YAY! WE ARE HOME!!

Well, after an entire year of waiting we are home at last!!! We arrived on Saturday and Andrei is loving Australia.

The Australian High Commission spent the past year trying to stop us from bringing Andrei home. They were not happy as Andrei was adopted privately rather than from an orphanage. In January they declined our visa application, telling us to place Andrei in an orphanage, apply to adopt him and hope we get lucky. Can you believe that??
At that point I started planning a whole new life in Europe, as I didn't believe we could come home and there was no way I'd put my son in an orphanage, nor let anybody take him away from me.
But my husband flew to Cambodia to sort things out. As it happens, what the High Commission knew but didn't tell us, is that all we needed was one letter of permission from the Cambodian government for Andrei to migrate to Australia. Robert (DH) found this out after contacting a lawyer.
When he told the High Commission told us they knew that he only needed this one letter, but never told us as we never asked them. Which is crazy, how can we ask about something we didn't even know about.
Anyway, Robert got the letter and returned to Malaysia, where we reapplied for the visa. A couple of weeks later they granted the visa. Andrei now has PR in Australia and qualifies for citizenship in 2 years.

Andrei loves Australia and has such a wonderful week, he patted his first dog and now wants one! hehe He has made heaps of new friends already and is the happiest I've ever seen him. As for us, we just feel so lucky to be back in Australia, as a few weeks ago I thought I'd never be back again.

Thanks to everyone for all of your wonderful support and messages!

Jeanette

YAY welcome home !!!

its so good to see you back, I msgd kathryn soon as i saw you online down the bottom of the screen and got all excited!!

wow its been a year? you have a bit of catching upto do lol

glad to hear everything is well with andrei!!

take care
Lesley

It is great to have you back home again on Terra Firma Jeanette, with gorgeous Andrei Grrr to the high comission for not telling you exactly what you needed to get back into the country !!! You will definitely be a wealth of information if anyone else in the forums adopt a child.

Once again welcome home.

Love

OMG OMG!!!!!!!!! WELCOME HOME! I am sooooooooo happy to see you back amongst us! Welcome to Australia Andrei, I bet your mummy & daddy have so much to show you!

I can't believe the HC did that how bloody rude!

Glad you are home, can't wait to hear more about your beautiful boy! And hopefully we'll see you guys at our next meet ;) Don't forget to check out our restaurant club ;)

*hugs*
Cailin

OOOH, I am sitting here with tears of joy, I am so immensely happy for all of you to have each other!

Andrei, Welcome to Australia.

I am so so happy for you, it's been a long haul, but I bet it has all been worth it!

Congratulations!!!!

Jeanette I am so thrilled to see you back. Congratulations and hope to see you around the forums!!

Welcome Andrei!

Welcome back Jeanette :D

Welcome back Jeanette!!! I'm so happy to hear that you are back home with little Andrei in your arms :D He sounds amazing, I can't wait to hear all about him!

Congratulations Jeanette on your successful adoption. It sounds like you, DH and DS are having a great time and enjoying Australia!

I know how difficult adoption can be, as I've done a few at work (I'm a family lawyer). I admire your strength and courage to do what you've done. You're a wonderful parent. Congratulations again.

Oh Jeanette, how relieved and happy you must be. It sounds to me like Andrei is a very lucky little man!

Welcome back to Belly Belly........I have thought of you so often and am so glad you are back!

Welcome back Jeanette and congratulations on the successful adoption of Andrei.

Welcome back Jeanette. I have thought of you often, especially afer the 60 minutes story. I am so glad the story has a happy ending for your family.

Jeanette - that is great news that you and your family can finally come home! Is such a shame what you had to go through to get where you are - but is a testament to your love for Andrei and Im sure he'll know just how loved he is always.

All the very very best with everything!


Keen

YAY!!! =D> Its great to have you back! Sorry I missed this before! :D

Welcome back Jeanette!

Glad all went well (in the end) and that you have your precious family back here in Australia!

So - have you got a dog yet lol??

Best wishes

Jeanette, you have made an amazing journey. Congratulations on fimally bringing Andrei home. Hope he settles in well in his new home.

Jeanette, what an absolutely epic and exhausting jouney you made to bring your son home. A huge congratulations (if a late one!)

Can't believe the red tape that stood in your way, it is absolutely awful the suggestions they made..

Welcome to Australia little Andrei (gorgeous name too!) I hope you get your dog one day !