Summary of Expenses
Dossier Prep Expenses

INS                              455.00
Dekalb Co.                  50.00
(criminal history)
Photos                        19.25
Homestudy             1000.00
Consulate                 285.00
Postage                     261.08
Tx Sec. of State        210.50
GA County Fees       135.00
GWCA Fees             4200.00
CCAA App. Fee         585.00

TOTAL               7200.83 

Pat and I decided to do all the paperchasing ourselves. I did all the phone calling and mailing and Pat did all the running around to the county courthouses and the Sec.of State in GA. In GA, there are 2 layers of certification, one on the county level and one on the state level. In TX, you actually can get all of your vital record in 1 step from the Sec. of State.

Because we live outside of the State of TX, we had to use a local homestudy agency. We used Families First.
Expenses While Waiting

Homestudy Update          150.00
Fingerprint Renewal       100.00
Pre-pay of Post-
Placement Reports          300.00
Visas                                  100.00
Photos for China                60.00
                                           710.00

Dossier Prep Total         7200.83
      TOTAL              7910.83
While we were waiting we had to be re-fingerprinted because the fingerprints are only valid for 15 months while the I-171 is good for 18 months. We also pre-paid our post placement reports instead of putting down a deposit with GWCA.
Travel Expenses

Air Fare (ATL/Chicago/
Beijing and HKG/San Fran/ATL)          1700.00
Lap Seat for Ella                                     145.00
In China Air fare                                     372.00
Tour of Beijing                                       138.00
Travel Fees to GWCA*                         3706.00
Spending Money (cash)                      2500.00
Hotel expenses**                                   500.00
In China adoption fees ***                   5000.00
Credit card expenses****                   1000.00
                                                            15,061.00

* this covered hotels, breakfasts, flight from Chongqing to Guangzhou, and the bus trip to Hong Kong for 17 days
** these were expenses like laundry and room service that were not included in the GWCA travel fees
*** We took $5,000 for the adoption but we only spent  $4400.00 on the adoption. We came home with 1000.00 in cash. This includes the orphanage donation, the notary fees, the US Embassy fees, etc....
**** We used our credit card to buy pearls, paintings at an art school in Chongqing, and in the hotel gift shop. Credit cards were not used in department stores.
Total Adoption Costs
              Dossier Prep Stage                 7200.83
              Pre-referral                             710.00   
              In China Portion                 15061.00
                                                         22,971.83
Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1