Russia Adoption Factsheet, Page 2

ADOPTION AGENCIES AND ATTORNEYS: Russia requires adoptive parents to use an adoption agency that is accredited by the Russian Government to provide adoption services. Adoption agencies that do not have Russian accreditation must work under the auspices of an accredited adoption agency. The U.S. Embassy in Russia has a list of agencies accredited by the Russian authorities to provide adoption services. A list of accredited adoption agencies is available at the adoptions page of the U.S. Embassy's Web site at http://www.moscow.usembassy.gov/consular/wwwhci5.html and on the Web site for the Embassy of the Russian Federation http://www.russianembassy.org/.

Neither the U.S. Embassy nor the Department of State can vouch for the effectiveness or professionalism of any agent or facilitator.

Prospective adopting parents are advised to fully research any adoption agency or facilitator they plan to use for adoption services. For U.S.- based agencies, it is suggested that prospective adopting parents contact the Better Business Bureau and licensing office of the Department of Health and Family Services in the state where the agency is located.


Please see Important Notice Regarding Adoption Agents and Facilitators at our Web site travel.state.gov .

ADOPTION FEES IN Russia: Based on interviews with adoptive parents by U.S. Embassy officials, the average cost of an adoption is approximately $20,000.00.

ADOPTION PROCEDURES: Russian law requires that a child must have been registered in the state database for children left without parental care for at least three months before he or she is considered eligible for international adoption.

With assistance of an adoption agency accredited by the Russian Government, parents first apply to a regional Ministry of Education, which directs them to an orphanage. Adoptive parents are required to travel to Russia to meet prospective adoptive children. There they select a child and apply to the court to get a court date. Adoptive parents may return to the United States after applying for a court date. However, the prospective adoptive child must remain in Russia during this time. Adoptive parents travel a second time to Russia to attend the court hearing. After the court hearing, they obtain the adoption certificate and a new birth certificate (showing the child's new name, and the adoptive parents as the parents) from the ZAGS (civil registration office), after which they can obtain the passport for the child from the OVIR (visa and registration department). Parents then can contact the Embassy to make an appointment to apply for the immigrant visa. (Note: the child's passport will be issued in the child's new name, which will appear in Cyrillic characters and in "English." However, the Russian officials will transliterate the name from Cyrillic into English and the result usually will not be spelled as your family spells it. For example, Smith will be Smit (there is no "th" in Russian); Callaghan will be Kalahan, etc. The fact that the child's name is "mis-spelled" in the passport will NOT cause a problem when you travel and should not be a cause for concern.)

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Credits: U.S. Department of State