Russia                                          

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Welcome to the Russia program! We hope that the information on this page will help you in deciding if Russia is the right adoption program for you.

Once you have reviewed the information on our website if you further questions.

Please call 1-800-522-2913 and ask for Kim.

You can also e-mail her at: Kim@hopeforchildren.org . We will assist you in finding your child and work with you to successfully complete the adoption process.

Russia Adoptions

HOPE for Children facilitates adoptions for Russia in cooperation with our networking agency, Adoption Associates, who received re-accreditation in July of 2007.  Our representatives in Russia are incredible and do great jobs in helping families navigate the in-country process.  You will always have someone guiding you though this program including the paperwork process and travel. In 2006, Americans brought 3,706 children from Russia home to their forever families. 

Children in Need of Homes

The children waiting for adoption in Russia range from over nine months to school age children with more boys than girls. It is possible to place unrelated children at the same time. The referral time for young infants is longer than for children 24 months and older. The children live in orphanages and are cared for by a team of specialist, including massage therapists, to assist in their physical and developmental milestones.  Children with special needs are also available for adoption. 

Families may request gender preference. Reason for availability of children include:

·          Voluntary relinquishment of parental rights due to severe poverty or unemployment

·         Parental rights are relinquished by the court due to abuse or neglect

·         The parents are deceased

Parent Requirements

·         Only heterosexual applicants are eligible

·         One parent is required to be forty-five years or younger for babies under eighteen     months

·         Married couples or single female applicants are accepted

·         Minimum age of the applicant is twenty-five years old for infants

·          Families with other children in their home are accepted

·          Two previous divorces are acceptable

Timeframe

The time frame from Dossier submission to placement averages 12 months.

Process to Adopt from Russia

You will first have an Orientation in person or by phone, and then complete your formal application. You will then complete your home study, your USCIS paperwork, and prepare your dossier. Upon completion of your dossier, your documents are sent to Russia. The staff in our Russian office translates and authenticates your documents, and then submit them to the Ministry of Education. Upon approval, you will take your first trip to Russia to meet the pre-selected child. Your child’s documents are then prepared by The Ministry of Education and submitted to the court. You then take the second trip to Russia to bring your child home.

Travel Requirement

Prospective adoptive parents will take two trips, the first lasting approximately one week, and the second trip lasting approximately two weeks. You will fly into the capital city of Moscow, and then travel to the orphanage to meet your child. Both parents must travel both trips.

You child will travel home with a Russian passport and a U.S. visa (IR-3). For this reason, your child will have dual citizenship.

Post Adoption

Russia requires that post-placement reports are submitted at six, twelve, twenty-four, and thirty-six months. You will work together with your home study agency to ensure that these reports are completed in a timely manner. You will be reminded before these reports are due, and what format in which they should be completed. It is important to remember that your individual home study agency may have additional post-placement requirements in addition to those required by Russia.

Russian law requires that families register their newly adopted child(ren) with the Russian Consulate. They require that this process is fully completed within three months of the child’s arrival home in the United States. A few documents in your dossier will include signed contracts where you agree to complete this registration.

Because both parents have seen the child prior to the adoption being finalized, they will travel on an IR-3 visa, which enables them to be granted automatic U.S. citizenship. You will receive the documentation regarding this once you arrive home. This can take several weeks, or even possibly months, to arrive. When your child reaches age 18, the Russian citizenship status remains unless he or she makes an attempt to have it revoked. Their U.S. citizenship remains.

 Re-Adoption in the U.S. is strongly advised.  Please ask for further information on Re-Adoption.

Costs

The total cost for an adoption from Russia depends on your state of residency, travel costs, escort costs, and professional fees. For complete fee schedule as well as adoption process information, please complete the Online Request Form.

Formal Adoption Application:

To get started in our Russia program, you will need talk with Kim Roberson, our Russia Program Director and then send us your completed Adoption Application. The non-refundable fee for the application and processing is $275.

Due to the nature of international adoption, the information on this page is subject to change without notice.