The sigh heard from waiting IA PAPs

IA PAPs = International Adoption Prospective Adoptive Parents = us.

Let me make this simple. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced that those of us waiting (and waiting) and having our "Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative" paperwork expiring in the meanwhile (and expiring again), do NOT need to switch over to a more labor-intensive application.

Our USCIS paperwork expired once already, and we were allowed one free extension. The paperwork will expire again next April - three years from the date we originally filed the paperwork. Although we will need to pay $$$ to refile again, it is a relief not to have to worry about completing the application required of new IA PAPs.