Brown Envelope

Today, I received the famous “Brown Envelope” in the mail. It’s from the U.S. Consulate General, in Guangzhou, China.

The cover letter says, in part, “The BCIS (INS) recently notified the American Consulate in Guangzhou that you have been approved to adopt an orphan overseas. This means we are authorized to process your child’s case as soon as his or her adoption is finalized. When corresponding with this office, please refer to the case number (beginning with the letters GUZ) listed at the end of this letter. We look forward to seeing you here soon for your child’s immigrant visa interview.”

Also included in the “Brown Envelope” is information on scheduling an Immigrant Visa Interview, what to expect on the day of the Interview, Form I-600 Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative, Application For Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration, Medical Examination Forms For Immigrant or Refugee Applicant, and a map of the U.S. Consular Section - Location and Surrounding Area.