general information

For Americans who adopt internationally, Russia has long been a stable program acceptance. Russia has generally the third most popular country of origin for international adoptions in the United States. Russian children who are typically given up for adoption because of the poverty level in the country so that a child’s education it would be difficult or impossible for the lower class parents. The result is that a large number of Russian children are made available for foreign adoption.

Recently, however, attempts at reform within the Russian adoption system, long delays in the adoption process have led. A recently adopted Russian law requires adoption agencies to be re-accredited. The process of applying for and granting the accreditation and licensing process has been a slow, leading to the delays that are currently on view.

Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Applications for accreditation must be reviewed by five Russian ministries. One of these services sometimes requires clarification or additional information on specific applications, which leads to a further delay. The website for the United States Embassy in Moscow gives an example in which the Justice Department recently returned several requests to the authorities and asked for further information1. The Ministry of Education can only log on Accreditation of receiving the approval of each of the four other ministries. At the time of this writing (May 30, 2007) of the Ministry of Education did not have a date on which the review is announced to be completed, and not an adoption agency was accredited by the Ministry.

These shifts in the adoption process had some other consequences as well. For example, adoptive parents have difficulty traveling to Russia, visited for its adoption. Russian adoptions are two such visits, the first week and the second lasting two to three weeks. The Russian government issues visas for adoptive parents for these visits with certain parameters that the date for the visit. However, since all adoptions are behind schedule fall back, the Americans are trying to travel to Russia outside the dates specified on their visas. This can be especially problematic when they travel in a position to Russia, but filed stay beyond the departure of the visa. Experience significant delays in the departure Russia.

For now, adoptions in Russia are still mired in the bureaucratic process of accreditation. The Russian government and the Ministry of Education are not in a position to say when the review might be over and adoptions will be full again in motion. For those wishing to adopt a Russian child, it is still possible to do this, but you should be prepared to weather a significant waiting time. If the permanent process is not possible, there are many other countries to take account of available children. A few other viable options include China, South Korea, Guatemala, and many countries in Africa. News and Updates on Russian adoptions are from the U.S. Embassy in Moscow