....is the reason we haven't been able to finalize yet. We have been trying to get Luke's SS card since the day we brought him home so we could apply for SSI for him. SSI eligibility is the only way he will be eligible for adoption assistance, since he was adopted privately. We found Luke through Robin Steele, and he was 8 weeks old when we brought him home....Jaden was 13 months old when we adopted him through a private agency in CO, and we found him through one of my DS adoption email groups.
Unfortunately, Luke's birth parents didn't list his full birth name on his birth certificate, and the SSAdm decided, after having Luke's SS# application for 3 months, that they couldn't issue Luke a SS# until they see an amended birth certificate that lists his entire birth name. I guess they're worried he might be a closet terrorist or something.
Whatever....
So, our agency applied for an amended birth certificate in Sept, and we waited....and waited.....and waited some more. Our agency was told when they applied that it could take as much as 4 months. Why it would take that long is anyone's guess....but that's the gov't for you.
Then right after the first of the year, our agency was told by the birthparents' state that they couldn't have a copy of Luke's amended birth certificate unless the birthparents sign a release saying it was ok. I'm still not sure why, because the birthparents signed relinquishments to the agency, and the agency has primary custody now, so you'd think they could have a copy of his BC without the birthparents' consent, since they aren't his legal parents anymore. Anyway, we had to wait for the birthparents to sign and send off the release form, which they finally did two weeks ago. Yippee!
So after almost 9 months, we can finally see a light at the end of the tunnel. Hopefully we should be able to finalize within the next 4-5 months, if all goes according to typical time-lines with the SSI and AAP processes. But then again, we're talking about the gov't here, so I'm not holding my breath. lol
Blessings,
Patrice, mama of 8
Jared-18
Jason-17
Janae-15
Jalyn-13
Jamye-11
Jacob-9
Jaden-5, DS, adopted
Luke-10 mo., DS, adopted
