INTERNATIONAL
CHILD FOUNDATION, Inc.
Adoption & Home Study Services ~ Licensed & Non-Profit


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Kazakhstan Adoption &
International Child Foundation

Kazakhstan adoptionAbout the program…
Kazakhstan is a country of mixed cultures and heritage. Originally more Asian than European, Kazakhstan was obscured by the Soviet Union for a large part of the 20th century. Now a vibrant emerging nation, Kazakhstan boasts vast “steppes” or plains of grass, snow capped mountains, a recovering economy and a genteel Asian personality.

Children from Kazakhstan are mostly Asian, Eurasian or of middle-eastern ancestry. Some children are Caucasian, but this is not an appropriate adoption destination for families who are interested solely in a Caucasian child.

Kazakhstan International Adoption ProgramICF works in conjunction with Little Miracles International Adoption and their experienced foreign staff. LMI and the foreign facilitation team have an excellent reputation. We are happy to be able to combine the support and expertise of International Child with an established and responsible partner for Kazakhstan adoption. Families get the best of both worlds – ICF support and adoption preparation and an outstanding foreign facilitation team.

About the children…
Children are referred at about age 9 months or older. Their ethnic background is most likely to be Asian-Kazakh, but there are also children of Russian, Korean, Tatar, Gypsy and Germanic heritage. It is possible to request a male or female child. It is not possible to specify whether you prefer a particular ethnic background; it is important to be open to a child of any ethnic make-up who needs a forever family.

The age at time of referral is in part due to the legal requirement for children to remain on a national database for six months prior to being referred for international placement. While in the orphanage, child generally get good care, although due to lack of one-to-one stimulation it is typical for children to be less advanced in development in comparison with a child reared in an attentive family. It is estimated that for every three months in an orphanage, a child’s development is delayed by one month.

KazakhstanIt is possible to request siblings or twins, but these adoptions are quite rare. We suggest that if you are open to this, you state in your home study that you would like to adopt a single child or twins or siblings. Then state broadly what your age parameters are, such as a single child under the age of 18 months at the time of referral or siblings or twins under the age of 3 years. The adoption of two unrelated children is not permitted.

As of October, 2006, all children have been tested for HIV at the approved Embassy SOS clinic in Almaty. This adds 1-2 days to the end of the trip.

About the families…
Adoptive parents may be up to age 50 at the time they complete their adoption. Thus, we recommend that you be no older than 48-49 to start. It is best if one or both parents are under age 45 if they wish to adopt a child under age one. Single women are permitted to adopt, but co-habitation is not permitted, so single women must live alone, without either a male or female friend. All families must meet their state and the USCIS requirements and prepare a dossier of paperwork for submission in Kazakhstan. We do not work with couples who have mixed citizenship; both parents must be US citizens.

The dossier for Kazakhstan is exacting, but explicit instructions are provide. There is an additional step of submitting it for approval to the Kazakhstan Embassy in Washington DC. This adds four weeks or more to the preparation time.

About the travel…
Both parents or a single parent must travel at least once to Kazakhstan and to the region where the child resides for the purpose of visiting the child. Typically, this is also when you meet your referral, as most families travel “blind” to be matched with a child. If you feel the child presented to you as a referral is unhealthy or a poor match for your family, you will have the opportunity to meet another child. It would, however, be considered odd or questionable if a child were rejected for no clear reason, or for reasons of ethnicity. Medical issues are, of course, valid reason to request another referral.

This first trip takes about three-and-a-half weeks, during which you have visitations with your child on a daily basis. One parent may leave prior to the court date, but one must remain until after the court date. We try to arrange for families to travel in small groups, but travel time varies significantly from region to region and judge to judge.

Most families make one trip, and then return home, prior to making the second trip. Alternatively, we can offer escort services to bring your child home to you, after you have made the first trip. There is about four weeks between the first trip and the second or escort trip. The second trip lasts about one week. Cellular phones are provided to families when traveling. Please inquire about additional fees of you wish to arrange an escort for your child.

Travel will probably required, by air or train or car, between Almaty and the region where the orphanage is. The facilitation team takes care of all the lodging arrangements, and you will stay in an apartment or hotel close to the orphanage. When you return to Almaty, you will also stay in a hotel or apartment, while your paperwork is being processed. Almaty has many wonderful sites to visit, including the Kazakh Central Museum and the Art Museum. Don’t miss seeing them!

Kazakhstan Adoption Fees & Estimated Expenses

Application Fee: $300

ICF Home Study Fee: $1,000 or as set by your home study agency.

Agency Fee: $5,800 total; this is broken into two payments; the 1st is $2,800 and is due with the adoption agreement; the 2nd payment of $3,000 is due with the dossier.

Foreign Fee: $15,500 in two payments, one by check and one carried with you to Kazakhstan

Fees paid upon completion of approved Home Study

1st Foreign Fee Payment $5,000

Fees paid with submission of Dossier

2nd Agency Fee $3,000

Registration of Dossier at Kazakhstan Consulate of NY $180

Dossier Translation $800 – includes $600 for translation and $200 for courier for a typical dossier; note, there is a $50 charge for divorce decrees up to 5 pages, and if over 5 pages, $100; if there are extra documents, there is an additional $100 charge

2nd Foreign Fee Payment $2,000

Fees paid in-country

3rd Foreign Fee $8,500

In country travel related fees paid by family

Expenses in Almaty City

Each Transfer when picked up or taken to airport or needed to be met) $75 per family

Phone Cards for cell phone provided upon arrival $10

Expenses in the regions for the first trip only*

Parents stay in apartment chosen by Regional Associates:

Covers accommodation, interpreter and driver/transportation to and from all location required to complete the process, and other services (see explanation of fees *) Paid to the regional manager on the day of arrival. These are NOT daily fees based on daily services. $5,800 per family

If in region in excess of 30 days, $195 per family, per day

Expenses for the SECOND trip*

Option #1 Parents stay in apartment: Covers accommodation, interpreter and driver/transportation (to and from all location required to complete the process) for the first 30 days in the region. Paid to the regional manager on the day of arrival. $195 per family, per day

Option #2 Parents stay in a hotel: Covers interpreter services and driver/transportation (to and from all location require to complete the adoption process). The parents are responsible to pay for a hotel accommodation. $95 per family, per day

Surcharge fees

Any additional person travels with the two-parent family or an additional person travels with the single parent that needs separate room, if adding an additional person will require a larger apartment or larger vehicle, there will be the extra charge. Also if arriving at a later or different time, there will be a transfer fee added.

Two parent family with small child or single traveling with child no extra charge. $35 per person, per day

Additional expenses in country including below

Child Passport

PMZ - Stamp in child's passport that permits leave the country

ZAGS - Birth and Adoption Certificates

Child's Passport Registration

Court Taxes

Translation and Copy of child's dossier

Notary and Certification, documents and preparation after court hearing for the US Consul

Courier and transportation of all documents to and from official offices

These total $2,400

Medical and Embassy

Child Immigrant Visa $400

Medical Exam $100

HIV Testing $28

Travel and Miscellaneous

Visa for Kazakhstan travel per parent $150

Gifts for Orphanage Director and Staff $400

Round-trip airfare per parent approx. $2,200

Regional airfare or train travel per parent approx. $250-350

Child’s airfare (in-country and international) approx. $1,100

Hotel tips, etc. $350

We make every effort to minimize the cost of your adoption; we know that the travel requirements for a Kazakhstan adoption are challenging.

Post Placement Fee: ICF $300 for one child; translations are between $50-90 per report

Escort Expenses (if family chooses escort option)

General Escort Fee: Cover expenses of the escort person while in Almaty for up to three days and accommodations, city transportation, airport transfers, meals and miscellaneous expenses while on the road to USA $2,000

Non-Immigrant Visa for Escort person: $100

Round trip airline ticket for escort person (in-country & international) approx. $2,200

One way ticket for adopted child (in-country & international) approx. $1,000

Parents are responsible for escort's accommodation, transportation and food while in US

Fees and costs are subject to change without notice.

We encourage you to ask questions. We are here to help!


Orphanages in Kazakhstan usually house 100 or more children, separated into age groups. The orphanages we have visited have been cheerful and clean, with bright curtains and plenty of caregivers. There are large indoor and outdoor play areas, sometimes furnished with donations from US corporations. When traveling, we urge families to visit the Central Museum (equivalent to a museum of natural and cultural history) and the Art Museum in Almaty. Both depict the history of the country, of the nomadic Kazakhs and their struggle to preserve their freedom. Cultural artifacts, crafts, rugs and beautifully quilted pieces of antique yurts are available for purchase.



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