Uzbekistan is not party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention). Therefore, when the Hague Adoption Convention entered into force for the United States on April 1, 2008, intercountry adoption processing for Uzbekistan did not change.

Updated: June 2008

DISCLAIMER

WHO CAN ADOPT

To bring an adopted child to United States from Uzbekistan, you must be found eligible to adopt by the U.S. Government. The U.S. Government agency responsible for making this determination is the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Learn more.

Adopting in Uzbekistan is very difficult.  Adoption is a sensitive issue in Uzbekistan , and some Uzbek officials are not in favor of foreign adoptions. Individuals wishing to adopt in Uzbekistan , therefore, may face unexpected opposition, even when a case has been fully processed and the adoption is ready to be formalized.

In addition to these U.S. requirements for adoptive parents, Uzbekistan also has the following requirements for adoptive parents:

• Residency Requirements: There are no residency requirements for Uzbekistan.
   
• Age Requirements: Prospective adoptive parents must be at least 15 years older than the child. 
   
• Marriage Requirements: Prospective adoptive parents may be married or single.

WHO CAN BE ADOPTED

Uzbekistan has specific requirements that a child must meet in order to be eligible for adoption. You cannot adopt a child in Uzbekistan unless he or she meets the requirements outlined below.

In addition to these requirements, a child must meet the definition of an orphan under U.S. law for you to bring him or her home back to the United States. Learn more about these U.S. requirements.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Relinquishment Requirements: Minimum legal requirements must be met prior to the issuance of an adoption decree by the respective Mayor. Such requirements include the need for the child to remain in an orphanage for at least one year. This applies only to children who have been place with social services by their own parents. If there is legal finding determining the parents as “missing,” “deprived of parental rights,” “legally incapable,” or “deceased,” then the one-year rule does not apply. To meet both U.S. and Uzbek legal requirements, there should have been a reasonable effort made to locate the birth parents by competent authorities.

HOW TO ADOPT

Uzbek Adoption Authority
Ministry of Education and the local Mayor's office (“Hokimiat”)

The Process
The process for adopting a child from Uzbekistan generally includes the following steps:

1. Choose an Adoption Service Provider
2. Apply to be Found Eligible to Adopt
3. Be Matched with a Child
4. Adopt the Child in Uzbekistan
5. Apply for the Child to be Found Eligible for Adoption
6. Bring Your Child Home


1. Choose an Adoption Service Provider

The first step in adopting a child from Uzbekistan is usually to select a licensed agency in the United States that can help with your adoption. Adoption service providers must be licensed by the U.S. state in which they operate. Learn more about choosing the right adoption service provider.


2. Apply to be Found Eligible to Adopt

To bring an adopted child from Uzbekistan to the United States, you must apply to be found eligible to adopt (Form I-600A) by the U.S. Government, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Learn how.

In addition to meeting the U.S. requirements for adoptive parents, you need to meet the requirements of Uzbekistan as described in the Who Can Adopt section.


3. Be Matched with a Child

If you are eligible to adopt, and a child is available for intercountry adoption, the central adoption authority in Uzbekistan will provide you with a referral to a child. Each family must decide for itself whether or not it will be able to meet the needs of a particular child and provide a permanent family placement for the referred child. Learn more about this critical decision.

The child must be eligible to be adopted according to Uzbekistan’s requirements, as described in the Who Can be Adopted section. The child must also meet the definition of an orphan under U.S. law. Learn more.


4. Adopt the Child (or Gain Legal Custody) in Uzbekistan

The process for finalizing the adoption (or gaining legal custody) in Uzbekistan generally includes the following:

• Role of The Adoption Authority: Under Uzbek law, the Guardianship and Trusteeship Organ (GTO) of each local Mayor’s (Hokimiat) office is responsible for settlement of orphans. Adoptive parents or their legal representatives must submit documents to a local Mayor through its GTO.
  
  
• Adoption Application: Once the prospective adoptive parents have selected a child, they or their legal representatives should submit an application and supporting documents directly to the Guardianship and Trusteeship Organ (GTO) of the Mayor’s office (“Hokimiat”) of the region. The application should include the prospective parents’ names, place of residence, marital information, and complete information (name, age, sex) of any children they already have. It should also include the name, age and sex of the Uzbek child they wish to adopt.
  
  After reviewing the family’s documentation, the GTO will pass the documents to the Mayor for approval. Based on the Mayor’s approval, the local Vital Records Office issues a new birth certificate. The new birth certificate includes the names of the adoptive parents and changes the child’s last name to the adoptive parents’ last name. First name and the date of birth of the child can be changed upon request. The date of birth may be changed, but not by more than one year. If a child is under ten years old, his/her place of birth can also be changed to another location within the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan .
  
  With the Mayor’s (Hokim's) permission and the vital record office, the Administration for Entry, Exit, and Citizenship issues a passport and exit permission to the child. As was stated earlier in this flyer, prospective parents are not required to have maintained residency in Uzbekistan for any particular length of time.
  
  Attention Adoption Agencies and Coordinators: In order to process adoption cases in the most expeditious manner and to avoid unforeseen delays due to incomplete documentation, please submit adoption documents for review at least 5 business days prior to the date of the child’s expected interview date. 
   
• Time Frame: Foreign adoption in Uzbekistan is a time consuming process. It can take from six months to two years. In some cases the U.S. Embassy may be required to conduct field investigations after adoption documents have been submitted. This could cause significant delays in processing. Adoptive parents should be prepared to make additional trips to Uzbekistan before the adoption is complete. 
   
• Adoption Fees: The Uzbek Government charges small official fees, usually about $10 USD per document, for the submission and processing of the adoption application and corresponding documents. 
   
• Documents Required: The following documents must be submitted by the prospective parents for adoption:

Application to the GTO of the regional Hokimiat, with the information outlined in this flyer (names, place of residence, marital information, data on current children, and information about the prospective adoptive child);

• Copy of prospective adoptive parent(s) passport(s);
• Marriage certificates and/or divorce decrees, if applicable;
• Home study certificate, including the number of family members;
• Employment letter for the prospective adoptive parent(s), including salary information;
• Letter of recommendation (description of personality) from a parent's employer, local city hall or home study agency;
• Medical certificate from a doctor indicating that the prospective parents are healthy, do not have communicable diseases, and do not abuse drugs or alcohol;
• Letter from U.S. Embassy, based on the approved I-600A notification (Visas 37) which states that the U.S. Government is aware of the family, and that relevant authorities have approved the family for an adoption of an orphan.

Note: All documents must be translated into Uzbek or Russian by an official translator and authenticated by the Uzbek Embassy in the United States.

Additional documents may be requested. If you are asked to provide proof that a document from the United States is authentic, we can help. Learn how. 

5. Apply for the Child to be Found Eligible for Adoption

After you finalize the adoption (or gain legal custody) in Uzbekistan, the U.S Government, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) MUST determine whether the child is eligible under U.S. law to be adopted (Form I-600). Learn how.

6. Bringing Your Child Home

Now that your adoption is complete (or you have obtained legal custody of the child), there are a few more steps to take before you can head home. Specifically, you need to apply for several documents for your child before he or she can travel to the United States:

Birth Certificate
You will first need to apply for a new birth certificate for your child, so that you can later apply for a passport. Your name will be added to the new birth certificate.

Uzbek Passport
Your child is not yet a U.S. citizen, so he/she will need a travel document or Passport from Uzbekistan.

U.S. Immigrant Visa
After you obtain the new birth certificate and passport for your child, you also need to apply for an U.S. visa from the United States Embassy for your child. After the adoption (or custody for purpose of adoption) is granted, visit the U.S Embassy for final review and approval of the child’s I-600 petition and to obtain a visa for the child. This immigrant visa allows your child to travel home with you. As part of this process, the Consular Officer must be provided the “Panel Physician’s” medical report on the child if it was not provided during the provisional approval stage. Learn more.

Once the Uzbek authorities have completed the adoption process and issued documents confirming the final adoption, the parents or their legal representative in Uzbekistan should call the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent to arrange an appointment for an Immigrant Visa interview. Parents or their legal representatives must bring originals or certified copies of all documents, with English translations, to the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent by 12:00 noon at least one business day prior to the immigrant visa interview. The case file must also include completed forms I-600 and DS-230, and should be well-organized to expedite the visa process at the time of the interview. Only cases that are complete by this time will be seen the following day at 4:00 p.m. for the immigrant visa interview.

Parents should note that visa issuance after the final interview often takes 24 hours. Parents therefore should not make firm travel plans for the day of the interview or the day after. Adoptive parents should verify current processing times at the appropriate consulate or embassy before making final travel arrangements.

Child Citizenship Act

For adoptions finalized abroad: The Child Citizenship Act of 2000 allows your new child to acquire American citizenship automatically when he or she enters the United States as lawful permanent residents.

For adoptions finalized in the United States: The Child Citizenship Act of 2000 allows your new child to acquire American citizenship automatically when the court in the United States issues the final adoption decree.

*Please be aware that if your child did not qualify to become a citizen upon entry to the United States, it is very important that you take the steps necessary so that your child does qualify as soon as possible. Failure to obtain citizenship for your child can impact many areas of his/her life including family travel, eligibility for education and education grants, and voting.

Learn more about the Child Citizenship Act.

TRAVELING ABROAD

Applying for Your U.S. Passport
A valid U.S. passport is required to enter and leave Uzbekistan. 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 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 Your Visa
In addition to a U.S. passport, you also need to obtain a visa. A visa is an official document issued by a foreign country that formally allows you to visit. Where required, visas are attached to your passport and allow you to enter a foreign nation.

To find information about obtaining a visa for Uzbekistan, see the Department of State’s Country Specific Information.

Staying Safe on Your Trip
Before you travel, it's always a good practice to investigate the local conditions, laws, political landscape, and culture of the country. The State Department is a good place to start.

The Department of State provides Country Specific Information for every country of the world about various issues, including the health conditions, crime, unusual currency or entry requirements, and any areas of instability.

Staying in Touch on Your Trip
When traveling during the adoption process, we encourage you to register your trip with the Department of State. Travel registration makes it possible to contact you if necessary. Whether there’s a family emergency in the United States, or a crisis in Uzbekistan, registration assists the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in reaching you.

Registration is free and can be done online.

AFTER ADOPTION

CONTACT INFORMATION

U.S. Embassy in Uzbekistan
U.S. Embassy, Tashkent
MoyqorghonStreet,5thBlock,
Yunusobod District
Tashkent-700093
Uzbekistan
Phone:(998)(71)120-5450
Fax:(998)(71)120-5448
http://uzbekistan.usembassy.gov
General Consular E-mail: ConsularTashkent@state.gov

Embassy of Uzbekistan
Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan
1746 MassachusettsAve., NW
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-887-5300
Fax: 202--293-6804
Email: info@uzbekistan.org

Office of Children’s Issues
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
SA-29
Washington, DC 20520
Tel: 1-888-407-4747
E-mail: AskCI@state.gov
http://adoption.state.gov

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
For questions about immigration procedures, call the National Customer Service Center (NCSC)
1-800-375-5283 (TTY 1-800-767-1833)