International Child Foundation
& Kyrgyzstan Adoption

Program on Hold

Sept 10, 2009 ~ No word as yet as to how or whether the plight of the matched children and families will be addressed prior to general considerations of revised procedures, which is anticipated in October. No word as to whether the Parliament will waive the bi-lateral treaty request, for either the waiting families or for future or adoptions.

August 5, 2009 ~ Revised regulations that will ostensibly enable the matched children to complete adoptions are intended to be heard by Parliament when it reconvenes in September.

June 22, 2009 ~ Three delegates from Bishkek visited with State Dept staff and families in DC. The tenor of the meetings was very positive; the delegates learned how sincere and committed adoptive families are. We are awaiting the outcome of the visit. There have been positive press releases, but no official pronouncements as to when the families-in-waiting will be able to complete adoptions.

March 2, 2009 ~ Kyrgyz officials are communicating with the US Dept of State & Embassy re completing adoptions for families who have been matched and continuing adoptions with US families who have submitted dossiers.

February 18, 2009 ~ the Kyrgyz government issued a press release announcing that proposals for intercountry adoption from the Ministries would be reviewed after March 31st. Adoption processing of new cases appears to be suspended until April. Ongoing adoptions are being treated on a case-by-case basis.

January 22, 2009 ~ MOE has not issued letters for approved dossiers for families to complete adoptions for several months. Although they say they intend to do so within the next few weeks, we await the first letter. While adoption is not officially "on hold," we have been informed that the government is considering both new legislation and relocating adoption oversight to another Ministry. If you are interested in Kyrgyz adoption, please contact us. We would be happy to include you in our weekly ICF Adoption Updates.

October 8, 2008 ~ ICF is accepting new applications for Kyrgyz adoption. We are fortunate in having recieved more referrals and look forward to adding two-three families per month. We do allow families to state specific preferences for boys or girls, but we also strongly encourage families to consider a child of either sex. We have not overall found girl referrals less available but we do expect there to be pressure from Kyrgyz to eliminate specific requests if the preponderance of families request girls. Please don't hesititate to call for information or request our weekly updates!

November 5, 2008 ~ Kyrgyz is in the process of relocating adoption oversight from the Ministry of Education to another Ministry, as yet undisclosed. This may cause delays later this year, although we expect them to be minimal; meaning a few weeks rather than a few months. Please check in with us for more information anytime. The agency director from ICF and the director of St Philomena will be traveling to Bishkek November 14-28.

Located between Kazakhstan and China, Kyrgyzstan is a country of rugged beauty and breathtaking mountains. The population is 80% Kyrgz, Uzbek or Chinese, with the remainder mostly Russian-Caucasian. There is a mix of religious tradition but, like all countries of the Soviet Union, religion was held in abeyance for several decades. The traditional religions are Islam and Christian, although historically nomadic Kyrgyz worshiped the natural world, similar to native Americans.

Kyrgyzstan became independent with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and faces the many problems of a re-emerging nation. Although it possesses many natural resources, it must import most to meet its needs. Competing political interests, lack of infrastructure and endemic unemployment have made it very difficult for the government to provide solutions for social issues, including caring for the many relinquished or abandoned children.

International Child Foundation works in conjunction with St. Philomena Adoption Foundation. St. Philomena's Director, Tatiana Belousova, is accredited in Kyrgyzstan and speaks fluent Russian and English.

Families who wish to adopt from Kyrgyzstan may be married or may be single women. The preferred age of the prospective adoptive married parents is between 25 and 50, and they should be married for two or more years. Single women should be age 30 or older. Up to three other children in the home and up to two prior divorces are acceptable. Of course, like every other country, Kyrgyzstan requires ample documentation that the prospective parents or mother can adequately support the adopted child, and provide medical care and education.

The children available for adoption are from about 4-8 months of age at the time of referral up to age 12 years. There are sibling groups, but they will mostly include older as well as younger children. There are special needs children of every age, with a variety of medical or developmental issues.

ICF accept a limited number of families per month to submit applications and adoption agreements. At the point of contact, we estimate when families will be dossier-ready and, given the flow of adoption in Kyrygz, when they may be eligible to receive a referral. While we cannot predict all contingencies, we keep families informed.

For example, if you apply in July, and inform us that your home study and USCIS approval is estimated to be completed four months later, we will estimate the month you will be prepared to submit your dossier to the Kyrgyz Embassy. From vetting at the Embassy it travels to Bishkek, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education. The legalization and approval process can take about two months.

As the volume of families seeking to adopt from Kyrgyzstan grows, we anticipate changes in the process. We encourage families who wish to adopt infants be open to adopt a child of either sex; families who specify girls have much longer waits. Children coming home have been as young as six months, although this too may change, if Kygyzstan lengthens the process.

After referral, families travel to Kyrgyzstan to spend a week visiting with their child. Families then return home and wait one to two months before traveling again to bring their child home. The second trip involves appointments at the US Consulate in Bishek and the US Embassy in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and takes about two weeks; sometimes a little less.

Post Adoption Reports (also called Post Placement Reports) are required every six months until the child turns 14. The first six reports must be prepared by the home study agency. The remaining reports can be done by the adoptive parents.

ICF fees for post placement reports are $300 for one child, $350 for two or more children; the cost of the post placement reports varies with agencies in other states; post placement translations are between $45-60 per report.

Full name: Kyrgyz Republic
Population: 5.1 million (via UN, 2006)
Capital: Bishkek
Area: 199,900 sq km (77,182 sq miles)
Major languages: Kyrgyz, Russian
Major religions: Islam, Christianity
Life expectancy: 63 years (men), 71 years (women) (UN)
Monetary unit: 1 som = 100 tyiyns
Main exports: Fruit, vegetables, gold, tobacco
GNI per capita: US $440 (World Bank, 2006)
Internet domain: .kg
International dialing code: +996

ICF & St Philomena Kyrgyzstan Adoption Fee Schedule & Estimated Expenses

Application Fee: $300
Home Study: $1,000 (if prepared by ICF; fees vary with other home study providers)
Agency Fee: $6,200 total; $2,800 due upon return of Adoption Agreement and the balance is due upon starting the Dossier -- $3,400
St Philomena Foreign Facilitation Fee: $12,000-12,500

Total Agency and Foreign Fee: $18,200

Due with Adoption Agreement
First Payment of Agency Fee (Administration fee) $2,800
First Payment of Foreign Fee (Administration fee) $1,000
Payable in one check for $3,800

Due at the time the Dossier is started
Second Payment Agency Fee (Case Management fee) $3,400

Due at the time the Dossier is submitted
Dept of State Certifications $160
Dossier Legalization Fee at Kyrgyz Consulate ($100 per document) $2,000
Dossier Translation Fee $600
Dossier Courier Fee and Postage $300
Payable in one check for $3,060

Due at the time the Dossier enters the Kyrgyz Embassy process
Second Payment Foreign Fee $2,000

Due upon acceptance of your Child Referral
Third Payment of Foreign Fee (Case Representation fee) $3,500
Nanny, formula or massage for child, optional but recommended, 3 mos. $80 = $240

Due upon return from First Trip to meet Child
Balance of Foreign Fee (Court and Ministry of Education fees) $5,500

Total ICF/St Philomena Placement and Dossier processing/legalization costs: $21,500

In-country Adoption & Related Expenses
Parent visas and courier arranged in advance, for Kyrgyz $380, for Kaz $190, plus
mailing costs; or may be purchased in Bishkek for considerably less, about $35 each $570
Driver, translator, coordinator: 1st trip $500 & 2nd trip $500; may be paid in advance
through ICF – we will wire to coordinator – to avoid carrying cash $1,000
POAs prepared in-country during first trip $ 20
Ovir Stamp for Child to exit country $30 or $100 if expedited $30
Passport for Child $160
Birth Certificate for Child $10
Transport between Bishkek and Almaty $ 100
US Embassy Fee for Child visa $400
Child’s Medical, photos and HIV test $130
Subtotal: $2,420

Travel varies. Two trips, with two parents traveling: the airfare approximately $8,400 $ 8,400
Lodging may be in an apartment ($60-70 night) or hotel ($100-180) $2,100-$3,600 $ 3,000
Meals and sundries approximately $35 per day $800
Travel Estimate: $12,220

Total including Travel Estimate: $36,120

Note: All adoptions are subject to change, including estimates for waiting times, fees, travel costs and program availability. Please contact us for updates.