Adoption. Kazakhstan

Privet (Hello) and welcome to Kazakhstan! Across The World Adoptions (ATWA) is honored to announce that on May 2, 2012, we were one of the first two agencies to be approved by the Republic of Kazakhstan when adoptions were re-opened. You can read the U.S. Department of State announcement at:

Kazakhstan is located along the exotic “Silk Road” between Russia on the north and China on the south and thus includes a splendid array of ethnicities. Historically a nomadic people, about 2/3 of the population are Kazakh/Asian. There is a large segment of Russian/Ukrainian/German descent and small groups of Tatar or Roma heritage. Most people speak both Kazakh and Russian. ATWA currently completes adoptions in Almaty, which is located in the south, near the border with China.

Kazakhstan is now a Hague adoption country. The Ministry of Education and Science (MOES) is the Central Authority for adoption. MOES is the only entity authorized to identify and refer children for adoption. Adoptions are processed by the court in Almaty and there will be no foreign supervised providers. Applicants will need to file an I-800A form with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS).

Please review the website of the U.S. Department of State on adoption, including the latest notices and alerts:

The Children

• Babies age 8-36 months and children up to 15 years. Prospective parents hoping to adopt babies must be prepared and approved for the adoption of children from 8-36 months of age at the time of referral.
• As the program begins, families may specify a gender preference. As the program proceeds, we may need to re-evaluate this possibility.
• It is not possible to specify an ethnicity preference.
• Children are on a national database while a family is sought within Kazakhstan and are then released for international adoption.
• Before you travel, prospective parents will receive photos and a medical and social history. You must consult with an international adoption doctor who can help you evaluate the medical records. Kazakhstan will consider reasonable requests for additional testing or independent examinations at your expense.
• Biological siblings are sometimes identified for referral, but it is rare. Under unusual circumstances, it may be possible to adopt two unrelated children.