Program on Hold
April 26, 2011 – Ambassador Jacobs continues to engage with Kyrgyz officials. The new Family Code has passed Parliament and we await the President’s signature. It may be weeks or months for the procedural issues to be ironed out. Hopefully, waiting children and families will be given special consideration.
Sept 15, 2010 ~ Ambassador Susan Jacobs met with high level Kyrgyz officials to resolve impediments o completing adoptions of the waiting families and childen. Outcome as yet unknown.
August 25, 2010 ~ program is still suspended, awaiting new government of Kyrgyzstan to enable adoption of waiting matched children to be completed and for general adoption to resume.
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.
Overview
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.
Family Eligibility to Adopt
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.
Children referred for Adoption
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 $325 for one child, $375 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: $1,100 (if prepared by ICF; fees vary with other home study providers)
Agency Fee: $6,500 total; $3,500 administration fee due upon return of Adoption Agreement and the balance is due upon submission of the Dossier — $3,000
St Philomena Foreign Facilitation Fee: $12,500
Due with Adoption Agreement
First Payment of Agency Fee $3,500
First Payment of Foreign Facilitation Fee $2,000
Due at the time the Home Study is completed for Facilitator review
Second Payment of Foreign Facilitation Fee $3,500
Due at the time Dossier is complete and submitted to ICF
Final Payment Agency Fee $3,000
Dept of State Certifications $200
Dossier Legalization Fee at Kyrgyz Consulate ($100 per document) $2,000
Dossier Translation Fee $650
Dossier Courier Fee and Postage $350
Due upon acceptance of your Child Referral
Balance of Foreign Facilitation Fee (Case Representation) $7,000
Nanny, formula or massage for child, optional but recommended, 3 mos. $80 = $240
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 (estimated total $8,400)
Lodging may be in an apartment ($60-70 night) or hotel ($100-180) $2,100-$3,600 (estimated total $3,000)
Meals and sundries approximately $35 per day (estimated total $800)
Travel Estimate: $12,220
Note: All adoptions are subject to change, including estimates for waiting times, fees, travel costs and program availability. Please contact us for updates.
