The 4-Step Kazakhstan Adoption Process

Step 1
The adoption process from Kazakhstan is broken into four parts and generally takes a little over a year. First, you must gather and prepare all of the documents needed for your adoption. This includes obtaining criminal and child abuse clearances, spending time with a Social Worker as a part of a Home Study, obtaining reference letters, employment verification, birth certificates, approval from U.S. Immigration, etc. In most cases it takes at least 3 - 4 months to get through this part of the paperwork. All documents must be originals and generally less than 4 months old when submitted to Kazakhstan.

Step 2
For the second part of your adoption, your dossier is sent to our guides/interpreters in Kazakhstan. There they are translated, registered and bound, and returned to the United States. Your documents are then sent to and reviewed by the Kazakhstan Embassy in Washington, D.C. Normally the Embassy submits your documents to the government in Kazakhstan in less than two months. In Kazakhstan your documents are again reviewed; you are approved as an adoptive family in about a month. You will then receive an invitation to travel to Kazakhstan and begin your adoption trip. Travel usually takes place about a month after receiving your invitation.

Step 3
You will fly to Astana, the capitol of Kazakhstan. You will be met by an English-speaking member of our Kazakhstan staff at the airport. You will then register with the Ministry of Education and receive written permission to visit orphanages. In most cases families will choose to stay in a secure private apartment arranged by your guide. Families may stay in hotels or apartments.

Your guide will tell you about different children currently available, and you may choose which orphanage you wish to visit first. While many families prefer to adopt children in or around the capitol of Astana, more children may be available in other cities. Kazakhstan is a large country, and transportation is available by both rail and air.

Children in orphanages in Kazakhstan generally receive adequate care. As with any orphanage system many of the children will have medical needs, but there are also many children available without medical issues. More boys are available than girls. Families dedicated to adopting at least one girl may wish to consider a sibling group of both genders. (Note – families adopting siblings receive a full Federal Adoption Tax Credit for each child adopted.) Children under 2 years of age are generally available, particularly in orphanages farther from the capitol Astana.

Once you have selected the child(ren) you wish to adopt, you begin a 21 day bonding period with the child(ren). (Note – in some cities only a 14 day period is required. Your guide will let you know.) During those 21 days you may obtain a private medical examination. In rare cases families will decide that their first choice was not right for their family, and the family may again visit different orphanages. The 21 or 14 day bonding period starts over with the selection of a different child. Once you have completed your bonding time you may go before a judge to complete your adoption. Your guide will work to schedule your adoption ceremony as closely as possible to the end of the bonding period. When your adoption ceremony is complete, one spouse may immediately return to the United States. At least one spouse will need to stay for a few days to file some required paperwork.

In most cases families will return to the United States at this point, although you may stay in Kazakhstan if you prefer. There is a one month period during which the judge’s decree becomes final, and additional paperwork is processed.

Step 4
After the month of waiting after your first trip, your family returns to Kazakhstan to file final papers and obtain your child(ren)’s Visa to enter the United States. This trip usually takes 1 – 2 weeks, and only one parent has to travel. For an additional fee it may be possible to have your child(ren) escorted to the United States in place of this second trip.

Once you are home our agency will help you integrate your child into the United States, and to comply with post-adoption requirements. Kazakhstan asks for reports on the progress of adopted children periodically until the child is 18 years of age.

Interested in Our Kazakhstan Adoption Program? Click Here to View Our Pricing Information

American Adoptions1-800-adoption

The 4-Step Kazakhstan Adoption Process