CIS - Immigration

CIS - Immigration.....Those are the words that usually bring fear and dread into my heart. But NOT TODAY!!! I have to give Kudos to the CIS staff, they really went above and beyond the call of duty for Dennis and I. Let me tell you the story -

Yesterday, as I was packing up our documents for Russia, I realized that our old Immigration fingerprints expired, and the new ones would not be taken until the I-171H extension was completed. What does that mean??? That means we would not be able to bring Cassidy home because we were not "officially" cleared. So, I called the 800# for CIS and they told me that Dennis and I had to meet with a local field agent to figure out if there was anything we could do. We went on-line, made an appointment, and 2 hours later were travelling 45 minutes away to the field office. When we got to the field office they told us - oh no - we are your local field office but adoptions are only handled at the Adoption Unit in Newark, NJ. You have to call them. UGH!!! Ok - so, instead of leaving there and calling from home - I whipped out my handy dandy blackberry and called the 800# the CIS agent gave me - Ring.... Ring.... Ring.... no answer. Ring... Ring... Ri... Hello?

Finally, we get a Newark agent on the phone. I explain the situation - ya know what he says? He says call back next Wednesday between 1pm - 4pm - that is when we take adoption questions. UMMMMM - NO - I am suppose to be in Russia on Wednesday!! So, at this point I am in the CIS office in Mt, Laurel trying to keep my cool. I start to get a little loud, so the nice man on the phone goes and talks to his supervisor. He gets back on the phone, asks me to explain the situation again, and once again, goes back to talk to his supervisor. Finally, he comes back on the phone and says that Dennis and I need to come to CIS Newark - Adoption Unit, and pick up new letters tomorrow and that we could get appointments to get fingerprinted! YEAH!!!!!!!

So, needless to say, today, we went to CIS Newark, picked up the appointment letters and finally got to meet face to face the woman I have been corresponding with via email for weeks - Mona, I want to say THANK YOU!!!! She gave us the new appointment letters, we went over to get fingerprinted and were down with everything within 1.5 hours - WOW!!! You go CIS Newark!! Good Job!!!!!

SO - the moral of the story - Keeping your cool allows calmer heads to prevail and more things get accomplished. And now, I think I have accomplished boring all our friends and family, so I will move on.

Have a great day - I will post again soon,
Stephanie