We're trying to get immigration to be a little more consistent and supportive of international adoptive families. With families that finalize in the country they adopt from USCIS mails the Certificate of Citizenship to the family upon arrival in the United States. When you don't finalize in-country, but in the United States court system instead, as required with Korean adoptions, USCIS does not do this.
Heck no! Our families must pay a few hundred dollars (yes I said a few hundred), fill out a lengthy application and then wait for them to review our child's documentation for the 2nd time and our family's for the 3rd! I highly doubt they actually review considering they've got bigger fish to fry. Anyways, on top of the fees going up for what USCIS does very little work for, if any, we have to drive 4 hours to pick up the certificate in person. In December when I filled out the application their Adjudicator's Field Manual had a subsection that stated in adoption situations the certificate could just be mailed certified and us presenting ID to the U.S. Post Office would be enough justification that we, in fact, picked it up. But, a month after we submitted our application they took that section out. When I called the main office, because ours took their number off the internet, they said "sorry you're out of luck" and were beyond rude!
Now on top of that, I've written our state and U.S. Senators and Representatives and they, and their staff, will not even take the time to call and visit with us on the issue. Of course, I also wrote some other state's U.S. Senators hoping just someone will help and nothing! I also wrote Washington State Senator Paul Shin because he's a Korean adoptee himself. And though he can't help because it's very difficult to work on a national issue from the local level HE took the time to write us a letter. Signed in ink, personalized and not a form letter!
What can I say....I'm very disappointed!
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