Procedures

1. Fill out the application.

2. Upon approval, we will send you a Russian Adoption Guide/Workbook which gives step-by-step procedures on Russian adoption.

3. A personal consultant will be assigned to you who will walk you through every step in preparing your paperwork until your adoption is completed. Pre-adoption courses are available without charge along with all resources for preparation, travel, and post-adoption questions. 

4. Your registration documents will be sent to our Moscow Office in Russia. Depending on your child preference, our Moscow Office will send your documents to a specific region in Russia. When you are closer to travel, you will be notified about submitting your dossier. Your personal consultant will work closely with you to prepare your dossier.

   Wait times after documents submission to adoption completion.

   Boy: up to 2 years Girl:  2+ years Sibling group (under 4years old): 2+ years

5. Your Dossier will be sent to the region in Russia where you will be adopting from.

6. A child will be identified for you (Referral) and an invitation will be sent from Russia for you to make your first trip to meet your child. Please keep in mind that Children’s Hope cannot guarantee that families will get health and family information or pictures/video on your referral prior to travel.

7. You will travel to Russia to meet with your referral. If your referral is not in Moscow, you will be placed on a flight, or train or car, depending on the region your child is in, usually after staying one night in Moscow.

8. You will be met by the CHI Regional Adoption Coordinator who will have made all arrangements and appointments for you - guiding and accompanying you through all formalities in the region.

9. You will give the acceptance of the referral directly to the adoption officials while in Russia after meeting with the child.

10. After returning to the United States, approximately after 2 to 4 months, a Court Date will be assigned to you by legal authorities in Russia. Both parents must be present at the court hearing. The time between trips can vary depending on different regions.

11. After the court hearing, you will return to Moscow where official immigration procedures are concluded. You will again be met by the CHI Coordinator there who will guide you through the final procedures at the U.S. Embassy.

12. You will fly home! CHI personnel will be available to you for assistance with what to do when you return home - and for as long as you need us.

13. Post Adoption process begins.