So about 2.5 to 3 weeks back we got some devastating news. The new passport that took a few weeks to get ready after the appeal period finished around my birthday, was CANCELLED! Yeah! We had a heart attack too when we were told that by Liana. Apparently there needs to be an IIN number on every new passport-a new procedure that seems to have been missed in the law for internationally adopted kids from Kaz. the ministry of Justice issued an adoption cert, then birth cert and passport all were made without this new number that needs to be on it, because one ministry was not aware of the need for the same on these passports as the parents of these children (that is us) are not Kazakh citizens so dont have this number assigned to us. Its somehting like a SIN or Social security number I think.
Anyways, it seems that an agency in Karaganda complained that how were we issued passports for our children when their application for passports was having trouble. So upon this formal complaint, the ministry had to cancel our children's passports! CAN YOU FREAKIN' BELIEVE THAT!!!?
We are having the worst time ever completing this process and because we are doing this before anyone else (us includes both us Canadian couples), they are not only being extra careful that all the new steps are being followed under Hague, but all the parts that were not figured out are also coming to the front. Thank God we didnt do anything silly like go for a one trip stay from start to finish of this process, in Kaz as we would be there indefinitely. We had spent about 7 weeks already there and now since we left on June 12th as of this week it would be 7 more weeks, with the end still nowhere in sight. It was hard enough for Deepak to manage the first 2 months while working full time still, thankfully his work was very understanding and didnt have a problem with him working remotely from there minus any official trips (he travels quite a bit for work, internationally). Anyways, while one Canadian agency is suggesting going to Moscow from Kaz to their clients, with the child to save 10 days that doesnt make much sense for us. 1st because it cant save us 10 days for sure. It would take 10 days (actually more) if the passport was being sent by courier to Moscow for the Candian Visa. Ours will be taken by train/plane so it will take only the time it will to get the visa. A transit visa has a time limit of around 36hrs or so, and with the ongoing Canadian Embassy strike worldwide (oh yeah! that's another curve ball-the Consular staff across the world is on rotating strikes. This is a crazy time!), so there is no guarantee you would get the visa within that time frame because of the same. Plus of course, going all the way to Kaz, pick Ayaan up and then go to Moscow just to get the visa and then fly home makes no financial or other sense either. SInce our agency is handling the visa issues personally, and that isnt something that will be delayed on their accord due to travel/courier times.
But to get to the visa stage seems to be the hurdle. Deepak is on the phone personally with the 3 different ministries in Astana, as he speaks their language. But the letter issued 2 weeks back is still not there at the local Aktobe Ministry office. Without this letter we cannot proceed further to get the new passport.
After begging a few times and being refused with 'we are too busy doing the paperwork with this new mess', Deepak has finally demanded that we be sent new pictures of our son this week. Finally Liana was able to convince Saltanat that this needs to be done as its something in their control. So perhaps we will get to see a few pics of him. I did find a video of a parent with his son adopted from Aktobe many yrs back who was there last month on a Ties visit and went to the Baby House. I recognised Beks (Koko & John's son) in the video and sent them the link. So exciting for them! At least they got to have a moving image/glimpse of their son from last month. We dont have anything and I just hope we can get something soon.
Anyways, everyone is super frustrated, trying everything we can but its been about 3 weeks now and the end is nowhere in sight. This is so hard emotionally as well. I dont think I have felt this upset, devastated and sad in a long long time. Tanya apprently says this is the hardest and most frustrating adoption process she has handled in about 10 yrs and is trying every contact she has to get the wheels moving again so that we can finish this and bring Ayaan home. In the meantime... in 2 days Ayaan turns 21 months. We got his referral when he was 15 months old.
Anyways, it seems that an agency in Karaganda complained that how were we issued passports for our children when their application for passports was having trouble. So upon this formal complaint, the ministry had to cancel our children's passports! CAN YOU FREAKIN' BELIEVE THAT!!!?
We are having the worst time ever completing this process and because we are doing this before anyone else (us includes both us Canadian couples), they are not only being extra careful that all the new steps are being followed under Hague, but all the parts that were not figured out are also coming to the front. Thank God we didnt do anything silly like go for a one trip stay from start to finish of this process, in Kaz as we would be there indefinitely. We had spent about 7 weeks already there and now since we left on June 12th as of this week it would be 7 more weeks, with the end still nowhere in sight. It was hard enough for Deepak to manage the first 2 months while working full time still, thankfully his work was very understanding and didnt have a problem with him working remotely from there minus any official trips (he travels quite a bit for work, internationally). Anyways, while one Canadian agency is suggesting going to Moscow from Kaz to their clients, with the child to save 10 days that doesnt make much sense for us. 1st because it cant save us 10 days for sure. It would take 10 days (actually more) if the passport was being sent by courier to Moscow for the Candian Visa. Ours will be taken by train/plane so it will take only the time it will to get the visa. A transit visa has a time limit of around 36hrs or so, and with the ongoing Canadian Embassy strike worldwide (oh yeah! that's another curve ball-the Consular staff across the world is on rotating strikes. This is a crazy time!), so there is no guarantee you would get the visa within that time frame because of the same. Plus of course, going all the way to Kaz, pick Ayaan up and then go to Moscow just to get the visa and then fly home makes no financial or other sense either. SInce our agency is handling the visa issues personally, and that isnt something that will be delayed on their accord due to travel/courier times.
But to get to the visa stage seems to be the hurdle. Deepak is on the phone personally with the 3 different ministries in Astana, as he speaks their language. But the letter issued 2 weeks back is still not there at the local Aktobe Ministry office. Without this letter we cannot proceed further to get the new passport.
After begging a few times and being refused with 'we are too busy doing the paperwork with this new mess', Deepak has finally demanded that we be sent new pictures of our son this week. Finally Liana was able to convince Saltanat that this needs to be done as its something in their control. So perhaps we will get to see a few pics of him. I did find a video of a parent with his son adopted from Aktobe many yrs back who was there last month on a Ties visit and went to the Baby House. I recognised Beks (Koko & John's son) in the video and sent them the link. So exciting for them! At least they got to have a moving image/glimpse of their son from last month. We dont have anything and I just hope we can get something soon.
Anyways, everyone is super frustrated, trying everything we can but its been about 3 weeks now and the end is nowhere in sight. This is so hard emotionally as well. I dont think I have felt this upset, devastated and sad in a long long time. Tanya apprently says this is the hardest and most frustrating adoption process she has handled in about 10 yrs and is trying every contact she has to get the wheels moving again so that we can finish this and bring Ayaan home. In the meantime... in 2 days Ayaan turns 21 months. We got his referral when he was 15 months old.
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