Travel to Kazakhstan

The one trip requirement was changed in January 2005. Two trips are now suggested. Both parents are required to travel for the first trip only! Adoptive parents will travel and stay in the country for approximately three weeks for the first trip. The reason for this is that both parents are required to visit the child for a minimum of two weeks at the child’s place of residence in Kazakhstan prior to adoption (“the Bonding Period”). The pre-adoption bonding period CANNOT be waived. In about 3-5 business days after the bonding period is up, you will have a court hearing, which is about 2-3 weeks after the family starts visiting with the child. Both parents are required to attend the court hearing after the two weeks of visitation. After the court hearing you are free to return home. The law of Kazakhstan also provides for a 15-day waiting period (“the Appeal Period”) after the court hearing before the adoption becomes final. A judge can waive this period by his or her discretion. The court decision, adoption certificate, post-adoption birth certificate and Kazakhstan passport cannot be obtained until the adoption is deemed final by the judge and if “the Appeal Period” in your case was not waived – you will need to wait 15 days before being able to proceed with any documents. With the new changes, the passport processing will take up to 30 days. That is why families will be traveling back home for a month. Prior to traveling, families will prepare necessary paperwork allowing all of the necessary documents to be prepared on your behalf by our representatives between your trips. Once everything is completed, you will travel for a second trip. The second trip will last approximately 2-4 days. Only one parent is required to return for the second trip. All families will need to go through the U.S. Embassy in Almaty, Kazakhstan to process the immigrant visa for the child. Most of the immigrant visas for children from Kazakhstan are IR-3 immigrant visas.

Many families enjoy the “bonding period” as it allows them to actually see, hold and interact with their child prior to acceptance of the referral. The family received first-hand, detailed and current information about the child. We can also coordinate, for a nominal fee, the assistance of a physician in-country, (in addition to the orphanage doctor) to give a private consultation on the health and condition of the child. The family is also allowed to take videos and pictures of their child for their doctor in United States (who is familiar with international adoptions). The Kazakhstan’s government wants to insure the best possible placement for their children and they feel that if the parents meet their child and interact with him/her, it will only work to enhance the adoption process in the end.  That is why they require the “bonding period”.