In Kazakhstan, all adoptions are controlled by the Ministry of Education. FTC works with our foreign team to coordinate your adoption process and see that everything goes smoothly. Everyone on our foreign team is a native Russian speaker. A team member who is professional, courteous, and extremely competent will be with you during your entire process in Kazakhstan. FTC and our foreign facilitators stay in constant contact to ensure that you receive the best possible service during your adoption.

Parents will travel to their child’s region via train or plane (depending upon the region). While in the region, parents may stay either in a hotel or in an apartment with a kitchen. Many parents prefer an apartment so they can prepare their own meals. In Almaty, you will stay in a Western style hotel.

On the first or second day in your region, you will go with your FTC facilitator to the Ministry of Education for an interview. During this interview you will be matched with a child who meets your request, and then obtain permission to go to the orphanage.

At the orphanage, you will meet with orphanage personnel and receive information on the child. You will receive and review available medical and background information and also be given some written information. After you review your child’s information, you will meet the child. FTC strongly recommends that you have the medical information and photos of the child reviewed by an International Adoption Physician via phone or email. FTC can assist you with arranging this consult in advance of your trip.

If you accept the referral of the child you are shown, a mandatory 14 day bonding period begins. Each day for 14 days, you are able to visit your child at the orphanage.  While this can make for a long stay in Kazakhstan, it is a wonderful transitional period for both the child and the future parents. The child has time to get to know you and bond with you in familiar surroundings. This also allows you time to experience your child’s environment, daily routine, and personality. What a wonderful way for you to connect to your child’s heritage and place of origin!

After the 14 day bonding period you are asked whether or not you want to formally commit to adopt that child. If you are ready to adopt this child, in 1-2 weeks you will attend a formal court hearing. The judge typically will rule favorably on the adoption, but like all international adoptions this cannot be guaranteed. In all Kazakhstan adoptions, the judge in Kazakhstan does have the right to deny the adoption. Although Kazakhstan law allows for this possibility, a denial has never happened to a family working with our in country team.

After the favorable ruling of the adoption, you will continue home or stay in Kazakhstan, depending on the FTC Travel Option you have chosen.

FTC Kazakhstan Adoption Travel Options

Option 1 – One Trip.  7-9 Weeks (8 weeks is most common; one spouse can leave after 4-5 weeks).

Parents stay in Kazakhstan until the adoption is finalized and the child can travel home to the US.  For married couples once the court hearing has happened, about 4-5 weeks after arriving, one parent may return home while the other parents stays with the child in Kazakhstan to finalize.  After court, there is a fifteen day appeal period before the adoption is finalized. This 15 day period could be waived by the judge, but this is uncommon.  When everything is set for you to return home with your child, you will leave your region and go to Almaty for your US Embassy appointments. After your Embassy appointment and Consular registration, you and your child can return to the US (about 3-5 weeks from your court hearing). 

Option 2 - Two Trips

Trip 1  Parents travel to Kazakhstan for 4-5 weeks for the referral, the bonding period, and court. After court, parents can immediately travel home.

Trip 2  Parents return 4-6 weeks later for a short (one week or less) pick-up trip. If married, only one parent is required to travel for the second trip.  Parents travel first to the region to receive their child, then back to Almaty for the Embassy appointment and Consular registration before returning home.

Option 3 - One 4-5 Week Trip and Escort Service

Parents (both if married) travel to Kazakhstan for 4-5 weeks for the referral, the bonding period and court. After court, both parents travel home.  Four to six weeks later your child will be escorted to the United States by one of our own FTC staff members. The fee for the escort service is $2,000 plus the cost of travel expenses for the escort and your child.

This is definitely the most popular option due to work and family obligations that most have here in the US.

Don't forget to check out our Frequently Asked Questions page for more in-depth information and the answers to questions parents ask most often.