Russian Adoptions

With a population of 147 million, Russia is one of the largest countries in the world today. Because of the vast area of land it encompasses, Russia’s cultural heritage is remarkably diverse. Although most people imagine Russian physical features to be light skinned and fair eyed, this is far from inclusive. Many regions of Russia have fair skinned children, but there are ethnic minorities throughout the country whose physical characteristics can range from tan-skin Slavic to Eurasian.

There are over a million orphans in Russia, the majority of which are true orphans, or have parents who were unable to provide for them. Most cities have several orphanage facilities, with baby homes holding children from birth to approximately 4 to 5 years of age. Other facilities, often referred to as boarding schools, house the older children. Russian orphanages normally hold between 150-250 children, with 5-15 children per care-giver.

The Russian adoption process can be completed in as little as 9 months. It is usually necessary for the adoptive family to make two trips to Russia before the adoption is finalized. You begin the process by assembling and Apostille certifying a preliminary set of documents called a pre-file. The first visit is scheduled after the pre-file has been processed and a preliminary match has been made. There are a number of factors (such as age, sex, ethnicity and availability) that can impact how quickly you are matched with a child. The more flexible you are on these factors, the faster you can expect to receive a referral or travel date. A referral consists of a photo and/or video of a child, accompanied by a medical report. Sometimes with older children, we may send you videos of several children.

The Russian adoption authorities require this initial trip to allow you the opportunity to meet the child you are referred and determine if the match is a positive one for you as well as for the child. If you feel confident with the match, the adoption will proceed. However, if for any reason you feel the match is not a good fit, you will be given the opportunity to be matched with another child before you leave the country. This first trip normally can be completed in 4-6 days. Upon your return to the states, you must then complete the process of Apostille certifying the regional-specific documents in your Dossier. Once your regional documents have been completed and your court date has been granted, you will return to Russia to finalize the adoption. Although the estimated wait time to be granted a court date can vary widely from province to province, the second trip can usually be scheduled within about 8 weeks of the first trip. Families usually expect to stay in Russia the second time for about 7-10 days. Some regions require an extra 10 days in-country on the second trip, although this is rare.

We work very closely with our families and are sensitive to the needs of both the family and the child throughout the entire adoption process. For some families, medical information is the main concern. Other families feel that appearance is a higher priority, while some individuals are simply open to any child whom they are referred. We believe that nothing happens by accident, and are confident that God will place just the right child (or children) in your home. Our Russia Program coordinators have placed many children from Russia with their forever families. They have extensive experience and have a profound love for the country, culture and people. You can be assured that you will be in good hands throughout your Russian adoption process and our knowledgeable family coordinators will be supporting you every step of the way.

**From America World Adoption Assiociation website