Procedures for a Russian Adoption

Fill out the application.

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

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, along with all resources for preparation, travel, and post-adoption questions. 

Your registration documents for a Russian adoption 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, where you will begin the work on your regional registration. Your personal consultant will work closely with you to prepare your dossier.

Once your regional registration documents are completed, you will be registered in the region.

The Department of Education will identify a child for you (Referral) and you will be invited to travel and meet your child. Due to regional differences, Children’s Hope cannot guarantee that families will get health and family information or pictures/video on your referral prior to travel.

If your referral is not in Moscow, you will travel to the region by plane, train or car (depending on the region your child is in) usually after staying one night in Moscow.

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.

 After spending time with the child and the orphanage doctors/director, you will give the acceptance of the referral directly to the Russia adoption officials.

Approximately 1 - 2 months after returning to the United States, 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 regions.

After the court hearing, and once all the necessary documents are ready, you will return to Moscow where official immigration procedures will be concluded. Once in Moscow, a CHI Coordinator will guide you through the final procedures at the US Embassy.

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.

Post Adoption process begins.