Birth Certificates

 

Yesterday started with obtaining new  birth certificates for the kids. We brought the Sentencia documents to a Notary. Notaries here are different than those in the US, apparently they are the record keepers too. It took a couple hours of filling out forms and waiting - upon which we received birth certificates showing us as their parents. During the wait time we walked to a bank where we paid a fee to obtain a receipt which will be used later to obtain Colombian ID cards for the girls... another required step in the process.

 

After lunch in the apartment, Maria Teresa picked us up to drive to an outlying town in an attempt to get the kids ID cards. In Bogota we must have an appointment to get the cards, but in a small town we might be able to walk up and get them right away, thus saving us a couple days. The half-hour drive to Chia took an hour due to traffic.

 

We waited about an  hour in a very small, hot, government office to meet with someone. They said they were too busy and would not issue the ID cards today. Back in the car for an hour drive home.

We are trying to get the girls to eat something other than candy, French fries and empanadas. Last night I took them to the store on a "mission impossible" to get something a little healthier, with some success - they like fruit! We bought watermelon, pineapple, coconut, bananas, etc.. and they were very happy. The girls made rice with beef, and rice with tuna for Mayra. Followed by lots of watermelon. They were in a great mood last night.

Monday is a Colombian holiday, so we hope to obtain the ID cards on Tuesday or Wednesday. After that we can order new passports for the kids, which will take a couple more days... hopefully in-hand by the end of next week. We then provide the passport numbers to the doctor, who can complete his paperwork in another day or so. Then we take all the papers to the US Embassy for final approval of the kids I-800 forms and issuance of visas - which will take a couple days.

Kim returns to Minnesota on 11/21, and I might be able to bring the kids back a week or so after. The twins are ready to be finished with paperwork and waiting in lines, and start their new lives in the USA. Our collie dog Piper is also a major attraction!

Today we go to Lavasport to wash clothes, followed by bowling at the mall across the street.