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 | Kazakhstan ~ Who Are the Children?
by Libby Walch |
The children available for adoption in Kazakhstan include infants, toddlers, school-age children, and some sibling groups. Most are of Asian or Eurasian ethnicity with some ethnic Russian children as well. Some of the children have physical handicaps, mostly correctable, and a number have a degree of pre-maturity in their birth history. Others may have difficult medical or social histories, including family neglect and possibly alcoholism in both parents. All the children are classified as having orphanage delays and minor correctable conditions.
Families adopting older children must be aware that these children have suffered some institutional and emotional deprivation during their early years of life. The children we have worked with appear to be well cared for with warm, concerned caretakers. However, characteristics of these children may be similar to those of any children with special needs stemming from lack of proper parenting, early loss or lack of attachment, a loss of personal history and genetic connection, geographical moves, and the developmental delays that often result from such losses and institutional care.
It is common to have little background information on children. As long as Kazakhstan considers adoptions to be a closed process, this will be difficult to change. The amount of information available before travel will be limited. Families should plan to travel with no information on a child. Occasionally, a family may receive medical information and photos or a name and date of birth. Though most often, no information is given before travel. Families will receive full information about the child upon arrival. There are experienced clinics in the United States available to examine your child’s information while you are in Kazakhstan.
What are Parent Eligibility Requirements?
There is a minimum age restriction set by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. You must be 25 years old to immigrate a child to the United States. A maximum of 45 years age difference between younger parent and child is the usual guideline. There is no religious requirement. Single women are accepted. Couples must be married for a minimum of two years. Families applying for a child from Kazakhstan should demonstrate a sincere willingness to get to know and appreciate the culture of Kazakhstan and be prepared to impart that knowledge and affirmation to their Kazakhstan child.
What are the Travel Requirements?
Both parents are required to travel. Both parents are required to visit the child for at least two weeks. Both parents are required to attend the court hearing after the two-week visitation. Families can choose to complete the adoption in one or two trips. The adoption process in country will take approximately six to seven weeks to complete.
The court hearing occurs approximately two to three weeks after the family starts visiting with the child. There is a 15 day waiting period after court before the final court decree is issued. If parents choose to complete the process in one trip the stay will be approximately six to seven weeks and only one parent needs to stay after the court hearing. If the family chooses two trips, the first trip will last approximately three weeks; the second trip will last approximately four to six days. Only one parent is required to return for the second trip. Families must travel to the U.S. Embassy in Almaty, Kazakhstan, to process the immigrant visa for the child.
What is the Process and Timing of a Kazakhstan Adoption?
Families apply to the Kazakhstan adoption program. The agency staff advises and works with each family to complete two sets of dossier documents according to the rules of the Kazakhstan government. The adoption dossier for Kazakhstan takes approximately three to four months to be approved by the Kazakhstan government. According to MAPS adoption agency, travel to Kazakhstan is estimated to occur approximately four to 10 months after the dossier is submitted. Of course, this estimate can vary depending on factors such as your specific child request, political and bureaucratic changes or unexpected delays. Agencies consult with each family to determine child preference. Parents typically will have two to four weeks to prepare for their trip to Kazakhstan. It is important to remember that variations in estimated time frames are possible.
The agency’s staff in the United States and in Kazakhstan work with the Kazakhstan central and local governments regarding pre-adoption steps which must be completed prior to travel. In addition, the agency will assist you in obtaining your visas in order to enter Kazakhstan. Administrative processing of the actual adoption occurs while the family is in Kazakhstan. The immigrant visa procedures are completed in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan issues the family a final decree of adoption of the child. Families are required to register their child with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Astana, Kazakhstan before leaving. In many cases, the coordinator in Kazakhstan can do this for the family.
After the child’s arrival in the United States, there is a post-placement supervisory period and finalization or recognition in the court of the family’s state of residence. Families are required to send periodic reports and photographs to Kazakhstan. They serve as a critical part of all adoptions as they are translated and forwarded on to the foreign officials and orphanage directors who make international adoption possible.
Patience and flexibility are essential to working with this or any other international program. The adoption process, as well as communication and the concept of timeliness, is different in Kazakhstan.
Libby Walch is the Kazakhstan program coordinator for MAPS International. She can be reached by e-mailing libbyw@mapsadopt.org.
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