Background
With a population of 143 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-skinned Slavic to Eurasian. There are over one million orphans in Russia, the majority of which are not true orphans, but have parents who were unable to provide for them. Most cities have several orphanage facilities; with baby homes holding children from birth to approximately 3 years of age, orphanages housing children ages 4-7, and boarding schools, housing children ages 7-16. Russian orphanages normally hold between 150–250 children, with 5–15 children per caregiver.
Eligibility Requirements
Married couples and single women may adopt. Prior divorce is acceptable, and there are no restrictions regarding the number of children in the home. Russia is quite lenient regarding the ages of parents. They consider the mother to be primary caregiver so the age of the mother is the primary factor in granting approval to adopt. While Russia can be quite lenient on the age of adopting parents, Russia does have more restrictive regulations regarding the health of adopting parents. Any prescription medications, or any medical conditions are evaluated on a case by case basis for eligibility.
Processing Time
The application through final adoption decree takes approximately 12–18 months. The average referral time takes approximately 6-12 months: boys typically take 6-9 months, girls 9-12 months.
Age of Children Available
Boys are more available than girls; 10 months – 15 years old. You have the option to adopt more than one child
Travel Requirements
Russia adoption requires two trips. The first trip will be one week or more in duration. Most regions will require both parents on the first trip and some regions will allow only one parent on the first trip. The time between first trip and second trip will vary by region (averages 2–4 months). Both parents travel on the second trip and appear in court. After the court hearing one parent may return home while the other parent stays to complete the remaining legal paperwork and process. However, some regions require both parents to be present for completing paperwork after the court hearing. The second trip will generally last from 10-21 business days
Post-Adoption Paperwork
These reports are required at 6 months, 12 months, 24 months and 36 months after the adoption is finalized. A licensed social worker must prepare these reports, which must be notarized and translated into Russian. Five photos of the adopted child are required with these reports.
Agencies
- America World Adoption
- Bethany
- World Association for Children and Parents
- Christian World Adoption
- All God's Children
† Information gathered from various agencies and other online sources with special thanks to AWAA.org.