Russia Adoption Program Updates

Children's Hope Russia Adoption Statistics 2011

So far we have one family who is scheduled to travel for the 1^st trip and two families who are scheduled to travel for court in September!

For a complete breakdown of Children's Hope - Russia Program statistics, please consult your email weekly update. If you are not receiving a weekly update at this time, please contact your adoption consultant to review your email settings. 

Total Adoptions in 2011 to date: 12

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Adoption Education - Adoption Basics for the Classroom

You talk to your child about adoption, but what about the time he spends at school? What does his teacher know about adoption...

Please remember the importance of making sure that every document that you submit towards your basic and regional registration is correct prior to getting them notarized/apostilled.  In order to be as certain as possible, please email a copy of your documents to your adoption consultant, who will check for any errors and will let you know if anything needs to be changed.  Only then, should you go ahead and notarize and apostille your documents.

 There are no small/insignificant details when adopting internationally.  Any small mistake can result in a delay in the adoption process, and every little detail is important! ....

Children's Hope Russia Adoption Statistics 2011

So far we have two families who are scheduled to travel for court in September!

For a complete breakdown of Children's Hope - Russia Program statistics, please consult your email weekly update...

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Preparing Your Documents

Please remember the importance of making sure that every document that you submit towards your basic and regional registration is correct prior to getting them notarized/apostilled...

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U.S. - Russia Adoption Agreement

Joint Council’s Tom DiFilipo was on NPR’s Weekday, a public affairs talk show hosted by Steve Scher's on KUOW 94.9 (NPR in Seattle). Tom along with Joint Council members Dr. Julian Davies of the Center for Adoption Medicine at Seattle Children’s Hospital and Dr. Becka Brent, board member at Holt International, spoke to issues related to inter-country adoption. The hour long show focused on Russian adoptions, the new bi-lateral agreement, child protections, the need for parent education and post-placement services and the challenges of parenting.

The full broadcast is available here. 

Children's Hope Russia Adoption Statistics 2011

So far we have one family who is scheduled to travel for court in September!

For a complete breakdown of Children's Hope - Russia Program statistics, please consult your email weekly update. If you are not receiving a weekly update at this time, please contact your adoption consultant to review your email settings. 

Total Adoptions in 2011 to date: 12

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U.S. - Russia Adoption Agreement 

Joint Council’s Tom DiFilipo was on NPR’s Weekday, a public affairs talk show hosted by Steve Scher's on KUOW 94.9 (NPR in Seattle)... 

Russia and the US signed the inter-country adoption agreement on July 13, 2011. The new agreement will clarify the requirements and the adoption process overall, but more importantly will ensure the wellbeing of the adopted children after the adoption. 

Thought this agreement was signed in July, it will not go into force until after it is ratified by the Russian government. And no changes will be implemented in the adoption process until then.

The Russian side is still working on their list of details, so there is no information on the specifics of the new changes. But we do know there will be few changes made in the process:

·         Russia will no longer allow independent adoptions, which means all adoptive parents will have to go through licensed agency in order to adopt...

St. Basil’s Cathedral located on the Red Square in Moscow has celebrated its 450^th anniversary this week. When you are in Moscow make sure you stop by the Red Square to check out this beauty http://www.moscow.info/red-square/st-basils-cathedral.aspx 

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Adopting from Russia Webinar 

We will have an online webinar covering the basics of Russia adoption on Thursday, August 11^th at 1pm CST. If you know anyone who is interested in adopting from Russia...

Update:  U.S. - Russia Adoption Agreement

Russia and the US signed the inter-country adoption agreement on July 13, 2011. This was a long awaited agreement between the two countries. The new agreement will clarify the requirements and the adoption process overall, but more importantly will ensure the wellbeing of the adopted children. 

We are very pleased that the agreement was finally signed and look forward to seeing positive changes in Russian adoption process.... 

CHI Russia Adoption Statistics 2011

So far three families are scheduled to travel for the 1^st trip in July and two families are scheduled to travel for court in July...

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Update:  U.S. - Russia Adoption Agreement

RUSSIA AND U.S. REPORTEDLY WILL SIGN ADOPTION TREATY IN MID-JULY. According to an article on June 22 in RIA Novosti, Russia and the United States will sign an adoption treaty in about two weeks. The article said that the treaty will be signed during Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's visit to the United States July 12-14...

Adopting from Russia Webinar

We will have two online webinars covering the basics of Russia adoption, one on Thursday, July 14th at 1pm CST and one on Thursday, August 11^th at 1pm CST. If you know anyone who is interested in adopting from Russia please feel free to let them know about this event. 

All attendants will have to register at the following site:

July 14 - https://www1.gotomeeting.com/pjoin/843009889/105994155

Aug 11 - https://www1.gotomeeting.com/pjoin/275358289/105225360 ...

CHI Russia Adoption Statistics 2011

So far two more familiesare scheduled to travel for court in June and one scheduled to travel for court in July. Total Adoptions in 2011 to date: 8

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Giveaway: Win a Copy of "Adopt Without Debt"!

It is a Giveaway Friday! Win a copy of "Adopt Without Debt"! Leave a comment for your chance to win. Tell us: How may this book impact your adoption journey or your friend's (if this will be a gift!)?

Read here for more chances to win and giveaway details. (You get a second entry for "Liking" us on Facebook!) http://bit.ly/kLUU65 ...

We received information that some states will not let you notarize your FBI reports and you have to go through Department of State. Some families are being able to notarize and apostille their FBI reports in their states and some not. Please read this and contact your Secretary of State for your state’s guidelines.

The process to get your record checks (for your court documents) from the FBI in Virginia remains unchanged. See process information here: http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/background-checks/background_checks...

However, the FBI document that you receive back has changed,

CHI RUSSIA ADOPTION STATISTICS 2011

So far one family is scheduled to travel for the 1^st trip to meet their referrals and four are scheduled to travel for court in June...

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Moscow Region

Moscow region now requires additional visits with the child prior to court. Last month the Ministry of Education announced their recommendation for additional visits. But later the prosecutors and the judges made it into a requirement.

So now families will have to have total of 10 visits...

When you receive your court date, you will also be given the travel dates for your trip (when should leave US, when to arrive in Russia and when to return home). At the same time when you purchase your tickets you will have to buy a ticket for your child. Unfortunately airlines will not allow you to purchase a round trip ticket for your child (which is cheaper) and you will be required to purchase a one way ticket. Children's Hope International recommends that you contact the airline directly regarding the child’s ticket and let them know you are an...

CHI Russia Adoption Statistics 2011

So far one family is scheduled to travel for the 1^st trip to meet their referral and one is scheduled to travel for court in June.

For a complete breakdown of Children's Hope - Russia Program statistics, please consult your email weekly update. If you are not receiving a weekly update at this time, please contact your adoption consultant to review your email settings. 

Total Adoptions in 2011 to date: 6 

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Returning Home With Your Child

When you receive your court date, you will also be given the travel dates...

Moscow Region

Moscow region now requires additional visits with the child prior to court. Last month the Ministry of Education announced their recommendation for additional visits. But later the prosecutors and the judges made it into a requirement.

So now families will have to have total of 10 visits with the child before the court (at least 3 visits will be during the 1st trip and the rest during the 2nd trip before the court hearing).

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CHI Russia Adoption Statistics 2011

So far two families are scheduled to travel for the 1^st trip to meet their referrals in May and one in June; one family had court in May and one is scheduled for June.

For a complete breakdown of Children's Hope - Russia Program statistics, please consult your email weekly update. If you are not receiving a weekly update at this time, please contact your adoption consultant to review your email settings. 

2011 CHI Russia Families Completed: 6 ...

Please remember to be respectful and answer questions thoughtfully when you are being interviewed by the Judge in Russia.  Everything you are saying is being recorded by the courts and some of your answers can have a negative impact on the Judges’ decision...

WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR YOUR STORY!

Did something interesting happen to you while you were in Russia?  Was it a good trip?  How are things now that you’re at home?  If you haven’t traveled yet, have you found something that helps you ease your wait time?

UPDATE:  U.S. - RUSSIA ADOPTION AGREEMENT

Officials from the U.S. Department of State met with their Russian counterparts for the fourth time this month to discuss the pending agreement between the two countries.  The meeting was held in Moscow from July 21-23, and according to the US Department of State, this most recent round of negotiations were positive and productive and reflected the continuing commitment of both sides to the common goal of increasing safeguards for adoption between Russia and the United States. 

Although no official notice has been issued regarding a potential timeframe on when the agreement might be signed, ...

So far, 3 adoptions were completed in July!  We also have 2 more courts scheduled for the rest of this month.

CHI RUSSIA ADOPTION STATISTICS 2010

For a more complete breakdown of Children's Hope adoption statistics, please contact your adoption consultant if you did not receive this Program Update by email.   

US PASSPORTS

Please take a look at your passports and know when they expire. Your passport needs to be valid for six months after you travel to Russia. Should you need to renew your passport while you are still in the adoption process, don’t worry that all your documents with the previous passport number would no longer be valid. ...

 HAPPY 4^TH OF JULY!!! 

Our offices will be closed on Monday, July 5^th, for Independence Day, and will reopen on Tuesday, July 6^th.

3 families completed their adoption in June and we already have 3 courts scheduled for July!courts scheduled for July!

CIS APPROVAL:  KNOW YOUR EXPIRATION DATES!

The USCIS approval – also known as the I-171-H – is one of the most important documents in your dossier, since it is the document that allows you to bring your adopted child home to the U.S. 

When you receive your CIS approval, you will keep the original to bring with you on your second trip to Russia. For your dossier, you will make a photocopy of the original CIS approval. You will attach a cover sheet with a statement saying that you certify it is a true and exact copy of your CIS approval...