Russian Adoption Program

Adopt International is proud to introduce our affiliation with The Alliance for Children to provide an adoption program in Russia. Adopt Internationalis a private non-profit agency licensed by the States of California and Hawaii to coordinate international and domestic adoptions.

The Alliance for Children has had a successful program in Russia for over 15 years. They are licensed in twelve regions. Together we will assists families throughout the entire adoption process, which includes home study, educational requirements, document gathering, dossier processing, child referral, travel and visits, accommodations and the in-country process.

General information About Russia

The Russian Federation is situated partially in Eastern Europe and partially in Northern
Asia, and is almost twice the size of the United States. It is the largest country in the world with approximately 6.5 million square miles. Russia contains four of the world's largest rivers, and also contains the world's deepest freshwater lake. It is easy to see why a country this size could have such a diverse landscape. Siberia in the north has winters that last for nine months of the year.


Russia has a lot of potential for economic success with a variety of fossil fuels, and agriculture is also very important to the economy. Unfortunately, Russia is facing a high foreign debt, and presently cannot support a large-scale distribution system for its natural resources. Two-thirds of the population is living well below poverty.



Russian People and Culture

The population of Russia is an astounding 146 million. Moscow, the capital, has more than 10 million residents. The dominant religion is The Russian Orthodox Church. The official language is Russian. Many ethnic languages exist regionally, although Russian is taught in the schools. There is an enormous disparity between the wealthy and the poor. This gap affects the opportunities for the less fortunate to seek quality medical care, education, or jobs. In general, Russian society is merely trying to sustain itself at whatever level possible. 

The people of Russia do not have much of a chance to enjoy leisure activities because they must spend so much time procuring the necessities of life. Soccer is a favorite sport, however, and it is common for families to watch television together in the evenings. Russians do have a deep connection to the arts, and enjoy attending theaters and movies in the cities when possible.
 Food in Russia is very expensive. For this reason, most families grow what they eat, even in the urban areas. Potatoes, cabbages, beets, and onions are all staples of the Russian diet. They prefer coffee and tea. Alcoholism, a long-standing problem in Russia, now affects approximately 15% of the county.

Children Available

• Short referral times for boys.
  
• Sibling groups available.
  
• Alliance places children of all ages from 8 months to 16 years of age.
  
• Children are in orphanage care.
  
• Alliance is currently working in the following districts: Moscow City, Moscow District, St. Petersburg, Perm, Omsk, Kazan, Nizhniy Novgorod, Orenburg, Astrakhan***, and Ulan-Ude***.
  
• Background information and health history, as well as a photograph and possibly video are only available in Moscow City, St. Petersburg, Orenburg, and Ulan-Ude. All other regions require families to travel with little or no information prior to first trip.
  
• Children are tested for HIV and Hepatitis B prior to referral.
  *** Ulan-Ude and Astrakhan are able to place both Asian and Caucasian children.

Russia’s Eligibility Requirements

• Couples and singles at least 25 years of age are accepted.
  
• To request an infant (under 12 months old), single applicants must be under 48 years old. For couples, if one spouse is under 48 years old, the other can be up to 54 (52 in some districts).
  
• Couples must be married for at least one year.
  Families must be open to either gender.

Process Before Traveling

• Apply to INS for advanced approval to be eligible to adopt.
  
• Satisfy the laws of the state where applicant resides.
  
• Complete a Home study by a licensed agency or social worker
  
• Meet the eligibility requirements of the Russian Adoption Law and provide the necessary documents to the Russian government.

Time Frame

• It takes approximately 3-4 months to obtain CIS approval, complete a Home study and prepare a dossier.
  
• * Referral is approximately 8-12 months from submission of completed dossier. Waiting time for boys and children over 6 years is shorter.
  
• Travel takes place approximately 10 days to 3 weeks after referral, depending on the region. All programs in Russia require two trips.
  
• Both parents must travel.
  
• In-country representatives will help the families throughout their stay in Russia.

In order to pursue an international adoption from Russia, the following must be accomplished:

1. Apply to the C.I.S. for advance approval to be eligible to adopt a child from another country.
   
2. Satisfy the laws of the state in which the applicants reside. This includes completing an Adoption Home Study by a licensed adoption agency.
   
3. Satisfy the Russian Adoption Laws and provide necessary documentation for
   the Russian government.

As in all international adoptions, countries are in a constant state of fluctuation, which makes it impossible to predict exact timelines and changes in procedure for the adoption process. We do our best to keep our clients informed as changes become apparent.

Program Related Fees

Alliance For Children has made every effort to provide an accurate overview of fees. Please note, however, that fees may vary from case to case, and that on occasion they change without prior notice.