Uzbekistan 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).  Please see more detail below in the Who Can Adopt, Who can be adopted, and How to adopt for more details on the intercountry adoption steps involving Uzbekistan.

Although legal changes made in 2007 led to a modest increase in the number of foreign prospective adoptive parents seeking to adopt in Uzbekistan, there have been few successful intercountry adoptions. In May 2013, the Government of Uzbekistan issued a decree amending the Civil Procedural Code concerning courts appointed as adoption authorities to review domestic and intercountry adoptions. Based on the changes to the Family and Civil Procedural Codes of Uzbekistan, the Supreme Court of Uzbekistan issued Resolution #21, which provides details on the procedure to review domestic and intercountry adoption cases. Uzbek children are only eligible for intercountry adoption if there is no possibility for adoption by Uzbek citizens or residents of Uzbekistan. This requirement significantly limits the number of children available for intercountry adoption in Uzbekistan.

We are aware there are also prospective adoptive parents who reside abroad who wish to adopt a child from the United States. Please see our section on Adoptions from the United States for more information on the process for adopting a child from the United States.

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, 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 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 Department of State guidance and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) 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 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.

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

• Minimum Residency: None
• Age of Adopting Parents: Prospective adoptive parents must be at least 15 years older than the child (except in cases where the child is being adopted by a step-parent).
• Marriage: A prospective adoptive parent may be single or a married or unmarried couple.
• Minimum Income: None
• Other requirements:
  • Same-sex relationships are illegal in Uzbekistan, and same-sex marriage is not recognized.
  • Prospective adoptive parents are required to appear in person during the court hearing in Uzbekistan even if they have an appointed legal representative helping them with the intercountry adoption process.
  • Parents with certain health conditions, those who have previously been convicted of a crime, and those who have been previously stripped of parental rights are not eligible to adopt.

Under the INA 101(b)(1)(F), a child can be considered an orphan because of the death or disappearance of, abandonment or desertion by, or separation or loss from both parents, or in the case where there is a sole or surviving parent who is incapable of providing the proper care and has in writing irrevocably released the child for emigration and adoption.

In addition to qualifying as an orphan under U.S. immigration law, the child must also meet the following requirements of Uzbekistan:

• Eligibility for adoption:
  • Relinquishment: Minimum legal requirements must be met prior to the issuance of an adoption decree by a court. A child who has been placed with social services by his or her birth parents must remain in an orphanage for at least one year before becoming eligible for adoption. However, if there is a legal finding that the parents are “missing,” “deprived of parental rights,” “legally incapable,” or “deceased,” then the one-year rule does not apply. In the case of missing parents, a competent authority must make a reasonable effort to locate the birth parents to satisfy Uzbek law. 
  • Abandonment: The Ministry of Internal Affairs (police) must document all instances of children reported as abandoned or found, including the party that claims to have found the child (often the director of a clinic or maternity hospital). Following documentation of abandonment, the Ministry of Health (for children under age 3) or the Ministry of Public Education (for children age 3 and up) will assume tutelage of the child. One year must pass from the date the child was found abandoned or, in the case of an earlier finding of legal abandonment, from that date, before s/he becomes eligible for adoption.
  • Age of Adoptive Child: For the purposes of adoption in Uzbekistan, a child must be under 16 years of age at the time the adoption is completed.

Please note that for a child to meet the definition of an orphan under U.S. immigration law, a Form I-600, Petition to Classify Orphan 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-600 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 rarely relinquished their parental rights or consented to the adoption of their child(ren).

Uzbekistan’s Adoption Authority

Uzbek Regional and City Courts and the Department for Social Support and Rehabilitation of the Ministry of Public Education (Education Ministry)

The Process

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

1. Choose a U.S. Accredited or Approved Adoption Service Provider To Act as Your Primary Provider 
2. Apply to USCIS to be Found Suitable and Eligible to Adopt (Form I-600A) (or file a Form I-600 combination filing to have USCIS review both your suitability and eligibility as an adoptive parent and the child’s status as an orphan at the same time) 
3. Apply to Uzbekistan’s Authorities to Adopt, and to be Matched with a Child 
4. Apply for Your Child to be Found Eligible to Immigrate to the United States as an Orphan (Form I-600)
5. Secure a U.S. Immigrant Visa if You Intend to Reside with Your Child in the United States 
6. Obtain U.S. Citizenship for Your Child

1. Choose a U.S. Accredited or Approved Adoption Service Provider to Act as Your Primary Provider

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 may provide adoption services in intercountry adoption cases.

For more information on primary providers and the UAA, please see Universal Accreditation Act of 2012. See additional guidance for limited situations when a primary provider may not be required. Learn more about Agency Accreditation.

2. Apply to USCIS to be Found Suitable and Eligible to Adopt (or file a Form I-600 combination filing to have USCIS review both your suitability and eligibility as an adoptive parent and the child’s status as an orphan at the same time)

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

To meet U.S. immigration requirements, you may choose to file a Form I-600A, Application for Advance Processing of an Orphan Petition, with USCIS, to be found suitable and eligible to adopt. Please see the USCIS website for more information about filing options. If you have already identified the child you wish to adopt, you may alternatively choose to file the Form I-600 petition for the child and include all the required supporting documentation for the Form I-600A application (i.e. an approved home study) so USCIS can make a determination on your suitability and eligibility to adopt before reviewing the child’s eligibility as an orphan. 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 Uzbekistan’s Authorities to Adopt, and be Matched with a Child

If you are found suitable and eligible to adopt under U.S. immigration law, Uzbekistan requires you to submit an adoption application to the Regional or City Courts of Uzbekistan in the domicile of the adoptee to be found eligible to adopt by Uzbekistan.

The competent adoption authority or other authorized entity in Uzbekistan will review your adoption dossier and, if an appropriate match is found, may provide you with a 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 ultimately adhere to the USCIS’ suitability determination (i.e. typically the Form I-600A approval notice) with respect to the number of children you are approved to adopt and the characteristics of the child(ren) ( such as age, sex, nationality, and/or special need, disability, and/or impairment) that you are approved to adopt. Learn more about Health Considerations

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. immigration law.  

The adoption application to the Court is submitted by prospective adoptive parents or their legal representatives directly to the Regional or City Courts. The information/documents required with the application may include:

• Prospective adoptive parents’ names 
• Consent of the second spouse to adopt, if applicable 
• Copies of prospective adoptive parents’ passports 
• Marital information and certificate, if applicable 
• Medical records for prospective adoptive parents (must include reference letters from psychiatric, counter TB, drug treatment facilities, and HIV clinics) 
• Letter from prospective adoptive parents’ employer(s) and income statements 
• Police checks 
• Home study report 
• Information about the child the prospective adoptive parents intend to adopt: name, age, and sex 
• Adoptive child’s name change request, if applicable 
• Consent of the legal guardian of the child, if applicable 
• Letter from U.S. Embassy Tashkent, based on the approved Form I-600A, which states that the U.S. government is aware of the family, and that relevant authorities have approved the family for adoption of an orphan 
• Notarized statement of the prospective adoptive parents about providing information to the representatives of the diplomatic mission of the Republic of Uzbekistan abroad about the adopted child and allowing communication with the child 

The Court may also require any additional documentation that it deems necessary. 

Uzbek law also requires that both prospective adoptive parents appear at court. The application for adoption must be signed by the prospective adoptive parent(s).

During preparation of the case for judicial review, a judge will issue a determination letter obliging the Education Ministry (and its regional and local branches) to issue a conclusion letter on why the adoption is justified and how it will benefit the adoptee. If you are eligible to adopt and a child is available for intercountry adoption, the Education Ministry will conduct a careful review of your family and issue a conclusion letter on adoption to the court.

4. Adopt the Child in Uzbekistan

The process for finalizing the adoption in Uzbekistan generally includes the following:

• Role of Adoption Authority: The Education Ministry (and its regional and local branches) act as guardianship and trusteeship bodies and are responsible for placement of orphans. The Education Ministry conducts reviews of the prospective adoptive family and issues the conclusion letter.
• Role of the Court: The Regional or City Courts grant the final adoption decree after reviewing the Education Ministry’s conclusion letter. To receive this conclusion letter after an application to the court has been filed, the judge issues a letter to the Education Ministry requesting a review of the prospective adoptive family and conclusion. The court may request additional documents that it deems necessary.
• Role of Accredited or Approved Adoption Service Providers: There are no public or private adoption service providers in Uzbekistan. Instead, families may hire attorneys or facilitators to help them file the appropriate paperwork with the various government offices. It is strongly recommended that prospective adoptive parents consult with an attorney prior to beginning the intercountry adoption process. 

As noted above, any agency or person providing an adoption service on behalf of prospective adoptive parents in any non-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, 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.

Note: See additional guidance for limited situations when a primary provider may not be required.

• Adoption Application:

Time Frame: The timeline to complete an adoption from Uzbekistan is lengthy and can vary significantly, depending on the case. Uzbek Civil Procedural Code outlines a 30-to-60-day timeline for reviewing civil cases at court. However, the initial steps to be approved and matched with a child do not have any set timeline according to Uzbek law.

• Adoption Fees: We encourage prospective adoptive parents to obtain detailed receipts for all fees and donations paid, either by them directly or through their U.S. adoption service provider, and to raise any concerns regarding any payment that you believe may be contrary to U.S. law, or the law of Uzbekistan, 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 Uzbekistan 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 UAA and IAA make 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 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. The Uzbek government specifies many of its fees based on the monthly minimum wage in Uzbekistan, which is set through the Uzbek Central Bank. Some of the fees specifically associated with adopting from Uzbekistan include:

• Application to court for adoption case: ten percent of minimum wage in Uzbekistan, per the current wage published by the Uzbek Central Bank. 
• Document translation services offered by certified translators in Uzbekistan: $2-4 per page 
• Attorney or legal services: fees vary by attorney 
• Vital records office documents: ten percent of minimum wage in Uzbekistan 
• Notarial services: one percent of minimum wage in Uzbekistan 
• Passport application: ten percent of minimum wage in Uzbekistan 
• Adoption visa fee: $205 
• Medical examination fee for minors: $90 
• Documents Required: After the Education Ministry reaches a conclusion and issues the conclusion letter, the following documents must be submitted with the conclusion letter to the court: 
  • Prospective adoptive parents’ home study 
  • Excerpt of the birth record of the adoptive child 
  • Medical report on the adoptive child 
  • Consent of the adoptive child if over the age of 10 
  • Consent of the adoptive child’s birth parents to adoption 
  • A document confirming that the adoptive child is in the database of children without legal parents, or adoption candidates 
  • Documents confirming that the child could not possibly be transferred to a family of Uzbek citizens or adopted by his/her relatives regardless of those relatives’ citizenship or domicile. 

Note: Additional documents may be requested. All U.S. public documents must be translated into Uzbek or Russian by a certified translator. 

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

5. Apply for Your Child to be Found Eligible to Immigrate to the United States as an Orphan

After you finalize the adoption in Uzbekistan, USCIS must determine if the child meets the definition of an orphan under U.S. immigration law in order for the child to immigrate to the United States. You will need to file a Form I-600, Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative, on behalf of the child and unless a limited exception applies, you must identify a primary provider.

If you have a valid Form I-600A approval, you may file your Form I-600 petition in the United States with the USCIS National Benefits Center, or at U.S. Embassy Tashkent. Please see the USCIS website for more information about filing options.

When a Form I-600 petition is adjudicated by USCIS in the United States, the U.S. Embassy must complete a Form I-604, Determination on Child for Adoption (sometimes informally referred to as an orphan determination), to verify the child’s orphan status.

When a Form I-600 petition is filed with the Embassy’s consular section, the consular officer must complete the Form I-604, Determination on Child for Adoption, to verify the child’s orphan status.

Conducting the Form I-604 determination is a critical part of the non-Convention adoption process. It can take approximately one week to complete, depending upon the circumstances of your case. Consular officers appreciate that families are eager to bring their adopted child home as quickly as possible. Some of the factors that may contribute to the length of the process include prevailing fraud patterns in the country of origin, civil unrest or security concerns that restrict travel to certain areas of the country, and the number of determinations performed by available staff. Consular officers make every effort to conduct them as quickly and thoroughly as possible. You are advised to keep your travel plans flexible while awaiting the results.

6. Secure a U.S. Immigrant Visa if You Intend to Reside with Your Child in the United States

Once your adoption is complete and the Form I-604 determination has been completed, finding that your child meets the legal definition of an orphan for immigration purposes, there are a few more steps to take before your child can enter the U.S. 

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 the process. Please discuss this with the consular officer handling your case and consult the USCIS website for more information.

You 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 Uzbekistan, you will first need to apply for a new birth certificate for your child with your name on it

The court will send an excerpt of the adoption decree to the designated Vital Records Office with jurisdiction over the adopted child’s domicile. Your name will be added to the new birth certificate. Adoptions are considered confidential in Uzbekistan. Therefore, the child’s initial birth certificate will be withdrawn. The Uzbekistan Vital Records Office will provide you with a new birth certificate for the child upon your application, within 10 days from the date of the court decree issuance. First, last, and middle names of the child can be amended at the adoptive parents’ request, and the child’s birth date can be amended within a year of the existing date. Additional information about the procedure may be found in Article 164 of the Family Code of Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan Passport

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

Adoptive parents may obtain a new biometric passport and exit permit for the child from the Department of Entry, Exit, and Citizenship of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Uzbekistan. You will need to present the court adoption decree and the child’s new birth certificate. There is no residency requirement for prospective adoptive parents before they can apply for the child’s passport.

U.S. Immigrant Visa

After you obtain the new birth certificate and passport for your child and you have filed Form I-600, you will then need to apply for a U.S. immigrant visa for your child from U.S. Embassy Tashkent if you intend to bring your child to reside in the United States with you. This immigrant visa allows your child to travel home with you and be admitted to the United States as your child. As part of this process, you must provide the consular officer with the Panel Physician’s medical report on the child. Read more about the Medical Examination.

You must complete 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 may take up to one week. 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 Tashkent 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 adoption authority or competent authority where you reside for additional information about how to bring your child to that country.

7. 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 Uzbekistan
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 Uzbekistan, 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 or Consulate in Uzbekistan, 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 Uzbekistan, enrollment assists the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in reaching you.

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

Post-Adoption/Post-Placement Reporting Requirements

Uzbek law requires that adoptive parents submit annual reports to the Ministry of Public Education until the adopted child reaches age 16. Parents should contact their adoption service provider in the United States for more information on post-adoption requirements.

We urge you to comply with Uzbekistan’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 Uzbekistan’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. In particular you may find the pages on Parenting After Adoption - Child Welfare Information Gateway and Post Adoption and Permanency Support Services - Child Welfare Information Gateway useful.

COMPLAINTS

If you have concerns about your intercountry adoption process, we ask that you share this information with the U.S. Embassy Tashkent, 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-600/A process.

The Complaint Registry is an internet-based registry for filing complaints about U.S. accredited or approved adoption service providers. 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 Uzbekistan
U.S. Embassy, Tashkent
Moyqorghon Street, 5^th Block,
Yunusobod District
Tashkent – 100093 Uzbekistan
Tel: +(998) (71) 120-5450
Fax:  +(998) (71) 120-5448
Email: TashkentIV@state.gov
Internet: https://uz.usembassy.gov/

Ministry of Justice
5, Sayilgoh Street, Yunusabad District
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, 100047
Tel: +(998) (71) 233-1305
Uzbekistan’s Guardianship and Trusteeship Body – Ministry of Public Education, Department of Social Support and Rehabilitation
243 Buyuk Ipak Yuli
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, 100087
Tel: +(998) (71) 266-1378
Fax: +(998) (71) 265 9092

Embassy of Uzbekistan
Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan
1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: +(1) 202-887-5300
Fax: +(1) 202-293-6804
Email: info.washington@mfa.uz

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 filing a Form I-600A application or a Form I-600 petition with the

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 questions about filing a Form I-600A application or a Form I-600 petition with a USCIS international field office:

Please visit http://www.uscis.gov/about-us/find-uscis-office/international-immigration-offices and select the appropriate office.

For general questions about immigration procedures:

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