Current Situation

Andrew & Linda are back in Indiana trying to figure out what they else they could possibly do to bring Alexia & Simone to the US. I'm sure you can imagine how they felt at the Embassy that day: their anticipation of getting the final signature on the visas so their could bring the girls home with them, dashed in a moment by a laughing Immigration Official "just doing her job."

In addition to the thousands of dollars they have spent on traveling, filing forms, doctor appointments, school, clothes, etc., they have also been preparing their home for the girls to live with them. They have returned frustrated and at the end of their rope. This has been a financial and emotional strain on them for the last 2 and a half years, but it was a strain they willingly accepted so they could become parents to Alexia & Simone.

They have reached the end of their knowledge of what to do in this situation but in no way do they want to give up. Their goal is still to make Simone and Alexia part of their family. It is hoped that, by getting this story out, not only will an impact be made in their case . . . but also in the case of anyone else going through a similar situation.

There is a list of links on the side for the email pages of Andrew & Linda's governor, senator and congressman. Letters have been already sent to them asking for help in the matter. But, if this story has touched you, please send them an email asking them to look into this case.

Thank you!

6th Trip to Jamaica - August 2007

With all the necessary US and Jamaican approvals, Andrew & Linda went to Jamaica a sixth time in August 2007 to finalize the paperwork and bring the girls home. They expected to make a routine visit to the Embassy to pay for and pick up the visas. But their visit was anything but routine.

At the appointment window, they handed in their paperwork and were asked why they had doubles of everything. They responded that she had told them to do so at their last visit. The officer didn't respond. She directed them to the next window where they had to pay $760 in cash for the visas. Then they took a seat until their name was called.

When their name was finally called, they went forward. The immigration officer proceeded swear in the girls "to tell the whole truth." She began firing questions at the girls such as: do you ever see your fathers? How often? Do you go to school? Who pays for that? Do you have a stepfather?

The girls responded that they had a stepfather. Alexia said that her dad pays for school. Simone said that her mom pays for school. When in actuality, as per a previous post, Andrew & Linda have been paying for their school for quite some time. They also do occasionally see their fathers because they live in the same town, not because the fathers come to visit.

When Andrew & Linda told the officer that the girls that their answers were not entirely true, she laughed and said that they had been under oath. Then she said that since they weren't orphans, they could not be taken back to the US. When Andrew & Linda questioned why they were approved in Indianapolis, the officer said that someone down the line must have made a mistake. She promised that she would personally look into the case and call them. It has been almost 6 weeks at this time with no phone call.

Not knowing what to do, Andrew & Linda had to return to Indiana once again without the girls.

Expenses for this trip:
2 airline tickets = $737.12
gas/parking at airport = $87.00
marriage license = $4.00
2 visas = $760.00
Doctor visits for girls = $300.00
TOTAL = $1888.12

Approved!

Approval for the state of Indiana was granted on February 28, 2007 by John Roberts, ICPC Consultant.

The I-600 was approved for both girls on March 2, 2007.

The I-600 approval was then forwarded to the US Embassy in Kingston, Jamaica.

Andrew & Linda called immigrations to verify that this was all they needed to come and get the girls. The immigration officer they spoke to was rather short with them on the phone and said that when the I-600 is approved, that is their ticket to go to the US. Andrew & Linda also specifically asked them about the "orphan" phrasing in the paperwork and were assured that since there was an irrevocable release letter from the parents on file, they were considered "orphans."

They made plans to go to Jamaica and get their girls!

4 Trips to Immigration in Indianapolis

When Andrew & Linda came home from their 5th trip to Jamaica they made an appointment with the immigrations office in Indianapolis to file for the I-600 form. Once approved, this form grants permission for the applicant to come into the United States. In order to file this form, they had to make four trips to Indianapolis.

Trip #1 - This trip was to ask questions about how to file for the form since they had been unable to contact the office via phone or email.

Trip #2 - This trip was to apply for the I-600.

Trip #3 - This trip was to be fingerprinted at the same building where they had filed the form previously.

Trip #4 - This trip was to pick up a copy of the birth mother's irrevocable release letter at the immigration office and then carry it over to the office of John Roberts ICPC three blocks away. Immigration would not fax or courier the copy over so Andrew & Linda had to drive three hours, pick up the letter, drop it off 3 blocks away and then drive three hours home.

Expenses for filing for I-600 in Indianapolis:
File for I-600 = $545.00
Fingerprinting = $140.00
Parking at Indy Immigration = $10.00
Police Check = $14.00
Physicals for the girls = $43.08
gas expense for 4 trips to Indy = $220.00
TOTAL = $972.08

5th Trip to Jamaica - October 2006

From this point Andrew & Linda understood that the process would go something like this: they would file for visas for the girls, go to Jamaica to get the girls through Immigration at the US Embassy, bring the girls back to the US, meet with their assigned social worker every 6 weeks for the first 3 months and every three months after that for two years. After two years, the adoption would be complete. Because of this process they understood that they were to apply for non-immigrant visas for the girls.


So they went back to Jamaica with the paperwork for the non-immigrant visas. Upon their first visit to the US Embassy in Kingston they were told that they couldn't complete their appointment because they didn't have the original copies of the girls' birth certificates with them. When they asked the immigration official if they could come back the following day with the copies, they were told that they'd have to go back to the US, make another appointment online and then return to Jamaica again for that appointment. They walked outside with their contact from the children's home told them to go back in and beg for an appointment the following day. After doing this, they were granted an appointment for the following day.

The next day they returned to the US Embassy in Kingston where they were told by the representative at the appointment window that they were filing for the wrong visa. They needed to file for a permanent visa, not a non-immigrant visa. They were instructed to go to Indianapolis and file for the I-600 form.

Since they had been planning on returning to the US with the girls, this was a very sad trip home.

Expenses for this trip:
2 airline tickets = $894.25
2 changes to tickets for early return = $80.00
parking/gas to Indianapolis airport = $95.00

2 non-immigrant visa fees = $200.00
van rental = $80.00
gas for van to/from Kingston = $51.00
tolls in Jamaica = $10.62
Jamaican driver = $84.62

parking at US Embassy = $3.00
hotel in Jamaica = $115.00
TOTAL = $1613.49

Adoption Process Expenses

In preparation for the trip to court in July 2006, Andrew & Linda had to submit extensive paper work and undergo a home study.

Expenses to Start Adoption Process:
Home Study (June 16, 2005) = $1,500.00
State of Indiana Police Release (May 14, 2005) = $14.00
Reference Letter (May 25, 2005) = $13.28
Medical Expense - Linda = $136.00
Medical Expense - Andrew = $152.00
Birthday Certificate copies = $12.00
Marriage License copy = $4.00
gas/parking to Indianapolis/Immigration = $32.00
TOTAL = $1863.28

4th Trip to Jamaica - July 2006

After their adoption license was approved, Linda appeared in court in Montego Bay, Jamaica to receive their adoption license and for them to be named the girls’ legal guardians. The court date was July 13, 2006.

Expenses for this trip:
1 airline ticket = $421.62
2 passport applications for the girls = $123.00
2 passport photos for the girls = $12.30
taxi expenses = $12.30
gas and other travel = $55.00
TOTAL = $624.22

3rd Trip to Jamaica - January 2006

Andrew & Linda returned to Jamaica in January 2006 to once again meet with Miss Ellis of the CDA. She had a few more questions to ask them and the girls and then she could finalize the CDA approval. On this trip, close family friends, Joe & Ellen Shetler, joined them to meet the girls and also attend a special meeting for the Jamaica Relief Mission Home. The meeting with Miss Ellis went extremely well. She said that in 11 years of working with the CDA, she had never seen two girls bond so quickly and well with adoptive parents. She gave the approval to adopt and send their information on to the adoption board in Kingston, Jamaica.

Expenses for this trip:

2 airline tickets = $646.24

Richmond Hill Hotel = $434.00

airport parking = $104.00

gas and travel expense = $55.00

TOTAL = $1239.24

2nd Trip to Jamaica - June 2005

After researching the steps needed to adopt the girls, they began working with the Children Development Agency of Jamaica (CDA). Their representative, Miss Ellis, asked Andrew & Linda to visit so she could interview them, observe them with the girls and develop her recommendation as to whether or not she could approve them for an adoption license. So in June 2005, they made a second trip to Jamaica. This time they took their nieces, Eva and Belinda, who are close to the ages of Simone and Alexia. They wanted the girls to begin to get to know the rest of their future family.

Cost for this trip:

4 airline tickets = $1935.92

airport parking = $91.00

gas & tolls = $56.45

mission house accommodations in Jamaica = $180
TOTAL = $2263.37

School Support

At this point the Payes started paying for Alexia's and Simone's schooling. The cost for each girl is $25 a month year-round. They have paid in excess of $2000 for their schooling so far.

1st Trip to Jamaica - Meeting Alexia & Simone

In June, 2004 we met Simone and Alexia while on a mission trip with their church's youth group to a children’s home in Jamaica. Linda was working with the girls at an orphanage with Andrew was with the boys painting a house belonging to Miss Nell. Miss Nell is the head of a small school that teaches 40 pre-school children. As Andrew was painting in the kitchen he saw a young girl standing by the doorway in another room watching him. The next thing he knew, she had worked her way into the kitchen. Andrew started talking to her and found out her name was Simone. As he asked her questions about her life in Jamaica, he saw a hopelessness in her eyes. Later when talking to Linda about his day, he recounted his encounter with Simone. They instantly felt a need to help Simone have a better future than the prospects she faced in Jamaica. After discussing the possibility with Miss Nell and the houseparents at the mission home, it was suggested that they try to get a temporary visa for Simone to visit for 6 months at a time. Once returning home from Jamaica, they began to research this posibility but found that non-immigrant visas were extremely hard to get. And each time you applied for them, you had to pay $100 to the US Embassy. It actually appeared to be easier to adopt her then to just have her visit for 6-months and they were even more excited about that prospect. They called the houseparents to see if Simone's mom would consider letting them adopt her. A few weeks later, they got a call saying YES - Simone's mom would be willing for Andrew & Linda to adopt her. But that wasn't all! Simone had a sister, Alexia, and she would also like to be adopted.

Background Information

Andrew & Linda Paye live in a small Indiana town and own a photography business. They are very involved in with their church and spend a lot of time helping with their youth group. Their adoption story begins as they are on a mission trip with their youth group in Jamaica.