[JSBear]

I've been looking at a lot of different websites about adoption from Kazakhstan. The ages of adoptable children vary quite differently from site to site. I would like to have a child under 12 months. Does anyone know how likely it is that I would get a baby under 12 months from Kazakhstan? Thank you.

[cborsa7]

Not likely. I don't think your chances are really good right now with most International countries. I would consider domestic if that is what you are looking for.

[hml1976]

Our kids were 7mths (2007) and 9mths (2005) on arrival home from Kazakhstan.

[cborsa7]

I would look for information a little more current than 2007. Much has changed since then. Try looking on the Yahoo groups under Kaz.

Good Luck!

[sugarandspice697]

Originally Posted by JSBear

I've been looking at a lot of different websites about adoption from Kazakhstan. The ages of adoptable children vary quite differently from site to site. I would like to have a child under 12 months. Does anyone know how likely it is that I would get a baby under 12 months from Kazakhstan? Thank you.

yes it is possible. Most of the babies are 8-12 months old at home coming

[cborsa7]

JSBear, here's a link that can help you out:
Country Specific Information for kazakhstan.htm


I'd say it would be mighty impressive to finish process right now at 8 months. The children can't even be eligible to adopt until age 6 months. I do notice no one with a recent adoption from this country has posted here. Hope the link helps you.
I would call several agencies to inquire on their current time lines but infants in International right now are rare with all the Hague issues everywhere. Make sure you ask and make contact with any families they say came home at that young age this year, NOT previous years. To much changes from year to year in International to base your info off this. If that age range is possible they should have several families from this year to speak with.

Good luck!

[hml1976]

Sorry, but there have been many families who have returned home in the last year with babies younger than 12mths. The process for Kaz has gotten harder but the age of the children outside of the Almaty region remains pretty young. Remember many families choose children that are right at 6mths old, we did with our son, were in a one trip region (Uralsk, still usually one trip) and were home with him in 6wks. I know someone who traveled in 2008 and was asked to adopt an infant because there weren't any toddlers available.

Here's an extensive list of blogs from adoptive families, as you see many are from the last year and have adopted infants.

Kazakh Adoptive Families: Adoptive Family Websites

[cborsa7]

hml1976-

Totally agree that last year it happened. It may happen every now and then right now. Last year there were children 4 months old coming home from Guat, we knew 4. My son from Guat came home at a very young age for the times in the middle of Hague 2008, but as most now know it wouldn't happen in 2009. A lot changes in a years time. You simply can't base your info on last years adoptions. With adoptions falling in Kaz to only 380 in 2008 from previous years, you would be crazy not to ask for current 2009 families if age is important to you. Getting old information from previous years wouldn't help much. We are almost into the 6th month of this year. If this program has babies coming home at that age on a regular basis this year there should be plenty of families to speak with from 2009.

[Electridel]

JSBear - Another great website is Kazakhstan Adoption Blogs- Plus a Few More

There are many blogs of people in-country and home. You can get a good feel of what the ages of the children arriving home have been recently. There are quite a few folks coming home with children under 12 months, but there are quite a few folks who have opened their preferred age range to under 3 as well. You'll see a good mix of ages. Choosing a good agency is also very wise. A good agency will do everything they can to meet your requirements. Some agencies will just send you over with no guarantees. Do your homework thoroughly, and make sure you choose an agency that is willing to meet your needs best.

[hml1976]

Blogs of families arriving home in the last SIX months with children under 12mths at time of arrival home.

This is just from people who I have followed.

KazBabyTime
When you wish upon a star....
Scott, Susan, Jack and Brooke Cole
The Henke Family
Project Model UN

My agency currently has two families in country, one is bonding with a 11mth old, the other with a 10mth old. I'm wondering cborsa7 if an agency told you that there were no longer infants available for adoption in Kaz? Do you have a child from Kaz? I would be wary of any agency telling you this, unless they only work in the Almaty region.

[JenniferKaz]

We adopted from both Kaz (2006) and Guatemala (2007).

The processes are very different, actually opposite of each other.

In Guatemala you get a referral and then wait for all the in-country paperowrk to go through. Our son was 3 days old when we was referred and he came home at 9 months.

In Kaz most of the in country paperwork is being done before an invitation to travel is issued a you meet a child. Referrals are not legal, but they are done off the books, and are lost far more often than Guatemala. We did not have a referral, we travelled blind. You arrive in Kaz and meet a child who has been on the registry for at least 6 months, then with 2 weeks of visits, 2 or 3 weeks wait for court, 2 weeks of appeal period and 1 week of final paperwork and you come home. So it's 8 weeks of time after you meet the child. That 8 weeks is pretty consistent and does not swing by months like the Guatemala cases do. Our son was 10 months when we met him, and 11, almost 12 months when we came home.

[mywifeandI]

Hi JSBear,

My wife and I adopted Daniel from Kazakhstan last year. We met him in February when he was 9 months old and he came home in April 2008 (11 months old). While we were there we had the pleasure of meeting 8 other families. All of these families (except one) brought home children under a year old. The family that adopted an older child (4 years old) went to Kaz with the expectation of adopting a particular special needs child that was still available when they arrived.

Please keep in mind that this was 14 months ago. I would discuss the ages of available children with your agency.

Good luck!

Brian & Patti
A Baby Changes Everything!

[hopedfor]

Lots of people that we are following are coming home with babies under a year or about a year. I just don't think that anyone can guarantee it. We prefer a child under a year when we meet, but know that we would prefer as healthy as possible, and that may mean meeting a baby a bit over a year.

If an agency is bringing home no children under a year in kaz right now, that is a big problem. As someone mentioned above, we are enough into 2009 so that you can get a sense overall from agencies.

Waiting for our time to travel for #2!!