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We now offer Domestic Private Adoption in the United States. Click here for our Domestic Private Adoption Programs.
Our International Programs include Russia, Kazahkstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Click on the following links to learn more about each program.
Where Do I Begin?
2. Completion of an International Home Study by a licensed social worker and/or a licensed home study agency in your state. Your final USCIS approval is contingent upon the recommendation for approval by your home study agency. In some states you are allowed to file your I-600A prior to or during your home study process. In others, you cannot file for USCIS approval until your homestudy has been completed. Your home study agency should be able to advise you of your state's policy regarding this. Your homestudy needs to reflect the country from which you have chosen to adopt, as well as the age and number of children you desire. 3. Completion of a Dossier. Once you have applied to our agency you will be sent a dossier packet. Your dossier consists of all the legal documents necessary to process your adoption in Russia or Kazakhstan. The documents then need to be authenticated, which is accomplished by having them notarized, certified at the county level, if applicable, and finally, apostilled at the Secretary of State's office in your state. In some states, the apostilling can occur without the certification level. Our staff is available to answer any questions you may have regarding your dossier. The time frame of completion of the dossier is up to you; however, your child referral process cannot begin until it is completed and in our office. |
1. Applying for Approval to Adopt a Foreign Orphan from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS.) You do this by submitting an 1-600A form and fingerprint cards to the USCIS. You obtain this form through the USCIS form request line at 1-800-870-3676 or online at the USCIS website:
05/13/2010 - Adoption Notice: Russia Download notice detailing discussion on the state of Russia's current adoptions from the United States Department of State, Office of Children's Issues (pdf document).
Russia: CIA World Fact Book Page - read more about Russia here!
The country of Russia is vast and expands across two continents: Europe and Asia. There are over 900 state-run orphanages in Russia with thousands of children that need permanent homes. Frank Adoption Center, North Carolina (FAC) has been placing children from Russia since 1995. We work with approximately 20-25 regions. We are always working to establish new programs in other regions. Below are some of the characteristics of our Russian Program.
The Children
Children available for adoption from Russia range in age from 8 months to 16 years. Most children appear Caucasian but there are also children of Asian and Gypsy heritage.
Prospective Parents
Single women and couples who have been married for at least one year can apply to adopt from Russia. The prospective mother cannot be more than 45 years older then the child she plans to adopt. The prospective father's age is not a factor. Families of any size are eligible to adopt from Russia. Russia also allows perspective parents to adopt unrelated children. Russian law may preclude prospective parents who have specific medical, psychological or criminal histories. We evaluate these issues on an individual basis and welcome a candid discussion of such circumstances prior to application.
Trip Process
Currently, Russia requires three trips to complete an adoption. Families almost always travel in groups. With the exception of a few regions, only one parent is required to travel on the first trip. Both parents must be present for the court hearing, which takes place at the beginning of the second trip. All trips originate in Moscow. Families will receive travel dates for the first trip when they will meet their child or children, and have the opportunity to meet caregivers, as well as speak with the orphanage doctor.
There is usually less than 2 weeks notice for the first trip, so families must be ready to travel quickly. Flight arrangements into and out of Moscow and hotel accommodations for any stay in Moscow are made by families. However, the Frank coordinator for the family’s region will make all in-country travel and hotel arrangements. There is typically 2 to 8 weeks between trips, and the second trip is arranged around the court date. The length of the trips depends on the region, but families will usually spend an average of 12 days total in-country. The first trip is typically 4 days in length, the second trip 4 days and the third trip is approximately 7 days. On the second trip, families will have another visit with the child/children, and will go to court soon after. On the third trip, they will pick up their child from the region and head back to Moscow to complete their child's medical appointment and U.S. Embassy exit interview.
Timelines
Our waiting list is constantly changing, therefore, making it difficult for FAC to predict exact timelines. Generally, from the time prospective parents submit their dossier to the time they travel is as follows:
Infant female under 12 months - 10-14 months*
Infant male under 12 months - 6-8 months*
Toddler female 13-36 months - 10-14 months*
Toddler male 13-36 months - 6-8 months*
Two children; infant and toddler - 10-14 months*
*Due to recent change in the Russian adoption program, wait times may be unpredictable and shorter or longer than anticipated. The listed wait times are conservative projections.
Process Support
Frank Adoption Center North Carolina supports our families from application through post-placement reports. We can help you to find a home study agency in your area, and answer questions about applying to the USCIS. We have a document specialist to help you with the preparation of your dossier paperwork, including a review of the completed dossier before authentication. Once families complete their dossiers and receive their USCIS approval form (the I-171H) they will be assigned to a social worker who will help them through the rest of the adoption experience. The social worker will be available to help families with any questions or concerns that may arise. The worker will also help the family keep track of updating time sensitive materials within the dossier, and provide support through the travel process.
Once families return home, they will receive a Welcome Home Packet with instructions on the registration of their child/children with the Russian Consulate, as well as for their post-placement obligations. Families can continue to work with their social worker after returning with questions on post-placement paperwork, or any concerns they may have about their child/children and the adjustment to parenting an adopted child.
For more about Russia, please click here.
Update on Kazakhstan Program in our News section.
Kazakhstan: CIA World Fact Book Page - read more about Kazakhstan here!
The Republic of Kazakhstan is part of the former USSR (it is south of Russia and is approximately four times the size of Texas). Frank Adoption Center, North Carolina (FAC) has been placing children from Kazakhstan since 1999. We work with approximately 11 regions in all parts of the country. We are always working to establish new programs in other regions. Below are some of the characteristics of our Kazakhstan Program.
The Children
Children available for adoption in Kazakhstan range in age from 6 months to 16 years. Most children appear Asian but there are also children of Caucasian and Asian/Caucasian heritage.
Prospective Parents
Single women and couples who have been married for at least one year can apply to adopt from Kazakhstan. Similar to Russia, Kazakhstan considers the prospective mother's age in adoption. However, FAC has had success in placing children under the age of 12 months with prospective mothers in their late 40's. The prospective father's age is not a factor. Families of any size are eligible to adopt from Kazakhstan. Kazakh law may preclude prospective parents who have specific medical, psychological or criminal histories. We evaluate these issues on an individual basis and welcome a candid discussion of such circumstances prior to application.
Trip Process
Currently, Kazakhstan only requires one trip to complete an adoption. Families almost always travel in groups. All trips originate in Almaty. Flight arrangements into and out of Almaty are made by families. However, the Frank coordinator for the family’s region will make all in-country travel and hotel arrangements. The length of time in-country depends on the region a family is adopting from, and may range from 3 to 6 weeks.
Frank Adoption Center is aware that such a lengthy trip is difficult for our families, so there are options to leave the country after the court date. One or both parents may leave Kazakhstan after the court date and return to bring their child/children home. Families will spend several days toward the end of the trip in Almaty completing the medical exam for their child/children and the exit interview at the US Embassy.
Timelines
Our waiting list is constantly changing, therefore, making it difficult for FAC to predict exact timelines. Generally, from the time prospective parents submit their dossier to the time they begin receiving referrals is as follows:
Infant female under 12 months - 6-8 months
Infant male under 12 months - 5-8 months
Toddler female 13-36 months - 6-8 months
Toddler male 13-36 months - 5-8 months
Two Children - (Depends on Age and Gender-may be biological siblings or unrelated children in the same region)
There is no waiting list for families who are interested in adopting older children or children with special needs. Prior to travel, your paperwork must be released from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan to the region in which your child resides. This process will take a minimum of 2-6 months, regardless of when you receive your referral.
Process Support
Frank Adoption Center, North Carolina supports our families from application through post-placement reports. We can help you to find a home study agency in your area, and answer questions about applying to the USCIS. We have a document specialist to help you with the preparation of your dossier paperwork, including a review of the completed dossier before authentication. Once families complete their dossiers and receive their USCIS approval form (the I-171H) they will be assigned to a social worker who will help them through the rest of the adoption experience. The social worker will be available to help families with any questions or concerns that may arise. The worker will also help the family keep track of updating time sensitive materials within the dossier, and provide support through the travel process.
Once families return home, they will receive a Welcome Home Packet with instructions on the registration of their child/children with the Russian Consulate, as well as for their post-placement obligations. Families can continue to work with their social worker after returning with questions on post-placement paperwork, or any concerns they may have about their child/children and the adjustment to parenting an adopted child.
For more about Kazakhstan, please click here.
7/15/09 -
get updates on this program
Kyrgyzstan: CIA World Fact Book Page - read more about Kyrgyzstan here!
The country of Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan, China, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan.
Below are some of the characteristics of our Kyrgyzstan Program.
The Children
Children available for adoption from Kyrgyzstan are aged 3 months and older. Although the majority of the available children are of Kyrgyz ethnicity, there may also be children available who are of Russian descent.
Prospective Parents
Married couples who have been together for at least two years may apply to adopt from Kyrgyzstan. There is no minimum for the number of years that a couple has been married. Single women may also apply. The parents must be between the ages of 25 and 60 years in order to adopt. There is no limit to the number of children in your family; however, you must be able to document your capacity to financially afford your adoption and your ability to support an additional child. Kyrgyzstan allows prospective parents to adopt unrelated children. Kyrgyzstan law may prohibit prospective parents who have specific medical, psychological or criminal histories. We evaluate these issues on an individual basis and welcome a candid discussion of such circumstances prior to submitting an application to us.
Trip Process
Currently, families have the option to complete their adoption in one of two ways. Prospective parents may opt to travel to Kyrgyzstan for one trip, lasting 4 to 5 weeks in length. Alternatively, parents may travel for two trips, the first trip consisting of 10 business days, and the second trip lasting 5 business days. Both members of a couple must travel for the first leg of the first trip, with one member being permitted to leave Kyrgyzstan after 5 business days. The other member of the couple must stay for the duration of the first trip in order to complete the necessary paperwork. It is possible for only one member of the couple to return for the second trip. Referrals of children are given prior to travel on the first trip and will include a brief medical summary about the child and a photograph. If a family initially accepts a referral and then declines the child while in-country, every effort will be made to assist the family in identifying another child while in-country.
Timelines
Our waiting list is constantly changing, therefore, making it difficult for FAC to predict exact timelines. Generally, from the time prospective parents submit their dossier to the time they begin receiving referrals is 2 weeks to 4 months. There is no waiting list for families who are interested in adopting older children or children with special needs. Referrals of such children are matched with families on an individual basis. Timeframes to accomplish a successful match varies. From the time a family accepts the referral of a child to the time of travel on the first trip is generally 1-3 weeks. Time between trip one and trip two is generally 3-4 weeks. In some instances, a family may opt to stay in-country for one extended trip.
Process Support
Frank Adoption Center, North Carolina supports our families from application through post-placement reports. We can help you to find a home study agency in your area, and answer questions about applying to the USCIS. We have a document specialist to help you with the preparation of your dossier paperwork, including a review of the completed dossier before authentication. Once families complete their dossiers and receive their USCIS approval form (the I-171H) they will be assigned to a social worker who will help them through the rest of the adoption experience. The social worker will be available to help families with any questions or concerns that may arise. The worker will also help the family keep track of updating time sensitive materials within the dossier, and provide support through the travel process.
Once families return home, they will receive a Welcome Home Packet with instructions on the registration of their child/children with the Russian Consulate, as well as for their post-placement obligations. Families can continue to work with their social worker after returning with questions on post-placement paperwork, or any concerns they may have about their child/children and the adjustment to parenting an adopted child.
For more on Kyrgyzstan, please click here.
Contact Us!
Frank Adoption Center
2840 Plaza Place,
Suite 325 Raleigh,
NC 27612, USA
Tel: 919-510-9135
or 800-597-9135
Fax: 919-510-9137
info@frankadopt.org
