High School Class of 2016/College Class 2020

[Tinijocaro]

Double bass. Her teacher says a bassist can always get a gig. Lol.

That's funny. I'm a string teacher and teach all the first and second year players in my district. We had our third graders in for an assembly today and I was demonstrating all the instruments. When when I got to bass I told them that ALL types of music needs a bass player-classical, jazz, church, rock...congrats to your daughter.

 

[punkin]

Decisions, decisions.....money, distance from home, prestige...complete freak outs. The next month should be fun.

 

[MomofKatie]

Decision has been made!!! DD will be proudly attending the University of Alabama- Roll, Tide!! They offered her a full tuition plus $2500/year scholarship, she is in the Honors College, and she will be living in an amazing dorm. Their Engineering school is up-and-coming, and the university has poured many millions into the program and facilities.

We are very proud and happy for DD.

 

[Aliceacc]

I've been wrestling with a huge issue this week. This is probably mostly a vent, but may also serve as a heads up for others.

My son was adopted from Korea in 1999 as an infant. A few months later, the Child Citizenship Act went into effect. Basically, it said that a child adopted by US citizens didn't have to go to court to apply for citizenship; it was automatic. As a result, we never applied for a Citizenship Certificate; we figured that the Order of Adoption, signed by a surrogate court judge, with our US birth certificates, would be enough to establish his citizenship. We never gave it a thought.

Well, apparently the wording on the FAFSA forms the colleges get thinks otherwise. We've heard from a number of schools, including the one to which we sent a deposit last week: they can't process his FAFSA without either a Citizenship Certificate or a US Passport. I checked with the adoption agency; it takes 9 months (plus $500) to process the Citizenship Certificate. And the first appointment at my local immigration office isn't for a few weeks.

I've gone back and forth with the college. They checked with the Education Department. They're sending an anticipated set of numbers, and we have until funds are dispersed in September to prove citizenship. But it's a Certificate of Citizenship or a Passport.

I wrote yesterday to our local senator. My guess is that my son's age group, the group that was adopted as infants in 1999/2000 is the first group to be hitting college since the law was enacted, so this is the first year it's been an issue. But the wording the colleges get needs to be changed. I've emailed 2 friends whose sons are also from Korea, though both younger than my son. Neither has a Certificate of Citizenship. But I'm not sure that anything a senator can do will get this straightened out by September.

It occurred to me this morning that I'm probably approaching it wrong. I think we'll get him a passport instead. It can be done locally, it's faster, and it's a whole lot cheaper. Even if we end up in town hall instead of the post office, I think I should be able to pull up a copy of the law, provide the adoption certificate with the raised seal, provide our own US birth certificates, my son's Korean Passport (showing he entered the country legally), his driver's license, whatever. But it should be faster and more reasonable. And once he has one US passport, it should act to prove his citizenship, even if he lets it lapse at some point.

Anyway that's this morning's take on it.

Again, I'm not talking about applying for citizenship. My son IS a citizen; the Child Citizenship Act made him one. I'm talking about proving he's a citizen. (And, no, the absentee ballot he received in the mail Friday for the November election doesn't count.)

But it's been a nerve wracking week, and pretty much the loss of my whole Easter vacation dealing with this.

 

[Poohforyou]

I've been wrestling with a huge issue this week. This is probably mostly a vent, but may also serve as a heads up for others.

My son was adopted from Korea in 1999 as an infant. A few months later, the Child Citizenship Act went into effect. Basically, it said that a child adopted by US citizens didn't have to go to court to apply for citizenship; it was automatic. As a result, we never applied for a Citizenship Certificate; we figured that the Order of Adoption, signed by a surrogate court judge, with our US birth certificates, would be enough to establish his citizenship. We never gave it a thought.

Well, apparently the wording on the FAFSA forms the colleges get thinks otherwise. We've heard from a number of schools, including the one to which we sent a deposit last week: they can't process his FAFSA without either a Citizenship Certificate or a US Passport. I checked with the adoption agency; it takes 9 months (plus $500) to process the Citizenship Certificate. And the first appointment at my local immigration office isn't for a few weeks.

I've gone back and forth with the college. They checked with the Education Department. They're sending an anticipated set of numbers, and we have until funds are dispersed in September to prove citizenship. But it's a Certificate of Citizenship or a Passport.

I wrote yesterday to our local senator. My guess is that my son's age group, the group that was adopted as infants in 1999/2000 is the first group to be hitting college since the law was enacted, so this is the first year it's been an issue. But the wording the colleges get needs to be changed. I've emailed 2 friends whose sons are also from Korea, though both younger than my son. Neither has a Certificate of Citizenship. But I'm not sure that anything a senator can do will get this straightened out by September.

It occurred to me this morning that I'm probably approaching it wrong. I think we'll get him a passport instead. It can be done locally, it's faster, and it's a whole lot cheaper. Even if we end up in town hall instead of the post office, I think I should be able to pull up a copy of the law, provide the adoption certificate with the raised seal, provide our own US birth certificates, my son's Korean Passport (showing he entered the country legally), his driver's license, whatever. But it should be faster and more reasonable. And once he has one US passport, it should act to prove his citizenship, even if he lets it lapse at some point.

Anyway that's this morning's take on it.

Again, I'm not talking about applying for citizenship. My son IS a citizen; the Child Citizenship Act made him one. I'm talking about proving he's a citizen. (And, no, the absentee ballot he received in the mail Friday for the November election doesn't count.)

But it's been a nerve wracking week, and pretty much the loss of my whole Easter vacation dealing with this.

I have a junior but read this thread and respond sometimes. My dd was adopted from China in 2000 and quite frankly I've been worried this would be an issue at some point. I'm sorry it's happening to you.

Fortunately DD has had a passport since she was a baby. I do remember our application being sent back because we needed to provide the application we filled out for our I-600 (or something like that). We had given them a copy of the document we received from submitting that form (I can't remember what it was called). So you may want to go into overkill mode and give copies of everything.

I think a passport is definitely the better choice and is actually something he can use for another purpose.

Good luck.

 

[punkin]

If you absolutely need to, you can get an expedited passport in 3 weeks...and it will be cheaper than $500.

 

[Aliceacc]

Thank you both. I'm hoping to get an afternoon this week when we're both home early enough to tackle this. I want to go in person, with all the documentation, and get it hammered out.

I just heard from a friend who works for Immigration; he suggested the same thing.

I'm learning a lot.

The I-600 is for kids adopted from non-Hague Convention countries, including China.

Since my son came from South Korea, which is a Hague-Convention country, it isn't necessary.

But thanks once again for the help!

 

[Monykalyn]

Decision has been made!!! DD will be proudly attending the University of Alabama- Roll, Tide!! They offered her a full tuition plus $2500/year scholarship, she is in the Honors College, and she will be living in an amazing dorm. Their Engineering school is up-and-coming, and the university has poured many millions into the program and facilities.

We are very proud and happy for DD.

woohoo!! Congrats on decision made and good job on all the hard work it took to achieve that (DD and family)!!

 

[Mom2DDs]

Decisions, decisions.....money, distance from home, prestige...complete freak outs. The next month should be fun.

I feel the same way. My DD is deciding between 3. So we're going to their admitted students day and hopefully the decision will be made after next week!

MomofKatie - congrats! I'm a 'bama fanatic - even though I didn't graduate from there I took classes in the summer since they transferred to my alma mater. My youngest DD is considering applying there (she's a sophomore) and that would make me a very happy Mom She wants to go to school in the South while my DD18 only applied to colleges in the Northeast.

 

[MomofKatie]

I feel the same way. My DD is deciding between 3. So we're going to their admitted students day and hopefully the decision will be made after next week!

MomofKatie - congrats! I'm a 'bama fanatic - even though I didn't graduate from there I took classes in the summer since they transferred to my alma mater. My youngest DD is considering applying there (she's a sophomore) and that would make me a very happy Mom She wants to go to school in the South while my DD18 only applied to colleges in the Northeast.

Alabama has amazingly generous scholarships available for kids, both in state and out, who score high on the SAT/ACT and have great GPAs. They really go after high achieving kids from all over the US, and they have been very successful at enrolling them.

I am a UGA grad, so it will be tough, but I am learning to say "Roll, Tide" and mean it, lol!!!

 

[Anne34]

Alabama has amazingly generous scholarships available for kids, both in state and out, who score high on the SAT/ACT and have great GPAs. They really go after high achieving kids from all over the US, and they have been very successful at enrolling them.

I am a UGA grad, so it will be tough, but I am learning to say "Roll, Tide" and mean it, lol!!!

My daughter is also attending Alabama and is in the honors college. She is our final child to go to college and the farthest away, but what a great opportunity!
Roll tide

 

[Kimberlyann11]

DD just found out that her very most favorite of all time elementary school friend is going to her same university. She has seen this girl a handful of times since we moved six years ago so she is very excited that they will be able to see each other more next year!

 

[punkin]

DD just found out that her very most favorite of all time elementary school friend is going to her same university. She has seen this girl a handful of times since we moved six years ago so she is very excited that they will be able to see each other more next year!

That's so nice. DD and her best middle school friend got into one school together. It's a great positive of that school for both of them.

 

[MomofKatie]

DD has been messaging back and forth with a prospective roommate who is from Norman, OK. Turns out, she has a near and dear friend who goes to the same school as DD in NC! It really is a small world after all!!

 

[HannaBelle]

DD has decided!

I am very happy, she received $5,000 a year in scholarships and grants. I am breathing easier and ready to start the real planning!

 

[Halloweenqueen]

Three of my kids were adopted internationally. I've read readopted them, but never went through citizenship. We were able to get their passports pretty easily, but you must send the original documentation, not copies. My Russian daughter also needed certified translation. They did not accept her Russian, court appointed translator. That was easy, but expensive to expedite.

Now my kids are aging out of their childhood passports and I found out they can not renew. They have to reapply. I contacted immigration and not only would it take months, but it would be about $1000 each for the application, etc.

We are going to just start over with passports. Much easier and one less expense for these upcoming years.

 

[Aliceacc]

I'm not even going to "send." We're going in person.

Those certificates with the raised seal are simply too precious to put into the mail, as is this application. I want to walk away, knowing it's been taken care of.

 

[punkin]

I'm not even going to "send." We're going in person.

Those certificates with the raised seal are simply too precious to put into the mail, as is this application. I want to walk away, knowing it's been taken care of.

If you apply for a passport at the post office, they still mail the stuff in and then the dept. of state mails it back. It's terrifying, but in 20 years if getting children's passports I never had a problem.

 

[Halloweenqueen]

Yes, it goes to a dept. in Virginia, I think. First time we went to Seattle to the state passport office and they just boxed it up and sent it just like my local office. Unless you can prove you need it for immediate travel it gets sent out. Not worth the extra expense.

Believe me, I was a nervous wreck and I am very unhappy to learn we are back at square one. I waited until my last adopted child turned 16 to apply again, so it would be renewals for now on.

 

[Mom2DDs]

DD has decided!

I am very happy, she received $5,000 a year in scholarships and grants. I am breathing easier and ready to start the real planning!

Congratulations!!!!!

I can't wait to get there - hopefully by this time next week since we're going to the last Admitted Student Day on Monday