Kazakhstan Adoption Blog

Category None
Bookmark :              


We have two families anticipating return to the US with their children by the end of this month. We rejoice with these families. For those still waiting, we pray for the children and the persons taking care of them. We also pray with the families that the work that God is doing in them to prepare them for their child will be completed.

Regarding the steps in beginning to submit dossier, we have sent the information requested by Kazakhstan regarding our in-country coordinators. We anticipate that the next steps will be released soon. In the meantime we are still seeing waiting families move through the process, though slowly. Those families only open to young females are waiting longer for invitation as there just are not as many females as males waiting. Families will need to keep this in mind when submitting dossier for Kazakhstan.

Posted by Jan A. Parmenter At 10:27:17 AM Location | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Category None
Bookmark :              

32 agencies have been "cleared" by the Kazakhstan Consulate in the first step towards approval to work in Kazakhstan.  Bethany Christian Services is amongst those listed. Two more agencies are still being reviewed.

The next step in the process is for these agencies to provide the Embassy of Kazakhstan with the name(s) and contact information for the local coordinator(s)/facilitator(s) that they use in Kazakhstan.  We will be sending this information out next week. These names will be provided to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who will then send it to the Committee on Child Protection who will arrange a coordinating meeting with all of these coordinators to ensure that there is a uniform understanding of the rules and requirements for their activities in Kazakhstan.

When that process has been completed, the Kazakhstan Embassy review process will be complete.  They will publish the list of all of the approved agencies and contact information on the Embassy Website, so that people who wish to adopt from Kazakhstan will know whom to contact.

The current time frame for completion of this process is estimated to be the end of this year. Please pray with us for continued success and wisdom so that we can continue to help children in Kazakhstan find their forever families.

Posted by Jan A. Parmenter At 10:08:19 AM Location | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Category None
Bookmark :              

As mentioned in the previous blog, the Kazakhstan Embassy and Consulate had stopped receiving dossiers for several months in order to complete authentication of the dossiers that were backed up in their offices and to begin the process of reviewing all agencies interested in submitting dossier for adoption from Kazakhstan. Registration documents had to be submitted to the Washington DC office of the Consulate by September 15th, 2008. Our documents were submitted and now we await word as to whether we will be allowed to submit dossier once again. At this time we do not have a time frame for when we will be notified. Though we were unable to submit dossier, families already in process have continued to move through the steps. One family traveled in August and will have their court date on September 16th, 2008. Two more families leave the 15th of September. One additional family is waiting for final dates for travel. Seven families continue their wait for Invitation to Travel.

Posted by Susan N. Vissers At 10:23:42 AM Location | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Category None
Bookmark :              


There continue to be questions regarding Post Adoption Reports from families and workers. Over the years the number of supervised post adoption reports sent from the agency and those sent by parents has changed. However, Kazakhstan has always asked that reports continue until the child reaches 18 years of age. Agreements are signed between the parent and the Kazakhstan Government and the worker and the Kazakhstan Government promising that they will provide such reports along with photos until the child's 18th birthday.

Currently we ask that families and workers submit 4 supervised reports. They are: Arrival, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months. Following this period of supervised reports, families should submit a yearly report along with pictures until their child reaches 18 years of age. Reports are due on the anniversary of your adoption.

These do not need to be long involved reports, but should reflect, in letter form, the childs current functioning developmentally, emotionally, intellectually, and socially. Families should address adjustment and any problems that have arisen and how these were addressed or will be addressed.

These reports should be sent to our Bethany International offices attn: Kazakhstan Program, Bethany Christian Services, 901 Eastern Ave NE, PO Box 294, Grand Rapids, MI 49501-0294.

At this time there is no charge for translating the documents as we are most interested in being sure the promises we make to people and countries are upheld.

Posted by Jan A. Parmenter At 11:05:51 AM Location | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Category None
Bookmark :              


July has been busy with vacations both here at Bethany and in NY Consulate. We have been told that the Consulate plans to have all dossiers currently there reviewed by the end of August.

Many of you have also likely seen the most recent post from the Kazakhstan Embassy regarding their plans for reviewing agencies and registering them. Though this means some delays in process now, it assures that those families working with legitimate agencies who are abiding by the Kazakhstan adoption laws, will have their adoption processed in a manner that is consistent with best adoption practices. It also upholds the rights of all members of the adoption triad; children, biological parents and adoptive parents.

Change can be frustrating and at times frightening. However, in this case we can applaud the efforts of those persons who are working toward establishing practices that will protect children.

Posted by Jan A. Parmenter At 09:46:29 AM Location | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Category None
Bookmark :              


During these first few days of June we have received notice of Travel Invitation coming for a family and two additional families have moved out of MFA to their assigned region. We also had the family currently in country successfully complete their court hearing. We are thankful for the progress in each of these adoptions.

Posted by Jan A. Parmenter At 07:01:32 AM Location | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Category None
Bookmark :              

The Kazakhstan consulate office has made known that they are in the process of developing new procedures for the submission of dossiers and that these procedures will be announced sometime in late June.  It is expected that the new procedures will also include a list of approved agencies. Bethany continues to work toward being included as one of these agencies.

At this time we do have one family in country who will hopefully complete their adoption this week. We have several other families whom we hope to receive Letters of Invitation soon. In general those families who have already submitted dossier and had entered the consulate will continue to move through the process.

Posted by Jan A. Parmenter At 07:36:36 AM Location | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Category None
Bookmark :              


Kazakhstan has experienced a flood of families (not just Bethany) interested in adoption since fall of 2007. This is due in part to the changes in Guatemala and in China. To address this increase in applicants and in order to better monitor and provide equitable access to all families, each Department of Ministry that reviews families is taking more time. At this time we are anticipating Letters of Invitation for those families only interested in young children, and girls in particular, will likely wait closer to the 12 month time frame for Letter of Invitation.

The good news is that our families continue to move through the process, albeit slower than hoped, still moving. We continue to happily receive new applications and dossiers for this program.

Posted by Jan A. Parmenter At 02:04:21 PM Location | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Category None
Bookmark :              


At the end of March we received good news that a family had been assigned to a region. Notice of their letter of invitation and number assigned came a few days ago. The family should be traveling in the next month. We hope this is the beginning of travel for several families. At this time we continue to see time from dossier arrival in the MOFA to families completion of their adoption, falling between the 6-12 month timeframe.

The timeframes will be longer for those who are only interested in girls under 4 years of age. Families should consider either gender and children over 4 years if waiting time is of concern for them.

Posted by Jan A. Parmenter At 12:12:24 PM Location | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Category None
Bookmark :              

The following was posted by JCICS -

On Monday March 24^th, Joint Council met with Kazakhstan Ambassador to the United States Erlan Idrissov and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Michelle Bond.  The meeting addressed the Ambassador’s concerns regarding adoptions between the United States and Kazakhstan and confirmed the ongoing review of all adoptions cases currently at the Kazakhstan Embassy in Washington DC.   The Ambassador kindly detailed Kazakhstan’s efforts to ensure that intercountry adoptions are in the best interest of each child and conducted within an ethical and legal framework.  He also expressed Kazakhstan’s efforts to utilize the tenets of the Hague Convention in both current and future laws.

Joint Council is please to report that at the conclusion of the meeting, the Ambassador confirmed that the temporary suspension of dossier processing by the Embassy is lifted and dossier’s meeting all necessary criteria will be processed.   Dossiers not meeting the criteria will be held at the Embassy until all issues and concerns are successfully resolved.  The Ambassador also confirmed that a review of all adoption service providers and family dossiers is ongoing and will remain in effect until further notice.  During this review period, adoption service providers and potential adoptive parents should expect ongoing delays in processing times.  No specific time line for the processing of dossiers is currently available.  

It remains Joint Council’s understanding that in adoption cases where the dossier has already been processed by the Kazakhstan Embassy and forward to Astana are not affected by the review process noted above.  

The Kazakhstan Embassy, U.S. Department of State and Joint Council have agreed to work collaboratively over the coming weeks to ensure that the goal of ethical, legal adoptions under the tenets of the Hague Convention are met in a timely fashion and in the best interest of each child.  Joint Council hopes to meet with Consular Chief Almat Aidarbekov in the coming days to discuss specific issues related to child welfare in the U.S. and Kazakhstan.

Posted by Jan A. Parmenter At 07:15:27 AM Location | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)