I’ve created Adoption 101 for the beginners. We all had to start the adoption process the same way, constructing piece by piece a Home Study & Dossier. You’ve heard the term Pregnancy Paper Trail or Dossier Baby, due to the vital importance of its growth and birth pattern. Your dossier will be one big fat baby! You don’t want to lose your Dossier Baby, so the best place to keep it safe is in one big binder. Have fun, you can decorate your binder from top to bottom in pinks, blues or crazy colors, but the inside.. the guts of the dossier are priceless. My friend, Jamie actually lent me her dossier and I remember her telling me if there was a fire, grab your kids and my dossier and then run for your life! Jamie held my hand through the entire paper pregnancy, so I dedicate this post to her! Thanks Jamie for putting up with all my craziness.
What is an adoption dossier?
Dossier: When used in the context of adoption, this term refers to a set of appropriately authenticated and translated legal documents which are used in international adoption cases to process the adoption of a child in its own country by the adoptive parents, or for the adoptive parents to obtain the legal custody or guardianship of the child in the foreign court, so the child can be brought by the adoptive parents to the United States for adoption.
Constructing your Home Study & Dossier Paper Baby:
Important Tip:One of the most difficult parts of putting together an adoption dossier can be finding a notary to notarize your documents. It may be worth the effort to have a friend become a notary or to find an individual you can pay to accompany you to doctor’s offices, employers and other locations.
Craziness:
There are courier services available (check with your agency) that will assist you and dossier preparation services to construct your documents for home study and dossier. If you are overwhelmed with paperwork, this service might be the answer for you.
Check out this link: The Adoption Stork
If you start feeling craZy, email me and I promise I’ll cheer you on! You can do it! Let me know in comments what newbies want in Crazy Adoption 101.
Ha! I love this! I’m sitting here reading this post with my dossier binder laying next to me. I love the feeling I get each time I add a new document to it!
We got to add our doctor letter to it this morning! Yay!
Thank you for this practical advice as well as encouragement. I have 4 bio kids and we are adopting siblings from Ethiopia. It has been a busy couple of weeks as I get each of our documents together for our dossier. I homeschool as well so we have gotten some good life lessons as we parade into the bank, police station, drs office, etc. At times I have cried and at times we have high fived each other with success. My kids all know not to touch the red notebook – not eat or drink near it – actually it is best to just not even look at it
Just a few more pieces of paper – I can see the light! Thanks again!
I just went to Wal-Mart today and purchased my binder! This is so neat and clean I love it!! Only things left now are medicals, fingerprints, fundraising and hubby to complete autobiography! Yah!!!! Also, anyone interested in sponsoring or adopting a child from Africa please look at my dear friends website above or contact me directly! Thanks for your help Kari. Keep up the awesome work you have truely helped us thru these first stages with your website and direction. Especially since we are “crazy” Hehe and not using an agency!