In consultation with adoption professionals and adoptive parents, we have pulled together another online petition. This petition is specifically for US adoptive parents who have "transition" cases and have not been able to get DNA authorization from the US embassy.
Although we know there are many people who support the position that the BCIS should resume DNA authorization and testing immediately, we thought that a statement directly from those involved would have a great impact. We do encourage everyone to continue mailing your letters to Joe Cuddihy at the BCIS. A sample letter is available on this site. I also hope to put together a more general petition to get the DOS and BCIS to stop legitimizing the Central Authority in Guatemala. However, that one isn't done yet.
For now, I encourage all families who are stuck in the process without DNA authorization to please visit the petition at: http://www.petitiononline.com/DNAauth/petition.html and sign it. I will fax letters to Joseph Cuddihy (BCIS in DC) and Roy Hernandez (US Embassy in Guatemala) tomorrow to let them know about the online petition. Hopefully there will be quite a few signatures on it by that time.
Thanks,
Maura Meade-Callahan
with special recognition to petition co-authors (in alphabetical order): Ellen Daley, Tina Edmonson, Allison McSweeney, and Julie Nicholson
Thank you so much for all your efforts Maura!!
Posted by: Amy at July 31, 2003 03:51 PMMaura,
Our case is pre-March 5 and the Embassy is still denying us DNA authorization. Is there anyway to take out the line about "transition" cases so that this could include us also? We are not technically a transition case, but we are in the same boat - no one wants to do our DNA. I know there are a number of families like ours out there. Thanks.
Karen
Karen,
There isn't a way to modify the petition at this point. However, I would encourage you to sign it, and in the "date of referral" put your referral date, then "pre-March 5 case". I've suggested a similar set-up for people who received their referrals before July 1 (and signed the POA in the US), but didn't have the POA registered before July 1. These cases should be considered by the BCIS as well.
But, I can tell you that Steve Vann of the DOS has stated specifically that any pre-March 5 case that does not have DNA authorization should contact him directly to get that worked out. His fax number is 202-312-9743. I will try to find his office number for you so that you can call him directly and see if this can be taken care of.
Maura