Cover Letters - They really help!
Click here to download the sample documents.
Write cover letters for everything important that you send, or any requests for documents. Make it clear in the cover letter that this is for an adoption from China. It really seems to help. Be as clear as possible, and always include a complete list of everything that is enclosed.
And most importantly, BE NICE. Not only will it help your adoption, but it will help others who come along behind you
Here's a few examples:
Sample cover letter based on one sent to the INS along with all the I-600A docs:
U.S. Department of Justice
Immigration and Naturalization Service
(date)
(adoptive parents)
(address)
(city, state zip code)
(home phone) - home
(work phone) - work
(email address) - email address
To whom it may concern:
My wife and I are adopting a baby daughter from China. As you are well aware, this requires that we receive an approved I-171H form. In the hope of getting that process started, as we have been told that the fingerprint check can take quite a while, we are submitting an Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition (I-600A).
Included in this packet are the $155.00 application fee, and all required documents, with the exception of the homestudy, which is not yet complete. We hope to complete the homestudy within the next few weeks. At that time, we will submit it, along with copies of all the documents included here, and a new cover letter.
If there are any problems with this information, the I-600A form, or any of the attached documentation, please contact me at any of the above numbers, as soon as possible.
List of attached documentation:
Sealed fingerprints (2 sets) for (adoptive parent 1)
Sealed fingerprints (2 sets) for (adoptive parent 2)
Birth Certificate for (adoptive parent 1)
Birth Certificate for (adoptive parent 2)
Marriage Certificate for (adoptive parents)
Completed I-600A form
$155.00 Application Fee (Money Order)
Thank you in advance for helping us in the most important event in our lives together.
Sincerely,
(adoptive parents)
Here is an example of a cover letter based on an actual letter sent to the Chinese Consulate to request authentication of the I-171H (the other documents had already been authenticated):
((adoptive parents)
(address)
(city, state zip code)
(home phone) - home
(work phone) - work
(email address) - email address
(date)
Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in New York
520 12th Avenue
New York, NY 10036
Dear Sir:
My wife and I are honored to be considered for the adoption of a baby girl from China. As you are well aware, all paperwork required for our dossier must be authenticated by the Consulate.
We are already extremely grateful for your quick authentication of all our documents which we sent to you on (date), and received back from you on (date). At that time, the only document we were missing was the INS I-171H document. We now have that final document.
Enclosed you will find the following:
1. A copy of the I-171H
2. A notarized letter stating that the above is an accurate copy of the INS approval.
3. Connecticut State Certification for the above letter
Please authenticate this, and return the authenticated documents to us in the enclosed self addressed, pre-paid airbill.
Also, a money order in the amount of $15.00 in the name of the People’s Republic of China is included to cover the $10 per document fee (1 document to authenticate) plus the $5.00 mail handling fee.
If you have any questions at all, or any problems, please contact us at any of the above numbers as soon as possible. We thank you with all our hearts for helping us in our quest to make our dreams of a family come true.
Sincerely,
(adoptive parents)
Here is an example of a cover letter based on an actual letter sent to the Secretary of the State of Pennsylvania requesting a birth certificate. As you'll see in this example, the author had some question as to the terminology used by the state (exemplified copy vs apostille). If you cannot seem to get a clear answer on something like this, don't be afraid to explain your uncertainty in the letter, and make it clear that this is for a China adoption. It appears that most (hopefully all) states are aware of the proper procedures to follow.
Important: This request is to help us with an international adoption from China. Thank you in advance for your help.
(adoptive parents)
(address)
(city, state zip code)
(home phone) - home
(work phone) - work
(email address) - email address
(date)
Commission Bureau
Department of State
Room 305, North Office Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120
Attention Charles Hardester:
My wife and I are preparing our dossier in order to adopt a baby girl from China.
I was born in Pennsylvania, and, as you are aware, I’m sure, China requires that my birth certificate be certified by the Secretary of the State, and then authenticated by the Chinese Embassy in New York.
Please issue the required certification that will allow me to continue on to the authentication. I’m not sure whether that means an Exemplified Copy, or Apostille, but, I’m assuming you do know that. If you have any questions at all, please call me at any of the above phone numbers, or e-mail me at the above address.
Enclosed is my birth certificate and a Money Order for $15.00. Also enclosed is a self-addressed stamped envelope. Please forward the necessary documentation to us at the above address as soon as possible.
Thank you for helping us achieve our dream of building a family.
Sincerely,
(adoptive parents)
