It is difficult to write out all the steps that a file goes through for the adoption process, but this is a quick overview. Please note that all timelines are very “loose” in terms of accuracy. There are so many things that can add to the time a file can be in any given step that it is impossible to say for certain how long any one step will take.

Pre-IBESR – We are preparing your dossier to go into Haitian Social Services. There are some legal documents that must be made after you accept your proposal and some of them must be legalized at the Ministry of Justice. If we have problems getting a document, this can delay this step. (2-4 months)
~November 2010 – January 2011 (2 months) 

IBESR - Institut du Bien-Etre Social et de recherches ( Institute of Social Welfare and Researchers) - Haitian Social Services (3-?? months. It depends on if your file requires a Presidential Dispensation or not. The Dispensation can add a few, or many months to the process. If you do not need the Dispensation, you can clear IBESR in a matter of about 3-5 months).
~Exited IBESR April 2011, went to the President’s desk in May of 2011
~Received Presidential Dispensation the end of August 2011.
~Second week of October, her name was published in Le Moniteur.
~First week of November I went to see the Dean (judge)

Parquet – Pre-Courts, they interview the birth parents and give permission for the dossier to go through the Haitian court system.
~exited middle of December 2011

Courts - The dossier is in the Haitian Courts having the actual adoption declared and legalized.
~exited Feb 15, 2012

Legal or Legalization – All court papers must be sent to the Ministry of Justice to be legalized. They declare that the signature on all of the paperwork actually is the signature of the Judge who signed it.

MAE (Ministère des Affaires Etrangères) - Ministry of Foreign Affairs must legalize the signature of the person in the Ministry of Justice who signed your paperwork in the step above.

Attest or Attestation - After court papers are finished, the Act of Adoption must be sent to the National Archives and they declare that the signature on the Act of Adoption is legal.                                                                                                           ~Feb. 13, 2012 – in Archives.
~March 23… and we are still here.  :(
~Exited March 28th!!
~April 15th… still waiting for some last minute paperwork to be completed to enter MOI…
~April 26th – Minister of Justice signed off on our file again, as the other paperwork corrections were completed. 

MOI (Ministère de l’Interieur) otherwise known as Ministry of Interior – All adoption passports must go through the Ministry of the Interior for approval before Immigration will print the passport. (4 -8 weeks is common, but some families have been stuck here for up to 8 months)
~Entered sometime during the first week of May 2012! And now the countdown really begins…
~ Exited July 9th!!! A total of about 9.5 weeks in MOI. We only had one small error in Giselle’s documents that only took a few days to correct. 

Printing – Your dossier is in Immigration waiting for the passport to be printed. (1-3 weeks)
~Entered July 13. Passport complete on July 17th – only 3 working days! 

Visa – Your dossier is in your country’s Embassy waiting for a visa to be issued (Canada – 1 week)
~ Entered July 19th 

IBESR exit letter

Our Family Day is:
~ August 1st, 2012!