Letters of Seeking Confirmation??? What Does it Means to the I-600A Transitional Cases?

By now, or very soon, you will be hearing a lot about governmental changes that will affect families adopting from China. The changes were mutually agreed-upon by CCAA and USCIS and are applicable for all Hague Inter-country Adoption Convention cases between China and any Hague Convention country.

It all adds up to (surprise!) more paperwork. Specific changes are regarding two documents that are sent to families from CCAA when the referral is sent:

1. Letter of Seeking Confirmation from Adopter
2. Letter of Seeking Confirmation - Central Authority of Receiving State

But don't open up that Heaven's Gate suicide beverage just yet; the news is not really bad for I-600a Transitional Cases. In fact, those with a current I-171H/I-797C under the I-600A application who plan on keeping their I-600A application current until traveling to adopt their child need not worry over these new changes.

Under the new process, as of January 1, 2009, CCAA will send out the same documents for ALL cases (transition cases and Convention cases). These documents will include the “Letter of Seeking Confirmation from the Adopter” and the “Letter of Seeking Confirmation - Central Authority of Receiving State” at the time the referral is sent. For transition cases, families will continue to sign and return the “Letter of
Seeking Confirmation from the Adopter.” No action is required on the “Letter of Seeking Confirmation from the U.S. Central Authority.”

So, good news (for a change) for Transitional cases.

Bottom line: You will have to sign and return a Letter of Seeking Confirmation from the Adopter. But this is nothing new or different. The process for when the referral is sent out is basically three-fold:

1. Receive referral and Letter of Seeking Confirmation from the Adopter.
2. Sign and return letter to CCAA.
3. Receive Travel approval.

Okay, the above is a Cliffs Notes example of the process at that point, but who wants to read War And Peace anyway? Those 3 steps above represent the crux of what happens. Transitional cases just need to remember that even though they will ALSO receive a second letter with their referral entitled "Letter of Seeking Confirmation - Central Authority of Receiving State", they do not need to do anything with this letter. Note this letter is listed on DOS as "Letter of Seeking Confirmation from the U.S. Central Authority" and DOS sums it up here: http://adoption.state.gov/news/china.html (the take-home is the last sentence of paragraph 1).

I-800A's filed AFTER April 1, 2008 and those I-600A cases who have, unfortunately, let their paperwork expire, will need to sign and return both documents. Of course, all of this (as we've come to learn) is subject to change. But as of January 23, 2009, that be the story.