Colombian "Cedula de Ciudadania" - What is it? Do I need it?

The cedula is the Colombian ID. (it is a mix between your SSN and your driver’s license)

You and your spouse need either a Colombian Cedula or an adoption visa to:

1.       Sign all the adoption paperwork in Colombia (law suit and final adoption decree)

2.       Get a Colombian passport for your child.

If you're Colombian by heritage or by adoption you probably don’t have one, which means you will have to apply for one, which you can do at the Colombian Consulate, To apply for a cedula you will need:

·         Original copy of your birth certificate where it shows your parents name and the file number.

·         Three color photos, 1.5” x 2”, front take, white background, where you’re wearing dark (black) clothes. Your head must be at least 1.1” in the photos.

·         Knowing your blood type  (i.e.: A+, A-, O+, AB, etc.).

·         It has no cost

You won’t get the official “Cedula” right away, but you’ll get a temporary ID called “Contraseña”.  Which you will need to apply for a Colombian passport.

To get a Colombian Passport you have two options: 

1. Apply right away at the Consulate while you’re doing the cedula paperwork or 

2. Fly to Colombia and get your passport in Bogota.  

The cost difference is $117 in the Consulate vs. $50 in Bogota, and also that it takes 15 to 20 working days in the Consulate vs. ½ hr in Bogota.

If you decide to apply for your passport in the consulate, you’ll have to make an appointment on the website www.pasaportes.gov.co where you’ll have to fill up all the information, you must make sure you show up at least 15 minutes before your appointment time.  All you need is your birth certificate and more photos (which you’ll be bringing anyway to get your Cedula)

In any event, make sure you call the Consulate before going and let them know of your situation, they will be very helpful and may expedite your paperwork!

Adoption Visa - How to get one & advice

The adoption visa is required for being able to sign all of the adoption related paperwork (in case you're not Colombian) and more important, it is required to get your child's Colombian passport so you can return home.


My advice on this is CALL THE CONSULATE BEFORE GOING, that is the best you can do, for example, my agency told us that we needed to apostille all the documents, when I asked the consul he said it wasn't necessary to present an apostille since the documents weren't going to Colombia.  That one call saved us a trip to Austin and an extra day or two of paperwork.
I also contacted the consul way before receiving a referral and thanks to it, instead of taking us 2 days to receive the visa it took us 30 minutes!!! So go ahead, search in the web "Colombian consulate (your city)" and call before doing anything else.


Here are the documents the Colombian Consul in Houston sent me about how to get an adoption visa and which are the requirements. 
* Document with the instructions (Click here)
* Application form you should present (Click here)


One last thing, if one of the parents is staying in Colombia to finalize the adoption and the other is returning to the US, remember to leave a photocopy of the Adoption Visa or Colombian Passport with the parent who stays. We weren't told that and we lost one day in Bogota while my husband scanned and emailed his visa.

Yay A Referral! Now What? Timeline

After my many hours of preparation for all the adoption paperwork there was something I wasn't quite ready for, it was the paperwork and the excruciating wait after we received our referral.
I have heard other adoptive parent saying that they were in Colombia meeting their baby within two weeks of getting the referral but that is NOT the case anymore.
That was the first thing I wasn't prepared for, wait 2 months after receiving the news of areferral before meeting my baby.

•      28 Dec 09 - Referred to Katie by ICBF
• 19 Jan 10 - Received official Referral from our agency LSSMN - 23 days later
• 28 Jan 10 - Filed I-800  10 days 
• 04 Feb 10 - Received I-800 receipt and faxed DS-230 to Embassy - 8 days
• 09 Feb 10 - I-800 received at Hague division (8 work days)
• 12 Feb 10 - I-800 Approved by adjudicator (3 work days)
• 16 Feb 10 - I-800 Sent to NVC so they scan and send it to Embassy in Bogota (1 work day)
• 22 Feb 10 - NVC finally scanned the file and sent it to Bogota (26 days or 3 weeks since 1-800 filed)
• 23 Feb 10 - Bogota Embassy Issued Article 5 Letter  1 day
• 26 Feb 10 - Paul got his Colombian Visa we got it on the same day that we applied for it.
• 15 Mar 10 - Presentation/ Entrega Day 
• Total wait from referral to presentation =  11 weeks or 2 months 16 days.
   

Packing List - Aditional Stuff

Here are some of the things besides "the usual" that I brought to Colombia: 

•  Clothes - they are REALLY expensive and not as cute in Colombia.
• "Plenty of hats" since it was very sunny outside and Katie hated the sun on her eyes 
• Stroller - make sure it is collapsible and it has big wheels because the streets in Colombia are not stroller friendly, I bought a Maclaren and I love it!  I used it specially in the airport, my little girl slept through all the immigration hassle.
• The raincover for my Maclaren stroller (a must in the rainy Colombian weather)
• Baby carrier, I couldn't make up my mind of which one to buy since my daughter wasn't a little infant or a toddler yet, I ended up buying two, a typical sling (very practical to carry around) and structured carrier so I bought a scootababy carrier, my second option was an Ergo carrier I liked both of them because I could use it until my baby weights 40 lbs (she's still under 30 lbs)
• One of those little pocket umbrellas for mommy & daddy
• Peptobismol, I know it sounds gross but both of us got sick of our stomach while being there. 
• A quilt,which I loved because we always put it under my daughter's bed (no matter where we were) and we didn't wash it until about a month after being home, I know it sounds gross but it was GREAT way for her to feel "home"
• This trash bags dispenser which we used a lot since there's no way we could bring a genie diaper pal http://www.amazon.com/Munchkin-Hammer-Diaper-Dispenser-Colors/dp/B001QKDI48/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1294085168&sr=8-3 
• This diaper bag  http://www.amazon.com/Columbia-Trekster-Diaper-Bag-Orange/dp/B001GGVWKE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1294084745&sr=1-2 and we loved it because it kept us hands-free and I didn't knock anybody unconscious when getting in and out of the airplanes. (I'm the clumsiest person in the world)
• This plastic place mat http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2908461 
• This disposable bibs http://www.amazon.com/Pampers-Bibsters-Sesame-20-Count-Disposable/dp/B000CC0TJS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1294085520&sr=1-1 no time/no place to be washing those cute cloth bibs
• This flatware set (I love that it comes in a nice container) http://www.amazon.com/First-Years-Learning-Toddler-Flatware/dp/B0016NMIOG/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1294085589&sr=1-4
• OK this is the last thing, I bought a $.99 bubble maker which I took over and I still carry in my bag, it entertains her so much and it doesn't occupy any space!    

Update
What NOT to bring
Diapers= If you buy the Colombian brand Winny you'll be dealing with diapers as good or even better than the American brands Huggies and Pampers.
Wipes = oh please, I don't need to explain myself on this one, too bulky too heavy... not worth the hassle.
Bottle sterilizer = hot water was enough.
Portable crib/ Play pen = We moved between 3 different places while in Colombia and in all of them we were able to find a play pen/ crib available.