Under a May 3, 2006 amendment to Tajikistan’s Family Code, couples with at least one Tajik citizen prospective adoptive parent may be allowed to adopt in Tajikistan. Adoptions when both prospective adoptive parents are non-Tajik citizens are expressly forbidden by Tajik law.

Tajikistan is not a party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention or Convention).  However, under the Intercountry Adoption Universal Accreditation Act of 2012 (UAA), which became effective on July 14, 2014, the requirement that adoption service providers be accredited or approved, and therefore meet the accreditation standards, which previously only applied in Convention cases, now also applies in non-Convention (“orphan”) cases under section 101(b)(1)(F) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The UAA requires that an accredited or approved adoption service provider act as the primary provider in every Convention or non-Convention intercountry adoption case, and that adoption service providers providing any adoption services, as defined at 22 CFR Part 96.2, on behalf of prospective adoptive parents be accredited or approved, or be a supervised or exempted provider. See additional guidance for limited situations when a primary provider may not be required. Intercountry adoptions of children from non-Convention countries continue to be processed under the Orphan Process with the filing of the Forms I-600A and I 600. However, adoption service providers should be aware of the information on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website on the impact of the UAA on Form I-600A and Form I-600 adjudications, including the requirement that all home studies, including home study updates and amendments, comply with the home study requirements listed at 8 CFR 204.311, which differ from the orphan home study requirements that were in effect before July 14, 2014.

U.S. citizens interested in adopting children from Tajikistan should contact the adoption authority of Tajikistan to inquire about applicable laws and procedures. U.S. citizen prospective adoptive parents living in Tajikistan who would like to adopt a child from the United States or from a third country should also contact Tajikistan’s adoption authority. See contact information below.

Caution: Prospective adoptive parents should be aware 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 the child return home when possible. In such cases, the birth parent(s) have rarely relinquished their parental rights or consented to the adoption of their child(ren).

Please visit the Department of State’s country page for more information on travelling to Tajikistan and the U.S. Embassy Dushanbe’s website for information on consular services.

TAJIKISTAN’S ADOPTION AUTHORITY:
Ministry of Education of the Republic of Tajikistan, Department of Care and Guardianship
734024, RT, Dushanbe, 13-“, Nosirmuhammad Street
Tel: +992 37-221-4605
Fax: +992 37-221-7041
Email:  malumot@netrt.org

U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe, Tajikistan
109A, Ismoili Somoni Avenu
Dushanbe, Tajikistan 734019
Tel: +992 37-229-2000; Consular Direct Line: +992 37-229-2300
Fax: +992 37-229-2050
Email: dushanbeconsular@state.gov
Internet: tj.usembassy.gov

Office of Children’s Issues
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
SA-17
Washington, DC 20520
Tel:  1-888-407-4747
E-mail:  Adoption@state.gov
http://adoption.state.gov

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

For questions about filing a Form I-600A application or a Form I-600 petition:
USCIS National Benefits Center (NBC)
Tel:  1-877-424-8374 (toll free); 1- 913-275-5480 (local); Fax:1- 913-214-5808
Email:  NBC.Adoptions@uscis.dhs.gov

For general questions about immigration procedures:
USCIS Contact Center
1-800-375-5283 (TTY 1-800-767-1833)
Internet:  uscis.gov