Russian Adoptions

From Ivan the Terrible to Katherine the Great to the doomed Imperial Dynasty of the Romanovs, Russian history is full of fascinating characters and events. In the twentieth century, the Soviet Union (and then Russia) continued to play a major role in world events. This grand history continues into the twenty-first century. Today, Russia is home to over 145 million people.

Following the collapse of the former Soviet Union, more and more people are looking to Russia when investigating international adoption options. In March 2000, Russia passed a law mandating that international adoption agencies placing children from Russia be licensed by the Russian government. According to the U.S. Embassy, the number of agencies working in Russia has been reduced from 175 to approximately 50. Even with this drastic reduction in the number of international adoption agencies licensed to work in Russia, Russia remains the second most popular nation for Americans conducting international adoptions. In 2002 alone, Americans adopted almost 5,000 children from Russia.

What's Involved in Adopting a Child From Russia?

The children available for adoption from Russia are orphans (either through the death of their birthparents or because their birthparents abandoned them) cared for in the governmental orphanage system. All Russian adoptions are processed through the Russian Ministry of Education (the government bureau overseeing the orphanages). Contrary to the stereotype, not all Russian children available for adoption are Caucasian looking. In fact, Russia is a melting pot of ethnicities, in much the same way that the U.S. is a cultural melting pot. The children available for adoption include a variety of ethnicities such as Asian, Gypsy, Mediterranean, and Caucasian.

Two trips are necessary to adopt a child from Russia. First, the adoptive parents travel to Russia to meet their child and to apply for a court date. The parents can return to the United States after applying for a court date. However, their prospective adoptive child must remain in Russia during this time. Adoptive parents must travel to Russia a second time to attend the court hearing. After the court hearing, the parents will receive the adoption certificate and a new birth certificate showing the child's new name, and the adoptive parents as the child's parents.

• Children Available: Healthy children (both boys and girls), 10 months old and older. Special needs children are also available for adoption from Russia. Contrary to popular stereotypes, Russian children are from a variety of ethnicities including Caucasian, Asian, Gypsy, and Mediterranean.
• Parent Requirements: Married couples, single men, and single women may adopt from Russia. Parents must be at least 16 years older than the child to be adopted.
• Travel Requirements: Two trips are usually required for both parents. The first trip is a one-week stay in Russia; the second trip requires a two- to three-week stay.
• Time Frame: Child referral usually happens three to six months after your dossier and supporting documents are received in Russia. However, it may take longer to get a referral for a healthy girl under six months of age.
• Number of Children Adopted by Americans in 2002: 4,939
• Additional Information: A videotape of the child usually accompanies the referral. Post placement supervision and reports are required for three years. The children available for adoption from Russia are in orphanages.

Credits: Excerpted from "International Adoption Guidebook," by Mary Strickert