US State Department: Adoption Alert

Adoption Alert

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Office of Children’s Issues
__________________________________________________________________

December 10, 2008

The U.S. Department of State does not recommend that U.S. citizens consider adoption from Kyrgyzstan at this time because of serious, ongoing problems in the country’s intercountry adoption process.   A number of prospective adoptive parents have reported that their cases are not being processed.  The U.S. Embassy has requested official clarification, but no formal response has been received. 

According to local experts, no cases are being processed at this time.  Further, the government of Kyrgyzstan appears to be making moves to strengthen its internal controls of and develop new legislation on adoptions.  It has been reported that Kyrgyz citizens may have been denied the opportunity to adopt during the past year, even while some intercountry adoptions by non-citizens were being approved.   At this time it is not clear what action will be taken on pending cases or if the Government of Kyrgyzstan will accept any new cases

The U.S. Embassy continues to monitor the situation and will provide clarification as soon as it is received