Self portrait of the happy couple outside the US Embassy. Free to go!!!

FREE AT LAST!!! Thank God Almighty we are free at last!!!

Amazingly, we are done!!! No amount of exclamation marks can truly demonstrate the relief and happiness at the process being done. For now. Post adoption checks will take 6 months once we get back home. Not a big deal really.

After a lot more grovelling and running around every day to the passport office, we finally got Sofi's passport. It took 10 days. Issued April 18, 2011. Creepy crawly Krishin Kumar caved in after alot of pleading, sucking up, name dropping, actually showing up daily, until I think he realized that I don't take no for an answer. I have climbed up and down the passport office stairs many many many times, being sent to one person or another.  I think the Regional Passport Officer got sick of seeing me too.  And the fact they could not fault our paperwork.  Yet, we are the lucky ones.  Many people fared much worse than us. Even the day the passport was issued, I showed up at the designated time of 4:30. Hovering around the counter, asking again and again if they could check my receipt number, only to be told it had not come down yet.  At right around 6:30, someone came to collect the remainin stragglers who were waiting, we followed him upstairs after he took from us the only receipt/proof we had that we had even filed an application... And upstairs, we were told there was only 1 more passport for that day. A miracle - it was Sofi's!  I practically kissed the bearer of fantastic news. I felt really bad for the others pleading their cases, only to be fobbed off.

Thinking ahead, we already had an appointment at the US Embassy for Wednesday April 20th. I turned up with all my papers, and little Miss Sofi, who by now is quite the little Miss!  We went to American Citizen Services and, luckily, as usual, we got the red carpet treatment. It never ceases to amaze me how nice everyone is when they know we are there for an adoption case. It's all, don't wait in line, just go to the front, type of thing. They are soooo nice. Unlike everyone and every system in India and the UK who are simply horrid and obstreperous. We were asked when it suited us for our visa interview.  Since we still had a housefull of lovely guests who were pampering and spoiling Sofi, I felt it best we wait until they had all gone. So we were given out preference of Monday, April 25th at 9 a.m. But with the caveat that they told us if that was not convenient, just come at 10 or whenever the baby was happy to come, go straight to window 25, and do not wait in line. What lovely people! So considerate and caring. A relief from the rest of the experiences we have had. We showed up Monday morning, whisked to the front of the line, and presented our papers. All agreed to be in order. Gave an oath the papers are accurate. Told to come back in the afternoon at 2:30. Did that. Miracle of miracle, le viola! all done! Sofi's Indian passport is duly given the US visa.  We are free to go.

We are not going yet though. Sofi is in playschool and enjoys it.  She has the full and undivided attention of me and her ayah Pratima. So we are ok until school is out May 13. Then we will head off. It is getting super hot. But Sofi has made friends. I am making friends, at long last, and things are ok. We will do some medical checkups on ourselves and start planning our move back to the US after me being gone so long.

We also met the President of Sofi's orphanage yesterday, Tuesday April 26th. He spent alot of time with us. Charmed by Sofi as everyone is! He was kind enough to comment that his father (former Prime Minister of India I K Gujral who is sadly not in the best of health) always made a point to visit my paternal grandfather, known to us all as Bupuji, because he had a very high regard for Bupuji.

I also duly registered my wish to adopt a 2d daughter from Jalandhar and was received very well! So, after all the papers are in order, we should be back in 2012 for #2! My lovely 2d daughter is out there somewhere already but not ready to come to me. All in good time.

Sofi is parrotting more and more words. She is increasingly cheeky and cute and the biggest love of my life. I thank God and my lucky stars she came to me. I am very lucky.

Passport time and hopefully visa soon

Apparently, for a long time in India, it was not considered a right to
have a passport. Now there are more than 1.2 billion people who are
eligible. Not surprisingly, the passport offices simply cannot deal
with the volume of applications. Plus, given terrorism and many other
concerns, there is a fear of wrongly issuing passports. The process is
quite complex. I was told the average passport is between 1 and 2
months to issue. Emergency/Tatkaal passports supposedly in a week or
less.

Getting all the paperwork in place to be able to submit a tatkaal
application is no mean feat. We had to fill out many affidavits, have
them notarized. We had to submit obvious proofs of adoption and
residency. But probably the most bizarre was that we had to have a
senior government officer vouch for her moral character and
reputation. I can see that being required of an adult, but of a 1 year
old?! Well, we finally managed to get it done after a lot of pleading
phone calls to many friends.

A few more sick days and a trip to Chandigarh delayed the process
quite a bit too. So although we got the birth certificate on February
21st, it was not until April 7th that I actually successfully
submitted the tatkaal passport application. Going into the passport
office is quite hard. You have to wait in a long line first at the
back of the building, to get a token, that is your number in the line
for the day. We had someone there by around 6:30 or 7, so when I got
there at 9, luckily I was #4. Then, you take that token and stand in
another line at the front of the building to gain entry. Then it is a
mad rush to go to the tatkaal counter and you have all the ususal
suspects with #200 or some other high number fighting you off and
trying to push to the front of the line as the bureaucrats drink tea
behind closed doors. When the civil servants meander to their
counters, they do not look friendly or helpful. Each of the first 3
tatkaal people were sent away and their applications rejected for one
reason or other. I got nervous.

When we go to the tatkaal coutner, the lady rejected the application
totally saying that adoption cases cannot come on tatkaal. Oddly,
although not written anywhere in the detailed instructions on how to
apply for a passport, this same refrraind was given at the next
counter, the tatkaal superintendant. Instead of just accepting this,
we debated. I asked for the basis of this and some Ministry of
External Affairs memo from 2008 was flashed briefly for me to see.
Getting more concerned at this point. Not taking no for an answer.
Send upstairs to Room 5. Excited. Until I reached the long line of hot
and bothered people and the rude guards protecting the high level
officials behind the curtain. Eventually get to see the Assistant
Regional Passport Officer. Told the same thing. Starting to feel like
a charater in Little Britain, "Policy says NO!" Not taking no. Sent
to the PRO upstairs. Wait around. His assistant checks my papers and
agrees everything is there. Finally PRO arrives, He seems to be
satisfied. Sends me back to Room 5. Short but high ranking man says,
no, PRO has not written his approval to accept the application on
tatkaal basis. Go back to PRO. He says he can't write it and tells me
to go back to Room 5. At this point, feeling like a ball in a tennis
match, I ask if we can move forward instead of back and forth. He
concedes and sends me to the Wizard - the Regional Passport Officer
himseld. Push thru the guards with great difficulty, wait around and
meet him. Nice person, but he too says policy says no.

Explain the process and the reality of what this is - a child trying
to start her life properly. Luckily I noticed his family portrait on
his desk, and relating my problem to him in real terms achieved a
warmer response. "Wait outside, I will see what we can do." Waiting.
And waiting. Various people in and out of his office. Eventually, I am
told, go back to the tatkaal superintendent, we will accept the
application, and see what we can do.

Skipping down the stairs I go back to irritable Gansham and explain my
note saying that my application must be accepted. I have never been
happy to pay fees (Rs2100) as it was the gateway to the receipt - the
all important document to start your process. With a receipt, their
legal obligations to process begins to roll.

Monday the 11th I come back and am told by chirpy Mr Gansham that it
is scheduled to be complete that very same day and should be sent out
soon. I am in joyous disbelief. But I have heard such promises many
times this past year or two. I am cautiously optimistic.

TOday, Wednesday 13th, I come to check, is it really done? Turns out
as yesterday and tomorrow are a holiday, and Wednesday is the day of
the week the higher-ups don't meet the public, this was not a good day
to show up. Rejected several times at the gate and not allowed in.
Finally sent to the back of the building to the enquiry line.
Helpfully told by someone in line you can SMS your inquiry and find
out the status. They SMS back almost immediately, that subject to all
documents being ok, it would be complete on 11th. Had I succeeded? An
hour in line in the scorching morning sun, to be told at the counter,
there is an objection. Come back Friday and talk to a PRO.

Dejected. What now? By this point Sofi has been picked up from
playschool and is sitting asleep in the hot car out front. I mull it
over. Let's not give up. I find our helpful tout friend. He is nice,
but busy with something.

The friendly police officer who had sent me to inquiry was hanging
around. One last plea. I explain to him this is an adoption case and
how long I have been here, point at the sleeping baby and he agrees he
will help me enter the building to find out from Gansham what the
issue it. THen his supervisor yells at him for standing idle and sends
him off in the opposite direction. Wait. He eventually returns and I
pounce. He takes me to the gates, amidst shouting and shoving irate
public not being allowed it, and gets me in. It's like magic. He
smiles as I pass. Just like that. I am in. Persistence and politeness
and appealing to people's humanity got me in.

Once in, Gansham explains that I need to speak to the PRO and sends me
to someone new. I go there. He listens. I am to wait. Eventually
someone else calls my case. I go over the papers and he is nice. He
explains I have 1 more proof of address needed. I can get that within
an hour or so from the bank. And most wonderfully, he takes me with
him to see the Regional Passport Officer and he agrees that my case is
accepted on tatkaal and it should be completed at once.

Off to the bank. Back. Wait. And wait. Mr helpful is at the Minstry.
But once back, he says, that's good enough. Come on Friday the 15th
between 4:30 and 6 and pick up your passport. The next 48 hours will
be tense but I am hopeful.

After this, the last step is to go to the US Embassy and get the visa.
We will be off.

Of course, the British High Commission, consistent with their totally
anti-adoption stance throughout, says they will not recognize the
adoption. Sofi cannot get a passport. Is not recognized as my child!
And can't even get a visa - unless we lie! With shit weather, an
outrageous cost of living, and extortionate tax rules, is it any
wonder soo many people leave the country if they can?!