Kazakhstan Program
Kazakhstan Program
Our Facilitator: Svetlana Sinitskaya holds a Master degree in Journalism and also has earned her Juris Doctorate. Specializing in the filed of adoptions since 1995, Svetlana initially worked as a public relations campaign organizer, lobbying for the passage of the adoption law and promoting the idea of international adoption in Kazakhstani media. She was responsible for organizing charitable events for the orphans of Kazakhstan, and developing educational delegations to the United States for Kazakhstani officials.
Ms. Sinitskaya made numerous public and newspaper appearances about the topic of international adoption in Kazakhstan, creating a positive image of the international adoption process. In 1998 the "Law on Marriage and The Family" was passed, organizing and legalizing international adoption in Kazakhstan. Since that time, Svetlana has facilitated the adoptions of over 800 children living in orphanages throughout the country of Kazakhstan. Ms. Sinitskaya has established a nonprofit foundation named World Without Orphans, created to help orphans and children who remain without parental care. She is actively involved in concerns over the rights of children and aid to the children and families in need.
CHILDREN AVAILABLE: Children of all ages are available. As Kazakhstan is an ethnically diverse country, children from many different backgrounds are available for adoption, including Eurasian, Asian and Caucasian. The children live in orphanages and have been relinquished, orphaned or abandoned.
REQUIREMENTS: Couples and single women may adopt. Generally, applicants must be 50 or under to adopt an infant. Families with other children in the home may apply. There are no requirements regarding length of marriage, and divorced persons may apply.
PROCESS: Dossier processing takes approximately 2-5 months. Proposed child referral information is provided, including medical history and available social history. Travel is generally 3 weeks for the first trip, and three to five days for the second trip. Escort services available for the second trip. Both parents must travel to the local region for child visitation and court. Visa interviews are conducted at the American Embassy in Almaty.