Got the Travel Approval!!

Hip Hip Hoooooooooray!! So, now Jenny at Great Wall Child Adoption Agency is working to make our consulate appointment happen in China (in Guangzhou). If everything works out as we expect, we will be leaving on May 25 or May 26. We'll find out about the consulate appointment in 2-5 days. Then we are going to book our flights through Jenny and Delight Travel travel agency.

Below is a general outline of what a typical Inner-China Itinerary looks like:

Day 1 - Departure from your hometown to Beijing, you will meet the other families in your Group when you reach China. (If you wish to depart early for China, we will transfer you to your group hotel once you arrive in Beijing, and handle all hotel arrangements, etc from that point forward. Unless otherwise noted, families arriving early will be booked into the group hotel.) As a general suggestion, it is advisable to go at least one day earlier than the group departure date, especially if you are planning to do the tour in Beijing. If you miss your flight or if any flights are delayed and you miss the tour, there are no refunds. (*If you are skipping Beijing, skip to Day 4.)

Day 2 -Arrive in Beijing (Great Wall Guide will be outside customs holding a green flag with “GW” or holding a sign with your last name on it., and transfer you to your group hotel. If they are running late, please wait for them. If they are over 45 minutes late, please call their number provided to you on your Great Wall inner-China itinerary)

Day 3 (Saturday, if you are participating in the tours. Please note that this is the only day that Great Wall schedules the group tours) - Beijing Cultural Tour: The Great Wall, Tienanmen Square and the Forbidden City. (Full day touring. Make sure all of you wear good walking shoes!)

Day 3 Saturday, you will need to be in your province, if you are skipping the Beijing tours. Gotcha Day can be on Sunday or Monday, therefore you must arrive in your province on Saturday. Please note that when scheduling your international flights, and skipping Beijing you are responsible for getting yourself into your province. If using Delight Travel, they will fly you directly into your province. If you’re using another service, you must fly directly into your province. Once in province, Great Wall will have arranged all hotels, transportation, etc. A guide WILL be there to pick you up.

Day 4 – (Sunday) Travel to your child's Province IF you have participated in the Beijing tours. You will receive your tickets for the capital city of your child’s province at the airport in Beijing from your guide. You will also receive your tickets for all other Inner-China flights from your guide prior to your flights. Your guide will hold your airline tickets until that time. (Great Wall will have a Guide meet your flight and transfer you to the hotel once you arrive in your province.) Your child is usually brought to either your hotel or the Civil Affairs office and it will be listed on your Inner-China itinerary. This could be Gotcha Day.

Days 5 to 9 – (Monday-Friday) Bonding with your child, sightseeing, and all official paperwork appointments will be done during this week (Receive your child’s passport.) Your child’s passport is typically ready for pick up by your guide on Friday of this week, and it doesn’t matter the province, unless Beijing, which the passport is ready the 2nd week you are in Beijing on that Friday. If you’re child is in Guangzhou, you will still have to be in China for the full 2 weeks, as the first week is Province week and the 2nd week is Consulate week. The schedule doesn’t change because you are in Guangzhou, and sometimes the passport isn’t ready until the Monday after adoption process. Your guide will let you know. This could be Gotcha Day.

Day 9 (Friday) – Travel from your child's province to Guangzhou, unless you are already in Guangzhou. There is no need to travel anywhere else. You will stay at the White Swan your entire stay in province.

Day 10 - Have child’s brief medical exam. This is required for all children who are being adopted. This only applies to them. You will bring your referral medical documentation to this appointment. You may or may not have to present this paperwork. Please bring the English and Chinese version, and if the doctor asks, present. Otherwise, no need.

Day 12 through 15 - (Monday through Thursday) Consulate Appointment (Guide and families take your paperwork to the Consulate for review.) Please keep in mind that the American Consulate accepts appointments only on Monday through Thursday of each week. Families will participate in the Oath Taking Ceremony on the same day as their appointments.

Day 13 through 16 (Tuesday through Friday) – Depending on your Consulate appointment, your child’s visa is ready the following day. For example, if you have your appointment on Monday, then the visa is ready for pick up on Tuesday. Your guide will pick up the visa at the Consulate, and if you’re departing to Hong Kong on the train at 4:12pm, this gives you time to finish packing. If you’re departing out of Beijing, this is also time for you to finish packing depending on when you depart for Beijing. This is variable, so you will have that information before you depart to China from the US.

Day 15 through 18 (Wednesday through Saturday) - Morning departure from Guangzhou on a train to Hong Kong, or a flight to Beijing or Shanghai to connect to the US. If you are flying China Southern for a direct non-stop flight from LAX to Guangzhou, and from Guangzhou to LAX, and the airline flies the day/night you receive your baby’s exit visa, you can depart Guangzhou that evening as it is a 9:00pm or 10:40pm flight.

This itinerary should help you to understand what to expect while in China. (Remember, weekdays will vary and nothing is confirmed until we have received confirmed Consulate appointments.)