You will have a lot of “down time” once your dossier is completed and sent overseas. But rest assured, while things may slow down on your end, we at IFI, the orphanages abroad, and the foreign government are working hard to complete your adoption. It takes approximately 4-6 months to receive a referral from India, 7-8 months for China, 3-5 for Vietnam, and 4-6 months for Guatemala. Here is a brief summary of what happens to your paperwork once it leaves your hand: IFI receives your dossier and prepares all additional documents required for your dossier to be complete. IFI’s staff gets the notary signature, state authentication and Embassy Certification needed for all documents. IFI’s staff sends all completed dossier sets to their respective countries for child placement Each countries procedure varies, but their ultimate goal is all the same-to place a child in your home! Each country works hard to go through all your paperwork and match you with a prospective child. After months of reviewing, scrutinizing, and processing your paperwork, IFI receives your referral.