The Kyrgyz Republic is a party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention or Convention). Intercountry adoption processing in Convention countries must be done in accordance with the requirements of the Hague Adoption Convention; the U.S. implementing legislation, the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (IAA); the IAA’s implementing regulations and U.S. adoption-related immigration policies; as well as the implementing legislation and regulations of the Kyrgyz Republic. Please see below in the Who Can Adopt, Who can be Adopted, and How to Adopt sections for more detail on the intercountry adoption steps involving the Kyrgyz Republic.

Note: If any of the following occurred prior to November 1, 2016 (the date on which the Hague Adoption Convention entered into force for the Kyrgyz Republic), the Hague Adoption Convention may not apply to your case: 1) you filed a Form I-600A, Application for Advance Processing of an Orphan Petition, identifying the Kyrgyz Republic as the country where you intended to adopt and the approval or extension is still valid; 2) you filed a Form I-600, Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative, on behalf of a child from the Kyrgyz Republic, or 3) you completed the adoption. Under these circumstances, your adopted child’s adoption could continue to be processed as a non-Convention case, provided the child’s country of origin agrees. For more information, read about Hague Transition Cases. There may be other circumstances when the Hague Adoption Convention may not apply. For additional information, see the USCIS website. Please contact adoption@state.gov with the details of the case if this situation applies to you.

In addition to being found suitable and eligible to adopt by USCIS, prospective adoptive parents seeking to adopt a child from the Kyrgyz Republic must meet the following requirements imposed by the Kyrgyz Republic:

• Minimum Residency: There is no requirement to reside in the Kyrgyz Republic. However, prospective adoptive parents are required to spend ten days in the Kyrgyz Republic bonding with the child before the adoption may be finalized by the court. During the bonding period the child is in the legal and physical custody of the orphanage in which he/she resides.
• Age of Adopting Parents: An unmarried prospective adoptive parent must be at least 16 years older than the child (a court’s consent is required for an age difference of less than 16 years). Prospective adoptive parents must be under 60 years of age (Ministry of Labor, Social Welfare and Migration (MoLSM) consent is required for cases where the prospective adoptive parent(s) is over the age of 60).
• Marriage: A single person or a married couple can adopt, but an unmarried couple cannot jointly adopt a child.
  
• Minimum Income: There are no specific income requirements, but prospective adoptive parents must have sufficient funds to support minimum life requirements according to Kyrgyz standards.
• Other requirements:
  • Marriage by same-sex couples is not recognized by the Kyrgyz Republic.
  • The following are NOT permitted to adopt in the Kyrgyz Republic:
    • Persons found by a court to be incompetent or of limited competence;
    • Persons who have had their parental rights revoked or restricted by a court;
    • Persons who have been discharged by the court from the duties of guardian for the improper performance of those duties;
    • Persons who have had an adoption annulled by a court, if it was their fault;
    • Persons who for health reasons cannot exercise parental rights or have one of the diseases on the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic’s list of prohibited diseases;
    • Persons found to have insufficient income to meet the minimum subsistence level established by the Kyrgyz government;
    • Persons who have no permanent residence or adequate housing for the child;
    • Persons who have been convicted and sentenced to a crime against the life and health of others, have an unexpunged conviction for a serious crime, or are repeat offenders.

Because the Kyrgyz Republic is party to the Hague Adoption Convention, children from the Kyrgyz Republic must meet the requirements of the Convention in order to be eligible for intercountry adoption. For example, the adoption may take place only if the competent authorities of the Kyrgyz Republic have determined that placement of the child within the Kyrgyz Republic has been given due consideration and that an intercountry adoption is in the child’s best interests.

Adoption of children by foreign citizens is permitted only in cases where it is not possible to transfer these children for upbringing to families of citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic permanently residing in the territory of the Kyrgyz Republic, or for adoption by relatives of the children, regardless of the citizenship and place of residence of these relatives.

In addition to qualifying as a Convention adoptee under U.S. immigration law, the child must also meet the following requirements imposed by the Kyrgyz Republic:

• Eligibility for adoption:
  • A prospective adoptive child must be declared eligible for intercountry adoption by the MoLSM. A minor child may be adopted if the parent(s):
    • Are dead.
    • Are unknown or adjudged to be missing or declared dead.
    • Have lost their parental rights in a court action.
    • Have been declared incompetent by a court.
    • Have abandoned the child.
• Relinquishment: Birth parents may relinquish their parental rights in anticipation of a specific Kyrgyz citizen adopting the child but may not relinquish their parental rights in order for the child to be adopted by specific non-Kyrgyz citizen parent(s) through the Convention adoption process.
• Abandonment: If the sole parent or parents have not lived with or cared for the child for a period of more than six months for reasons the court deems unacceptable, the court may declare the child as abandoned.
• Age of Adoptive Child: A child under 18 years old may be declared eligible for intercountry adoption. Children over the age of 10 must consent to the adoption.

Please note that for a child to meet the definition of Convention adoptee under U.S. immigration law, a Form I-800, Petition to Classify Convention Adoptee as an Immediate Relative, must be filed on the child’s behalf while the child is under the age of 16 (or under the age of 18 if the child is the birth sibling of another adopted child who meets the age and other requirements to immigrate based on adoption by the same adoptive parent(s)). Please see the USCIS website and Form I-800 instructions for special rules on filing dates for children aged 15-16 or siblings under 18.

Caution: Prospective adoptive parents should be aware that not all children in orphanages or children’s homes are eligible for adoption. In many countries, birth parents place their child(ren) temporarily in an orphanage or children’s home due to financial or other hardship, intending that the child return home when possible. In such cases, the birth parent(s) have not relinquished their parental rights or consented to the adoption of their child(ren).

Warning: Do not adopt or obtain legal custody of a child in the Kyrgyz Republic before: 1) USCIS has approved your Form I-800A, Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country, 2) the Central Authority of the Kyrgyz Republic has determined the child is eligible for intercountry adoption, 3) USCIS has provisionally approved your Form I-800, Petition to Classify Convention Adoptee as an Immediate Relative, and 4) a U.S. consular officer has issued an “Article 5/17 Letter” in the case. Read on for more information.

The Kyrgyz Republic’s Central Adoption Authority

The Ministry of Labor, Social Welfare and Migration (MoLSM) of the Kyrgyz Republic 

The Process

Because the Kyrgyz Republic is party to the Hague Adoption Convention, adoptions from the Kyrgyz Republic must follow a specific process designed to meet the Convention’s requirements. A brief summary of the U.S. Convention adoption process is provided below. You must complete these steps in the following order to meet all necessary U.S. legal requirements. Completing certain steps out of order may cause significant delays or result in the child not being eligible for an immigrant visa to the United States.

1. Choose a U.S. Accredited or Approved Adoption Service Provider To Act as Your Primary Provider That Has Been Authorized by the Kyrgyz Republic’s Central Authority to Operate in the Kyrgyz Republic
2. Apply to USCIS to be Found Suitable and Eligible to Adopt (Form I-800A)
3. Apply to the Kyrgyz Republic’s Authorities to Adopt, and Be Matched with a Child
4.  Apply to USCIS for the Child to be Found Provisionally Eligible for Immigration to the United States as a Convention Adoptee (Form I-800) 
5. Apply for U.S. Visa and Receive U.S. Agreement to Proceed with the Adoption (Article 5/17 letter)
6. Adopt the Child in the Kyrgyz Republic
7. Secure a U.S. Immigrant Visa if You Intend to Reside with Your Child in the United States
8. Obtain U.S. Citizenship for Your Child

1. Choose a U.S. Accredited or Approved Adoption Service Provider to Act as Your Primary Provider That Has Been Authorized by the Kyrgyz Republic’s Central Authority to Operate in the Kyrgyz Republic

The accredited agency or approved person you identify as the primary provider is responsible for: 

• Ensuring that all six adoption services defined at 22 CFR 96.2 are provided consistent with applicable laws and regulations; 
• Supervising and being responsible for any supervised providers, and otherwise complying with the requirements regarding the provision of adoption services using other providers (see 22 CFR 96.14); and
• Developing and implementing a service plan in accordance with 22 CFR 96.44. 

Only accredited agencies, approved persons, supervised providers, exempted providers, public domestic authorities, and public foreign authorities that have been authorized by the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic may provide adoption services in intercountry adoption cases.

Learn more about Agency Accreditation.

2. Apply to USCIS to be Found Suitable and Eligible to Adopt

In order to adopt a child from the Kyrgyz Republic, you will need to meet the requirements of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic and U.S. immigration law.

After you choose an accredited or approved adoption service provider, you must be found suitable and eligible to adopt by USCIS by submitting Form I-800A, Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country. You will need to submit a home study, provide biometrics, and cooperate in a background check as part of this application. Please see USCIS webpages on suitability determinations and USCIS policy guidance on adoptive parent suitability determinations. Unless an exception applies, the home study must be prepared by a person who is authorized under 22 CFR 96 to prepare home studies and who holds any license or other authorization required by the law of the jurisdiction where the home study is conducted (unless a public domestic or public foreign authority). The home study must comply with the requirements in 8 CFR 204.311 and USCIS policy.

3. Apply to the Kyrgyz Republic’s Authorities to Adopt, and be Matched with a Child

Submit Your Dossier to the Central Authority
After USCIS determines that you are suitable and eligible to adopt and approves the Form I-800A application, your adoption service provider will provide your approval notice, home study, and any other required information to the adoption authority in the Kyrgyz Republic as part of your adoption application. The Kyrgyz Republic’s adoption authority will review your application to determine whether you are also suitable and eligible to adopt under the Kyrgyz Republic’s law. 

Receive a Referral for a Child from the Central Authority
If both the United States and the Kyrgyz Republic determine that you are suitable and eligible to adopt, and the Kyrgyz Republic’s Central Authority for Convention adoptions has determined that a child is eligible for adoption and that intercountry adoption is in that child’s best interests, the Central Authority for Convention adoptions in the Kyrgyz Republic may provide you with a referral. The referral is a proposed match between you and a specific child based on a review of your dossier and the needs of the child. The adoption authority in the Kyrgyz Republic will provide a background study and other information, if available, about the child to help you decide whether to accept the referral. We encourage families to consider consulting with a medical professional and their adoption service provider to understand the needs of the specific child, but you must decide for yourself whether you will be able to meet the needs of and provide a permanent home for a specific child. You must also adhere to the USCIS suitability determination with respect to the number of children and capacity to deal with any special needs of an adoptive child. Learn more about Health Considerations. If you accept the referral, the adoption service provider communicates that to the Central Authority in the Kyrgyz Republic. Learn more about this critical decision.  

4. Apply to USCIS for the Child to be Found Provisionally Eligible for Immigration to the United States as a Convention Adoptee and Receive U.S. Agreement to Proceed with the Adoption

Submit a Form I-800 Petition to Obtain Provisional Determination on the Child’s Immigration Eligibility
After you accept a match with a particular child, you will apply to USCIS for provisional approval for the child to immigrate to the United States by filing the Form I-800, Petition to Classify Convention Adoptee as an Immediate Relative. USCIS will make a provisional determination as to whether the child appears to meet the definition of a Convention Adoptee and will likely be eligible to be admitted to the United States. 

5. Apply for U.S. Visa and Receive U.S. Agreement to Proceed with the Adoption (Article 5/17 letter)
After provisional approval of the Form I-800 petition, you or your adoption service provider will submit a visa application to the consular section of U.S. Embassy Bishkek responsible for issuing immigrant visas to children from the Kyrgyz Republic. Your child will need an immigrant visa if you intend to reside in the United States with your child. If instead you intend to continue residing overseas with your child but still seek naturalization of your child by application (Form N-600K), you will not need an immigrant visa, but you may need a different type of visa to complete that process. Please discuss this with the consular officer handling your case and consult the USCIS website for more information. 

You should receive a letter from the National Visa Center (NVC) confirming receipt of the provisionally approved Form I-800 petition and assigning a case number and an invoice ID number.  Use this information to log into the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) to file the Electronic Immigrant Visa Application (DS-260) for your child.  An adoptive parent should fill out these forms in your child's name.  Answer every item on the form. If information is not applicable, please write “N/A” in the block.  Please review the DS-260 FAQs, our Online Immigrant Visa Forms page, or contact the NVC at NVCAdoptions@state.gov if you have questions about completing the online DS-260 form. A consular officer will review the provisionally approved Form I-800 petition and the visa application and, if applicable, advise you of options for the waiver of any ineligibilities related to the visa application.

The consular officer will send a letter (referred to as an “Article 5/17 Letter”) to the Kyrgyz Republic’s Central Authority in any intercountry adoption involving U.S. citizen parents and a child from the Kyrgyz Republic if all Convention requirements are met and the child appears eligible to immigrate to the United States. This letter will inform the Kyrgyz Republic’s Central Authority that the parents are suitable and eligible to adopt, that the child appears eligible to enter and reside permanently in the United States, and that the U.S. Central Authority agrees that the adoption may proceed.

Warning: Do not attempt to adopt a child in the Kyrgyz Republic before you receive provisional approval of your Form I-800 petition AND a U.S. consular officer issues the “Article 5/17 Letter” for your adoption case.

Remember: The consular officer will make a final decision about a child’s eligibility for an immigrant visa later in the adoption process. 

6. Adopt the Child in the Kyrgyz Republic

Remember: Before you adopt a child in the Kyrgyz Republic, you must have completed the above five steps. Only after completing these steps can you proceed to finalize the adoption.

The process for finalizing the adoption in the Kyrgyz Republic generally includes the following:

• Role of Adoption Authority:  
  • The MoLSM authorizes foreign organizations to operate in the Kyrgyz Republic. 
  • Prospective adoptive parents apply through authorized ASPs to the MoLSM, which will examine their documents.
  • The MoLSM will match a child to the family and issue a letter to the adoption service provider with information about the child. This letter is valid for 30 days. 
  • After the adoptive parents have spent a minimum of 10 days bonding with the child (parents can stay longer if they wish), the prospective adoptive parents will provide the adoption service provider with a statement of intent to adopt the child, who will submit it to the MoLSM.
  • The MoLSM will then issue a report of validity of adoption within 15 working days to the adoption service provider.
     
• Role of the Court: The Kyrgyz court considers the adoption application and examines the documents for compliance with the laws of the Kyrgyz Republic. The court convenes after receiving the documents. In attendance are the prospective adoptive parents, a local social worker, and prosecutors. A conversation is held with the prospective adoptive parents and all of the documents are examined. The adoption becomes final 30 days after the court’s decision.
  
  
• Role of Accredited or Approved Adoption Service Providers: ASPs must be authorized to operate within the Kyrgyz Republic. They can represent the interests of the prospective adoptive parents to the Kyrgyz authorities. They are responsible for submitting the adoption application along with the required supporting documents.
  
  As noted above, any agency or person providing an adoption service on behalf of prospective adoptive parents in any Convention intercountry adoption case must be accredited or approved or be a supervised or exempted provider.
  
  Adoption service means any one of the following six services, under 22 CFR 96.2 Definitions:
  • Identifying a child for adoption and arranging an adoption;
  • Securing the necessary consent to termination of parental rights and to adoption;
  • Performing a background study on a child or a home study on a prospective adoptive parent(s), and reporting on such a study;
  • Making non-judicial determinations of the best interests of a child and the appropriateness of an adoptive placement for the child;
  • Monitoring a case after a child has been placed with prospective adoptive parent(s) until final adoption; or
  • When necessary because of a disruption before final adoption, assuming custody and providing (including facilitating the provision of) child care or any other social service pending an alternative placement.

• Adoption Application: All applications must be submitted by the accredited/approved adoption service provider to the MoLSM.
• Time Frame: Intercountry adoptions in the Kyrgyz Republic may take approximately nine months to complete. However, every case may have its own timeframe based on particular circumstances. According to Kyrgyz legislation, case processing in the court takes a minimum of three months and an additional one month for the court decree to come into force. If additional action is required for the case (for example: an appeal submitted by the prosecutor's office), then additional time will be required. Once the case is finalized in the court and the adoption decree is issued, ASPs may request expedited services to receive the child's new birth certificate, passport, and visa.
• Adoption Fees:
  We encourage prospective adoptive parents to obtain detailed receipts for all fees and donations paid, either by them directly or through your U.S. adoption service provider, and to raise any concerns regarding any payment that you believe may be contrary to the Convention, U.S. law, or the law of the Kyrgyz Republic, with your adoption service provider, and, when appropriate, through the Complaint Registry. Improper payments violate applicable law or create the appearance of buying a child and could put all future adoptions in the Kyrgyz Republic at risk. The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, for instance, makes it unlawful to make payments to foreign government officials to assist in obtaining or retaining business. Further, the IAA makes certain actions relating to intercountry adoptions unlawful, and subject to civil and criminal penalties. These include offering, giving, soliciting, or accepting inducement by way of compensation intended to influence or affect the relinquishment of parental rights, parental consent relating to adoption of a child, or a decision by an entity performing functions as a competent central authority, or to engage another person as an agent to take any such action.
  
  In the adoption services contract that you sign at the beginning of the adoption process, your adoption service provider will itemize the fees and estimated expenses related to your adoption process.  

Some of the fees specifically associated with adopting from the Kyrgyz Republic include:  

• Court fee and state taxes $15-20 
• Fees charged by specialized professionals (such as for legal services, translation of documents, counseling) $550-650 
• Birth certificate and Kyrgyz Republic passport $100-120

• Documents Required:  
  • Prospective adoptive parents’ statement of their desire to adopt a child, including information concerning the child they would like to adopt (gender, age, special needs, other); 
  • Copy of prospective adoptive parents’ passports; 
  • Copy of marriage certificate, for married couples; 
  • Certificate of employment, including position and salary or copy of income statement or other evidence of income; 
  • Copy of property title or lease; 
  • Criminal and/or child abuse registry checks; 
  • Statement from the competent authority of the receiving state that the adopted child will be permitted to enter and reside permanently in the receiving state; 
  • Prospective adoptive parents’ medical report, including confirmation of absence of drug (toxic) and alcohol dependence, and mental disorders; 
  • Copy of the certificate confirming prospective adoptive parents have completed the required training for adoptive parents; 
  • Copy of the contract between the prospective adoptive parents and the accredited/approved adoption service provider to provide intercountry adoption services; 
  • Home study report prepared by a licensed social worker or home study preparer; 
  • Prospective adoptive parents’ written commitment stating they will: 
    • register the adopted child with the Kyrgyz Republic’s diplomatic mission nearest to their state of residence upon the child’s entry to the United States; 
    • permit Kyrgyz embassy or consulate officials to survey the living conditions of adopted child;
    • enroll the adopted child in an educational institution and medical facility in the adoptive parents’ state of residence;
    • maintain the adopted child’s Kyrgyz citizenship until he/she reaches 18 years of age; and
    • provide post-adoption reports via their accredited ASP.

Note: Additional documents may be requested.

• Authentication of Documents: The United States and the Kyrgyz Republic are parties to the Hague Apostille Convention. U.S. public documents may be authenticated with Apostilles by the appropriate U.S. Competent Authority

7. Secure a U.S. Immigrant Visa for Your Child If You Intend to Reside with Your Child in the United States

Once your adoption is complete, there are a few more steps to take before your child can enter the U.S. Specifically, the consular officer will need to issue a Hague Adoption Certificate and grant final approval of the Form I-800 petition. Then you will need to obtain three documents before you secure a visa so your child can travel to the United States:

Birth Certificate

You will need to obtain a new or updated birth certificate for your child.

If you have finalized the adoption in the Kyrgyz Republic, you will need to obtain a new birth certificate for your child with your name on it.

If you have been granted legal custody for the purposes of emigration and adoption of the child in the United States, the birth certificate you obtain will, in most cases, not yet include your name.

The territorial Departments of Vital Records (ZAGS) issue a new birth certificate in the child’s new name and with parent(s) name(s) listed and the local Social Identification Number for the child. ZAGS departments are located at the Population Service Centers (TSON). Additional information pertaining to documentary requirements for a new birth certificate, and the location of ZAGS, is available on The Ministry's of Digital Development website.

Please note that this information is in Kyrgyz and Russian only. Your adoption service provider’s local representative can assist you to obtain your child's new birth certificate and Social Identification Number on your behalf with a Power of Attorney.

Kyrgyz Republic Passport
Your child is not yet a U.S. citizen, so he/she will need a travel document or passport from the Kyrgyz Republic. 

The territorial Passport Desks under the Ministry of Digital Development are located at the Population Service Centers (TSON). Passport Desks will issue a passport in the new name of the child on the basis of the court adoption documents.

Additional information pertaining to documentary requirements for a Kyrgyz passport, and the location of Passport Desks, is available on The Ministry's of Digital Development website. 

Please note that this information is in Kyrgyz and Russian only. Your adoption service provider’s local representative can assist you to obtain your child's passport on your behalf with a Power of Attorney.

U.S. Immigrant Visa
After you obtain the new birth certificate and passport for your child, you will then need to apply for a U.S. immigrant visa for your child from U.S. Embassy Bishkek if you intend to bring your child to reside in the United States with you. After the adoption is granted, visit U.S. Embassy Bishkek for a final review of the case the issuance of a U.S. Hague Adoption Certificate, the final approval of the Form I-800 petition, and, if applicable, to obtain your child’s immigrant visa. This immigrant visa allows your child to travel home with you and be admitted to the United States as your child. Please contact U.S. Embassy Bishkek by email at BishkekIV@state.gov to schedule your child’s immigrant visa appointment. As part of this process, you must provide the consular officer with the Panel Physician’s medical report on the child if you did not provide it during the Form I-800 provisional approval stage. Read more about the Medical Examination.

You will have already completed an Electronic Immigrant Visa Application (DS-260) online at the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) after receiving a letter from the National Visa Center (NVC) confirming receipt of the provisionally approved Form I-800 petition and assignment of a case number and an invoice ID number. Print and bring the DS-260 confirmation page to the visa interview. Review the DS-260 FAQs, our Online Immigrant Visa Forms page, or contact NVC at NVCAdoptions@state.gov if you have questions about completing the online DS-260 form.

Upon receipt of the case at post, the Consular Section generally notifies the petitioner. Visa issuance after the final interview generally takes 24 hours. It is not usually possible to provide the visa to adoptive parents on the same day as the immigrant visa interview. You should verify current processing times with U.S. Embassy Bishkek before making final travel arrangements. Additional information on immigrant visa processing can be found on our website.

If you will reside outside the United States with your child, you should contact the Central or competent authority where you reside for additional information about how to bring your child to that country.

8.  Obtain U.S. Citizenship for Your Child

If you obtain an immigrant visa for your child, USCIS will mail your child either a permanent resident card (green card), or a Certificate of Citizenship, after your child enters the United States. If you plan to reside outside the United States with your child (and, therefore, may not benefit from an immigrant visa for your child), please see the relevant section below.

For adoptions finalized abroad before the child’s admission into the United States: A child who was adopted abroad and has satisfied Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) 101(b)(1)(E), INA 101(b)(1)(F), or INA 101(b)(1)(G) requirements, who is residing in the United States in the legal and physical custody of the U.S. citizen parent pursuant to a lawful admission for permanent residence generally will acquire U.S. citizenship after admission if the child is under the age of 18 when these conditions are met.

Depending on the visa your child receives, their age, and the other INA 320 requirements, you may not need to take any additional action for your child to acquire U.S. citizenship. However, if your child does not meet the requirements of INA 320 at the time of admission into the United States, you may file a Form N-600, Application for Certificate of Citizenship, once the requirements are met. More information is available on the USCIS website.

For adoptions not finalized until after the child’s admission to the United States:
If the adoption is not finalized before the child is admitted to the United States, the child’s adoptive parent(s) must complete the adoption (or re-adoption or obtain judicial recognition of the foreign adoption) in the United States before the child turns 18 for the child to automatically acquire U.S. citizenship (if the child otherwise meets the requirements of INA 320). You may file a Form N-600, Application for Certificate of Citizenship, once the requirements are met. More information is available on the USCIS Fact Sheet: Securing U.S. Citizenship for Your Child.

If you reside outside the United States with your child, you may file a Form N-600K, Application for Citizenship and Issuance of Certificate Under Section 322 with USCIS to obtain a Certificate of Citizenship for your child if your child satisfies the requirements of INA 322.

Note: If you are a military service member or U.S. government employee who chooses to seek an immigrant visa for your child versus completing the Form N-600K process, you may need to use Form N-600 to apply for a Certificate of Citizenship. Please note, however, that USCIS cannot mail Certificates of Citizenship abroad for children who acquire citizenship under INA 320.

Read more about INA 320 and 322 in the USCIS Policy Manual and USCIS website U.S. Citizenship for an Adopted Child. 

Applying for Your U.S. Passport
U.S. citizens are required to enter and depart the United States on a valid U.S. passport. Once your child acquires U.S. citizenship, s/he will need a U.S. passport for international travel. Only the U.S. Department of State has the authority to grant, issue, or verify U.S. passports.

Getting or renewing a passport is easy. The Department of State’s Passport Application Wizard will help you determine which passport form you need, help you to complete the form online, estimate your payment, and generate the form for you to print—all in one place.

Obtaining a Visa to Travel to The Kyrgyz Republic
In addition to a U.S. passport, you may also need to obtain a visa. Where required, visas are affixed to your passport and allow you to enter a foreign nation. To find information about obtaining a visa for the Kyrgyz Republic, see the Department of State’s country page.

Staying Safe on Your Trip
Before you travel, it is always a good practice to investigate the local conditions, laws, political landscape, and culture of the country. The Department of State provides country information for every country in the world about various issues, including health conditions, crime, currency or entry requirements, and any areas of instability.

Staying in Touch on Your Trip
When traveling abroad during the adoption process, we encourage you to enroll with the Department of State through our Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive important information from the U.S. Embassy about safety conditions in your destination country. Enrollment makes it possible for the U.S. Embassy in the Kyrgyz Republic, to contact you in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest, or family emergency. Whether there is a family emergency in the United States or a crisis in the Kyrgyz Republic, enrollment assists the U.S. Embassy in reaching you.

Enrollment is free and can be done online via the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).

Post-Adoption/Post-Placement Reporting Requirements

The Kyrgyz Republic requires four post-adoption reports. Reports on the living conditions and upbringing of children must be submitted within the following timeframes:

• The first report: no later than the end of the 7th month from the effective date of adoption;
• The second report: no later than the end of the 13th month from the effective date of adoption;
• The third report: no later than the end of the 25th month from the effective date of adoption;
• The fourth report: no later than the end of the 37th month from the effective date of adoption.

Submission of reports after 3 years from the effective date of adoption and until the child reaches adulthood is carried out at the request of the authorized body or territorial subdivision.

Your adoption agency should help you with these reports. These reports should be done by a social worker, notarized and translated into Russian or Kyrgyz.

We urge you to comply with the Kyrgyz Republic’s post-adoption/post-placement requirements in a timely manner. Your adoption service provider may be able to help you with this process. Your cooperation will contribute to the Kyrgyz Republic’s positive experiences with U.S. citizen adoptive parents.

Post-Adoption Resources
Many adoptive parents find it important to find support after the adoption. There are many public and private nonprofit post-adoption services available for children and their families. There are also numerous adoptive family support groups and adoptee organizations active in the United States that provide a network of options for adoptees who seek out other adoptees from the same country of origin. You may wish to take advantage of all the resources available to your family, whether it is another adoptive family, a support group, an advocacy organization, or your religious or community services. Your primary provider can provide or point you to post- placement/post-adoption services to help your adopted child and your family transition smoothly and deal effectively with the many adjustments required in an intercountry adoption.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services maintains a website, the Child Welfare Information Gateway, which can be a useful resource to get you started on your support group search.

COMPLAINTS

If you have concerns about your intercountry adoption process, we ask that you share this information with U.S. Embassy Bishkek, particularly if it involves possible fraud or misconduct specific to your child’s case. The Department of State takes all allegations of fraud or misconduct seriously. Our Adoption Comment Page provides several points of contact for adoptive families to comment on their adoption service provider, their experience applying for their child’s visa, or about the Form I-800/A petition process.

The Complaint Registry is an internet-based registry for filing complaints about the compliance of U.S. accredited or approved adoption service providers with U.S. accreditation standards. If you think your provider's conduct may not have been in compliance with accreditation standards, first submit your complaint in writing directly to your provider. If the complaint is not resolved through the provider's complaint process, you may file the complaint through the Complaint Registry.

U.S. Embassy in the Kyrgyz Republic 
171 Prospect Mira
Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic 720016
Tel.: 996 312 597 000
Fax: 996 312 597 744
Email: BishkekIV@state.gov
Internet: kg.usembassy.gov

The Kyrgyz Republic’s Adoption Authority 
The Ministry of Labor, Social Welfare and Migration 
215 Tynystanova Str. 
Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic 
Tel: 996-312-660-107 
Email: misp@mlsp.kg
Internet: mlsp.gov.kg

Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic 
2360 Massachusetts Ave, N.W. 
Washington, D.C. 20008 
Tel: 202-449-9822 
Fax: 202-386-7550 
Email: kgembassy.usa@mfa.gov.kg 
Internet: mfa.gov.kg

Office of Children’s Issues
U.S. Department of State
CA/OCS/CI
SA-17, 9^th Floor
Washington, D.C. 20522-1709
Tel: 1-888-407-4747
Email: Adoption@state.gov
Internet: adoption.state.gov

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
For questions about a pending Form I-800A application, Form I-800 petition or related supplements:
USCIS
Tel: 1-877-424-8374 (toll free); 1-913-275-5480 (local); Fax: 1-913-214-5808
Email: NBC.Adoptions@uscis.dhs.gov

For other USCIS-related questions:
USCIS Contact Center 
Tel: 1-800-375-5283 (TTY 1-800-767-1833)
Internet: uscis.gov