U.S. Citizen Services
International Adoption Kazakhstan
Disclaimer: The following is intended as a very general guide to assist U.S. citizens who plan to adopt a child from a foreign country and apply for an immigrant visa for the child to come to the United States. Two sets of laws are particularly relevant: 1) the laws of the child's country of birth govern all activity in that country including the adoptability of individual children as well as the adoption of children in country in general; and 2) U.S. immigration law governs the immigration of the child to the United States.
The information in this flyer relating to the legal requirements of specific foreign countries is based on public sources and our current understanding. It does not necessarily reflect the actual state of the laws of a child's country of birth and is provided for general information only. Moreover, U.S. immigration law, including regulations and interpretation, changes from time to time. This flyer reflects our current understanding of the law as of this date and is not legally authoritative. Questions involving foreign and U.S. immigration laws and legal interpretation should be addressed respectively to qualified foreign or U.S. legal counsel.
Note on HIV/AIDS: In mid-2006, a number of children in the Shymkent region (southern Kazakhstan) tested positive for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Kazakhstani government officials confirmed that the children were infected by contaminated blood transfusions and reusing medical equipment, such as needles for vaccinations or catheters. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) worked with the Government of Kazakhstan to investigate the incident. While the CDC and the Department of State do not have reason to believe that this situation affected anyone outside of southern Kazakhstan, we felt it was important to notify all parents who have adopted or are planning to adopt children from Kazakhstan.
PLEASE NOTE: Kazakhstani law requires that orphans be registered with the Ministry of Education Committee of Guardianship and Care for at least six months before they are eligible for adoption. It is difficult for foreigners to adopt two or more biologically unrelated children at the same time. Prospective adoptive parents wishing to adopt two or more non-siblings on the same trip are urged to question their adoption agencies carefully prior to visiting the children to ascertain whether this is possible in the city where they plan to adopt.
Kazakhstan has a requirement that all adopted children must have a Post Placement Report (PPR) filed for them each year until the adopted child turns 18. This is extremely important, and a failure by adoptive parents to comply with this requirement could have a negative effect on the ability of future families to adopt from Kazakhstan.
Fiscal Year Number of Immigrant Visas Issued
FY 2006 606
FY 2005 761
FY 2004 843
FY 2003 825
FY 2002 819
ADOPTION AUTHORITY IN KAZAKHSTAN: The Kazakhstani government agency that oversees intercountry adoptions is:
Ministry of Education
Committee on the Protection of Children's Rights
House of Ministries
Left Bank
Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan
http://edu.gov.kz/