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Adoption from Russia remains one of the
most popular choices for families that hope to adopt an infant or
young child. ECAS has had a signed partnership agreement with a
reputable US agency accredited in Russia to place children into
adoptive homes in USA since 2001.
About the Program
This unique program offers adoption opportunities from many, mostly
Western regions of Russia. An estimated 700,000 children are currently
waiting in Russian orphanages for caring parents. The orphanages
are well managed by the regional governments who are trying their
best to provide for the basic needs of the children in their care.
The majority of the children that have been placed with our families
in the past are Caucasian infants between 11-30 months old. They
are in good health and thriving in their new families in America.
Our personnel have extensive experience in assisting families with
adoptions from Russia since 1993. Since it was founded in 1998 ECAS
has successfully united more than five hundred children from Russia
with the families from all over the U.S For the past 3 years we
have assisted in the adoptions of 50-60 children annually. The majority
of our adoptive families finalized their adoption from Russia within
4-8 months after completing their adoption home study and obtaining
BCIS approval from the U.S. immigration office.
The Process
In order to be approved for adoption from Russia the adoptive family
must complete an adoption study in the U.S. with ECAS or adoption
agency in their state of residence and obtain an approval from the
U.S. immigration office. The Ministry of Education (MOE) is the
legal authority for adoptions in Russia. It maintains a data base
of the children waiting to be adopted for a period of six months.
Russian citizens have priority over all foreign adoptions. The initial
adoptive family’s documents must be submitted to one of the
regional administrations in Russia by the agency accredited in Russia
representative for the selection of a child. After the documents
are approved, the family is matched with a child that has been released
from the Russian federal data base. A photo, short personal history
and health summary are available for review with the referral of
the child. ECAS maintains a list of international adoption clinics
located in the U.S. as well as and western trained physicians in
Russia for evaluation of the child’s referral.
Experienced accredited agency coordinators in Russia assist families
during their adoption trip through each step of their adoption process.
Our role is to make sure your adoption process is as smooth as possible
from the beginning through the successful completion of your adoption.
All adoptions are finalized in Russia. Children adopted from Russia
receive citizenship upon arriving in the U.S.
Advantages of the Program
• Infants from 10 months old, young toddlers and siblings
are available for adoption.
• Photo, birth data & short health status of the child
are available for review with the referral before traveling to Russia.
• Eligible applicants can specify age and gender of children
they wish to adopt.
• Eligible applicants are allowed to adopt more than one child
at a time.
• Single women and families with children are allowed to adopt.
• Relatively short waiting for a child referral (2-6 months
after initial request is filed in Russia).
Children available from Russia
• Infants and children, including siblings and children with
special needs ages 10 months to 16 years old:
- Majority of the children are Caucasian and few are Eurasian or
of Gypsy decent.
- Most infants have been relinquished at birth by unwed mothers
due to unwillingness to raise the child.
- Older children who have been removed from their homes as a result
of poverty, neglect or abuse.
• All children are tested for HIV, Hepatitis A, B, and C,
Tuberculosis, and Syphilis prior to the initial placement at the
orphanage and again prior to the adoption court hearing.
• Personal and health history with inoculations are provided
at the orphanage if available.
Who can adopt
• Married couples and single women from 25-55 years of age.
• Suggested age difference between adoptive parents and adopted
children should not exceed 47years.
• Couples must be married at least for one year.
• One prospective parent must be U.S. citizen.
• No restrictions regarding previous divorces or number of
children in the home.
• Families having Home Study provided by other licensed adoption
agencies.
• Adoptive parents without major disabilities, terminal illnesses,
and in good mental and physical health.
• Families who meet AGENCY, STATE, FEDERAL and foreign country
requirements for adoption abroad.
• Russia accepts only heterosexual applicants.
Traveling abroad
At present time two trips (for a total of approximately 14-22 days
combined) are required in order to complete an adoption from Russia.
After accepting the child referral the adoptive family is invited
to travel to region and meet the child in person. The first trip
lasts 4-5 days and allows families to spend time with the child
and obtain all available information about the child. After the
commitment to adopt the child is made the adoptive family must file
a petition for adoption to the MOE. During the first trip or shortly
after, the adoption dossier documents must be submitted to the regional
court for review and approval.
After MOE releases the child for the adoption, an average of 1-2
months later, the court hearing is scheduled and both adoptive parents
are invited to travel again to attend a court hearing in the region.
The court decision is issued the day of the hearing, but becomes
effective 10 days later. At this point the adoptive family is granted
legal custody of the child. This trip also includes processing of
adoption decree documents in the region of a child’s residence
and processing the U.S. entrance visa for the adopted child in Moscow.
The length of the second trip varies according to the orphanage
location and is approximately 9-19 days long.
Russian law allows interpretation by the regional administration.
For that reason logistics of adoption and the length of the second
trip may vary by region. The family usually spends the last 3 nights
in Moscow. The second trip culminates in bringing your child home.
Only one parent is required to accompany the adopted child to the
U.S. Experienced accredited agency coordinators assist families
during their adoption trip and each step of their adoption process
in Russia.
Post adoption requirements
All children adopted from Russia must be registered with the Russian
Consulate in the U.S. no later than one month upon arrival in the
U.S. During first 3 years following the adoption the adoptive family
is required to provide to the agency the total of 4 post adoption
reports accompanied by photographs of the adopted child. The adoptive
family is also required to notify the Russian Consulate in the U.S.
and the agency about any home address or phone number change within
one month upon the change of the family residence during first 3
years following the adoption.
About the country
Russian Federation is one of the largest countries in the world
today. It covers almost twice the territory of either the United
States or China, ranks 6-th in world population (147 million) and
spans 11 time zones. A former part of the Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics (USSR), Russian Federation has been an independent country
since the dissolution of the union in December 1991. The largest
city and the capital of Russia is Moscow. Approximately 80% of the
people are Russians. The others represent many ethnic groups including
Tartars, Ukrainians, Byelorussians, Moldavians and many others.
The Russian language is the country's official language. With a
rich culture and warm and hospitable people, Russia is a wonderful
place to visit.
For more information about our Russian program, please contact
our agency at:
E-mail: info@ecasus.org
Phone: 763-694-6188 / 763-694-6131
Fax: 763-694-6104
Website: www.ecasus.org
Monthly information meetings are scheduled at our office every second
Tuesday evening.
Must e-mail or RSVP by phone.
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