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. She travels frequently and is often available personally to assist families when they are in Kyrgyzstan.

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. There should be no more than 45 years age difference between parents and the adoptive children. 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 2-3 months of age at the time of referral 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. The availability of baby girls or baby boys is affected by the high request for baby girls. We anticipate the wait for a boy may be two months; for a girl, six months.

Fortunately, the way the program is structured allows for short referral wait times. We only accept a limited number of families per month to submit applications and adoption agreements. At the point of contact, we estimate, based on what families tell us, how soon they will be paper-ready to accept a referral. We then “reserve” a referral for them in the projected month.

For example, if you apply in May, and inform us that your home study and USCIS approval is estimated to be completed four months later, we will identify September as the month you will be prepared to submit your dossier to the Kyrgyz Embassy. From there 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. We would project you to be ready to accept a referral in November. Our system is designed to avoid long referral waits, and we do limit applications accordingly.

The process has been straightforward to date, but we do anticipate changes, as the volume of families seeking to adopt from Kyrgyzstan grows. We encourage families who wish to adopt infants be open to adopt a child of either sex; families who specify girls may have long waits in the future. Children coming home have been as young as five 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 about a month 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 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

ADOPTION FEES & ESTIMATED EXPENSES

Application Fee: $300

Home Study: $1,000 if prepared by ICF; varies with other home study providers

Agency Fee: $5,800 total; $2,800 due upon return of Adoption Agreement and the balance is due upon submission of Dossier -- $3,000

Facilitation Fee: $10,000-$12,000 (varies with age of child or identified special needs)

Due with Adoption Agreement
First Payment of Agency Fee $2,800
First Payment of Facilitation Fee $1,500
Subtotal: $ 4,300

Due when Home Study is sent to Facilitator for review
Second Payment of Facilitation Fee $3,500
Subtotal: $ 3,500

Due at the time the Dossier is complete
Final Payment Agency Fee $ 3,000
Dossier Courier and Postage (estimated) $ 350
Dept of State Certifications $ 200
Kyrgyz Consulate Certification Fee ($100 per document x approx. 23) $ 2,300
Dossier Translation Fee $ 650
Subtotal: $ 6,500

Due upon acceptance of your Child Referral
Balance of Foreign Facilitation Fee ($6,000-$7,000) $6,000
Subtotal: $ 6,000
Total Processing & Placement Fee: $20,300

In-country Adoption Expenses
US Embassy Fee for child’s visa $ 400
Child’s Medical & Photo $ 150
Subtotal: $ 550

Translation costs while in-country are $50 per day, and can involve 3-6 days, depending on your needs and also your desire for extra assistance, if you wish to take tours.

Agency, Facilitation and Estimated Document Costs: $20,850

Travel varies. Two trips, with two parents traveling: the airfare would be about $8,000.
Lodging may be in an apartment or hotel and would cost about $2,500, plus food $1,400.
Travel visas and transport between Bishkek and Almaty approx. $700.
Travel Estimate: $12,500

Total including Travel Estimate: $33,350