Adopting from Russia

• - Children's Hope has been working in Russia since 1996
• - Children's Hope is a Hague Accredited Adoption Agency
• - Children's Hope is Accredited by the Russian Federation

Our full time staff in the US and Russia is here to help you complete your adoption as quickly as possible. Children of different ages (infants, toddler, and older children), as well as special needs children and sibling groups, await their "forever families".

Children's Hope International will be with you during every step of your adoption journey.

Parent Eligibility:

• Married couples (married for at least 1 year)
• Single females (must be at least 25 years old)
• Both parents must be US citizens
• Clear medical report
• No criminal background
• Age restrictions vary throughout Russia

The Wait:
The wait time for a referral is usually 4-12 months after you submit your completed adoption documents (registration packet).  Recently, the wait time for boys has also been shorter than the wait time for girls.
 
Our waiting list is constantly changing making it difficult to predict exact timelines.  That being said, this is a general timeframe to follow, which starts with the moment when the prospective parents submit their registration documents to the time they are invited to travel.

Travel:
Russia requires two trips to complete the adoption.  On the first trip adoptive parents will meet their child or children and have the opportunity to meet the orphanage doctor and caregivers.  It’s not mandatory, however it is recommended that both parents travel for the first trip to meet and bond with their child.  Both parents must be present for the court hearing, which takes place at the beginning of the second trip.

The length of the trips will depend on the region, but on average families will spend:

First trip: 3 – 5 days in Russia
Second trip: 7 – 22 days in Russia (due to the mandatory 10 day waiting period after the court hearing)

During the second trip adoptive parents will visit their child or children before the court hearing, have their court hearing, receive child’s documents, and also spend several days in Moscow to complete the medical exam for the child and the interview at the US Embassy.

Usually families have 2 (or less) weeks notice before the trip, so adoptive parents must be ready to travel at short notice.  Flight arrangements to and from Russia are made by the adoptive parents.  Our in-country staff will make the arrangements for all in-country travel and hotel accommodations.

How to begin your adoption in Russia

Contact us toll free at 888-899-2349 to request our information packet and an application.

1. Apply with Children's Hope International (CHI).
   Download, print and either fax or mail your application to CHI.  A detailed Russian Adoption Guide on adopting in Russia will be sent to you and your personal Russia Adoption Consultant will be assigned from the St. Louis office.
2. Complete an International Home Study with a licensed home study agency in your state.
   You must complete the home study report and receive the recommendation for approval by your home study agency. In some states you are allowed to file immigration form I-600A prior to or during your home study process. In others, you can not file for immigration approval until your home study has been completed. Your home study agency will advise you of your state’s policy regarding this. Your home study must reflect the country from which you desire to adopt as well as the age, gender and number of children you wish to adopt.
3. Apply to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for Approval to Adopt a Foreign Orphan.
   You will need to file form I-600A to the USCIS. You can find this form on USCIS official website at www.uscis.gov or by calling request line at 1-800-870-3676. Prospective adoptive parents will also need to be fingerprinted by the USCIS office. The turnaround time for receiving USCIS approval will vary depending on your local office, but it typically takes 1 to 4 months. Once you have received the approval, a cable is sent to the US Embassy in Moscow.
4. Complete your adoption paperwork for Russia. 
   After your application is approved, Children's Hope International will mail you our Document Preparation Guide to assist you with collecting legal documents for your adoption process. Your personal consultant will be here to help you with this process as well. The documents will need to be notarized and apostilled (by having them notarized, certified at the county level if applicable, apostilled at the Secretary of State’s office in state of origin). The time frame of completion of your paperwork will depend on you; however the waiting time for the referral will not begin until we receive your complete packet at our office.
   Once families complete their adoptions and return home, Children's Hope International will mail a Post-Adoption Guide with instructions on how to obtain a US birth certificate and a Social Security Card for your child and how to complete the post-adoption reports. Children's Hope International will take care of registering your child or children with the Russian Consulate in the US.  We also welcome our adoptive parents to stay in touch with their personal consultant, who will be able to answer any questions you may have once you come home with your child.