About 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.

ICF 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.

It 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