YAY! No additional travel time

Several agencies and the MPAK blog are stating that the decision has been made and families will not need to appear in court and no additional travel time will be required.....WAHOOO!

I would love to see an e-mail update from my agency to also confirm but am feeling pretty good about it.

The MPAK blog updated what the new process will look like copied below: (full update here)

1. The court will review all the adoption documents of a family that wish to adopt a child from Korea.  Before that the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) would approve the family and issue an EP, and all the documents will be forwarded to the Family Court to get reviewed and a judge will conditionally approve the family.  In the past years the MOHW was the final approving authority.  Under the new adoption law the final approvals will come from the Family Court.

2. A social worker appointed by the Family Court will arrange an interview with baby's birthmother to make sure that she is sure of her decision to give up the baby.

3. Once it is determined that the birthmother does not wish to keep the baby, the 14-day clock starts ticking.  Like I mentioned, this is to give the birthmother the time to reconsider her decision.  In most cases, the birthmothers will not want their babies back.  So in a sense they are given two chances at their babies.  They will be given 7 days to change their minds right after the birth.  And they will be given one more chance just before the babies are adopted. In truth they have the power to take back their children anytime after the birth to the time of adoption.

4. After the 14-day reconsideration period is over, and the baby is still available, a judge issues the final adoption order, allowing the adoptive family to take their child home.  

5. The agency will contact the adoptive family to travel to Korea to pick up their child right after the 14-day period is over.

I feel so relieved.  The last few weeks have been such a roller coaster ride for so many.  It is hard to be in the middle of this process and think there is a chance you can't continue.  So thankful to God for answered prayer and so thankful to so many of you for praying.