he is not in school attending University.

Cautiously Optimistic

For the last 2 months, the status of IR4 immigrant visas has been at a standstill.  Although we have been pressing forward full steam ahead we knew that until the visa situation was sorted out, we may not get Joseph home in time before he turns 16.  Well, below is an update from the US State Department's website.  It sounds like there may be a chance that as long as our order is written by the judge to state specific things, we may be able to get the visa.  This could be very good news.  It sounds too good to be true, so we are remaining cautious.  The last few days have been some of the hardes in the whole process.  We are working to get through them.  We have decided to have Shawn travel to Uganda.  This is going to be very difficult for us in many ways.  Since he is self employed we have no "vacation" time.  We ask for your prayers during this time.  Pray for a quick court date, pray for the visa situation, and mostly pray for Joseph.  He has been very sick. 

Status of Adoptions from Uganda

April 15, 2010

United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) regulations in 8 CFR 204.3(d) require that, in order for Petition to Classify an Orphan as an Immediate Relative (Form I-600) filed by prospective adoptive parent(s) to be approved, the prospective adoptive parent(s) must provide proof of a full and final adoption or custody of the child for emigration and adoption abroad in accordance with the laws of the foreign-sending country.

The Government of Uganda advised the U.S. Embassy in Kampala on March 16, 2010 that legal orders for guardianship issued by Ugandan courts that do not contain specific language authorizing emigration and overseas adoption should not be construed as sufficient to allow Ugandan children to depart Uganda to be adopted abroad. In the past, the U.S. Government has treated Ugandan guardianship orders that did not contain such language as sufficient to underpin the approval of the I-600 petition and immigrant visa, but based upon this clarification from the Government of Uganda, explicit language authorizing emigration and adoption abroad must now be included. Effective immediately, if an I-600 is filed with a guardianship order that does not include authorization for emigration and adoption abroad, the petition will not be approvable unless or until the petitioners are able to provide a corrected guardianship document.