slowly, but surely ...

Now that 2010 is here, the Korean govt is beginning the process again of issuing emigration permits for all the babies who were stalled in the international adoption process during the latter half of 2009.  My little guy is just one babe who was caught in this red tape mess.  The Korean govt met their 2009 annual quota for children looking to emigrate for int'l adoption in June 2009 (much earlier than usual), although nobody here in the U.S. knew it at the time - we didn't find out that we for sure wouldn't travel until October.

So here is what needs to happen before we can travel to pick up our cute little nugget: 

• The Korean Ministry of Health & Welfare needs to issue him an emigration permit.  The korean social welfare agency our child was referred to us by, Eastern, submits children's files in batches.  One batch has been submitted already in January, but ours did not make the cut (9 families ahead of us did and we are around #12 on the wait list).  As of today, our file as yet to have been submitted, but we are hopeful it will be by Feb 1st.  Once it's submitted to the Ministry, it usually takes 4-6 weeks to process. 
• At that point, his file moves over to the US Embassy in Seoul, where they take 3 weeks to process his Visa.  And then (drumroll please) WE GET OUR TRAVEL CALL!!

So we are looking at about 7-10 weeks until travel, God willing.  I've been the most patient person ever!  Maybe I'll get "time off for good behavior" and things will move more quickly.  What do you say, God, please?  I'm praying we won't see any further delays with processing on the Korean side.

So looks like mid-late March in Korea!  :)

- S