blind referrals...pros, cons, options

We traveled with a referral for both adoptions with the understanding that referrals are not guaranteed in Kaz and your referral may be chosen by another family before you arrive. We received both of our referrals a few weeks before we actually traveled. Most of the big agencies in Kaz offer referrals and the option of going blind. In my opinion if you are specifying an infant (especially a girl) you would want to have a referral.

we are open to a boy, but would prefer one as young as possible. my husband is not wanting to do the blind referral process.

At first the blind referral process freaked us out, but it turned out to be not a big deal. Our co-ordinator in country only requested the LOI once a specific child was identified and we were in country within a week and a half. We requested a boy as young as possible as well....much easier that requesting a girl. When we went to the orphanage the co-ordinator said "you will be shown 3 boys, you will pick #2". So it was pretty much a referral, but we just did not receive any info before travelling. The short time period between identifying a child and travelling seems to be important. Months later we found out our son was given as a referral to the "big" agency, but their travels were delayed and we got to Kaz a month after they were given the referral information. All of this was unknown to us until about a year and a half later. At first we through we wanted a referral before flying around the world, but the heart ache of losing a referral would be difficult. If we win the lottery and adopt from Kaz again, we would have no issues doing another blind referral.

The blind process was initially drew me to Kaz-- I liked the idea of us finding each other once I got there. But as the time to travel drew closer, traveling blind had me a basket case-- what if the child I was looking for wasn't there? She was, and I now have a beautiful little girl, but the fact that it wasn't guaranteed did make me very nervous. That having been said, I agree with one of the previous posts-- even if there is not an official referral, I think often there is a child the agency has in mind for you, that fits your stated criteria. Ask your agency from the start what happens if you travel and you don't find the child you are looking for. Also, since (I believe) you are still deciding on an agency, ask about the region they work in and the ages of children adopted recently. The region I traveled to (Karaganda) had a number of 8 month olds available when I travel, but I have heard talk of some regions only making kids 12 mos and up available. (Don't know first hand if that's true though). And of course, being open to a boy or girl will give you more flexibility.. Even if a family does want a boy vs. a girl, I think for most of them, as long as the alternate children they are choosing from are healthy, they fall in love despite any preconceived notions. The kids are great! Good luck..

We traveled blind. Given only a couple weeks notice. We too were very nervous about the process. But once we made it through that first day in Kaz, we knew it was all in God's plan for us. There is a lot of things we will never understand about how we met the children we did vs others parents that came in before and after us. Our agency does not give referrals. Referrals are not "legal" in Kaz, and I have heard of many people not receiving the referral they seen. Something that would be very hard to take. Ask the agencies you are considering about all the different possiblities and how they will handle things. Best Wishes

I submitted my dossier last month and I specified in my petition that I wanted a child age 6 months- 3 years, no gender preference. Has anyone found in their experience that if they did not have a gender preference that they were only shown boys? Also, I have heard of PAPs being shown children outside their specified age range. How often does this happen?

I was shown several over the age range I specified. A few were over by just a few months, but 2 boys were over by a year and a half-- I'm not sure I could have adopted them given the parameters of my home study. There was not too much pressure put on to take these children, but two of them were adopted by families in my group (one by a family who came looking for an infant). I had been advised this might happen before I traveled.. It's probably handled differently from babyhouse to babyhouse, but I think the bottom line is that they are trying to get all the kids homes and with so many families looking for infants, the only way to do it is to show them as many other kids as possible before they make their decision.

if we have a home study and paperwork done for 0-3 years, go into this looking for an infant, but also see a toddler we would take, what is the process to add that child to the adoption while in country? we are not looking for two children, but if the opportunity presented itself, we would be open to it.

Kazakhstan only allows the adoption of two children if they are siblings, so you would probably not be faced with this opportunity. But, just in case you are presented with young siblings make sure your US clearance I-600A (171-H) approve you for two kids otherwise US immigration won't issue the IR3 visa for both kids.

I thought the US will not permit you to immigrate a child outside your approved age range??

They won't. The poster is approved up to three years old and was interested in an infant and/or a toddler. After three I wouldn't call a child a toddler any more.

We travelled blind and felt very comfortable doing so. We met three children. It worked out perfectly. A few days later a family came and I saw them with one of the girls we met. Come to find out she had been a referral for them, but that didn't matter, we were in country so they let us meet her. They didn't tell us she was a referral so things could have turned out very differently, but thankfully they didn't and we both got the child perfect for our family.