Kyrgyzstan is a country that has been independent since 1991. It is bordered to the north by Kazakhstan and to the south by China. It has a diverse population with the majority being Muslim. It is a beautiful, agricultural country. It has a rich heritage. All of your adoption days overseas will be spent in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan except for the final two days, which will be in Almaty, Kazakhstan.  As reported by our families that have traveled to this country, Bishkek is an international city that offers much to see.  The streets are lined with restaurants reflecting foods of different cultures.  They have an English speaking movie theater, coffeehouses, internet cafes, and other amenities.  Another favorite of the families are the bazaars that offer interesting shopping.  Families stay in apartments in very safe neighborhoods that allow for evening outings.

The Children:
Children available for adoption from Kyrgyzstan range in age from 3 months to 16 years of age. They are beautiful children with features ranging from Asian to European. The majority of the children will have Asian influence while around 25% will be of Russian origin.

Prospective parents:
Single women and couples who have been married for at least one year can apply to adopt from Kyrgyzstan. Families of any size are eligible to adopt from Kyrgyzstan. The younger prospective parent cannot be more than 45 years older than an adoptable child, Parents must be at least 16 years older than the child to be adopted. Kyrgyzstan also allows unrelated children to be adopted at the same time.

Trip Process:
The adoptive family will make two trips to Kyrgyzstan during the adoption process. They need to come initially for fourteen days.  During this visit the family will visit with their child each day. After this initial trip it will take approximately six weeks to complete the adoption and process your child's passport so they can depart. After this is completed a member of the adoptive family will travel for approximately ten days to finish the departure and immigration process.   You will depart on your second trip from Almaty, Kazakhstan since the US Embassy in Almaty is responsible for the final processing of the orphan visa required for you to bring your child home.

Timelines:
The time to adoption varies with document preparation completion, age of child, gender of child, political climate and region. The most desired child in adoption is an infant girl thus creating the longest wait. Referral waiting times for either gender is now at least 12 months old. Once you receive a referral and travel, it will usually take three to five months to complete your adoption.