Step 1 – Paperwork, paperwork!!
Application letter on our intent
Birth certificates
Marriage License
Divorce Decree
Employment letters
Tax returns showing 5 years of residence in North Carolina
Physical exams
State police background checks
Fingerprinting by both FBI and State of North Carolina
Autobiographies on each of us
Financial statement
Homestudy
Photograph collage
Proof of medical and insurance
Letters of personal reference
Several other forms for our agency
Approval from U.S. Department of Homeland Security to adopt internationally

After these documents are collected, many of them need to be Notarized, then taken to the County Clerk of Courts for Certification, then sent to Secretary of State for State certification, then to the Chinese Consulate for Authentication.
 
Step 2 – The long wait!
We now have what is called our "Dossier" which is sent to China and we move into stage 2 - the wait for the referral of our daughter. We were told at first that this would take approximately 7-8 months. We are still waiting and it has been 10 months this August. We will receive a phone call informing us of our referral. Referral is a package of information about our baby. The next day, the FEDEX “stork” delivers the referral package containing her photographs and information telling us her age, demeanor, weight, height and what province in China she is located in. We are given a short window of time (usually 72 hrs) to accept or decline the referral. Once we accept the baby we then await our Travel Authorization and Itinerary for while we are in China.

Step 3 – Travel to China!!
Traveling to China to pick her up will be arranged as soon as possible (usually within a few weeks). We will more than likely travel with other families. We will first arrive in the child’s providence to finalize the Chinese side of the adoption and then our last week will be spent probably in Guangzhou to finalize the American side of the adoption. During this two week period we will sight see, shop and most importantly bond with our baby girl! We will be in China for approximately two weeks.