Russia Adoption – Process, Costs and Adoption Agencies

For many years, Russia was among the most commonly picked countries for adoptive parents hoping to grow their families. However, what was once a popular option is no longer open to American citizens. Following the implementation of Russian Federal Law No. 272-FZ in 2013, adoptions from Russia to the U.S. have been banned indefinitely. Fortunately, you have a variety of other options to complete your international adoption.
If you are hoping to adopt internationally, consider Ukraine or Bulgaria. Here, you can find information on Russian adoption and updates pertaining to hopeful U.S. families.

Russia Adoption Quick Facts

• Hague Convention Country: No
• Open to adoption by U.S. citizens: No
• Adoption Authority: Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation

A History of Adoption in Russia

American adoptions in Russia began taking place in the early 1990s. Over the years, the process of adoption in Russia has been through many changes, but that didn’t stop it from quickly becoming an adoption destination for countless adoptive families. By the turn of the century, a significant portion of international adoptions took place in Russia.
Below, you can find a brief outline of adoption from Russia starting at the end of the 20^th century.

• 1999-2011: Going into the 21^st century, Russia was consistently one of the most popular countries for U.S. families to choose for adoption. Starting in 2008, a combination of factors, including new regulations, caused adoption in Russia to begin to decline. Still, up until 2011, as many as 1,000 or more Russian children were adopted by U.S. citizens every year.
• 2011-2013: Starting around 2011, accounts of unfavorable adoption situations began to arise – some of which involved adopted Russian children. Many Russian adoptees had particular needs, but due to a lack of medical information, adoptive parents were not prepared for them. This resulted in a variety of problems that led to place more limitations on adoption and put an emphasis on domestic adoptions. By the end of 2012, families were reporting significant delays and difficulties in completing their adoptions.
• 2013-Present: In the beginning of 2013, Russia issued Federal Law No 272-FZ, which forbade U.S. citizens from adopting Russian children. In their explanation, they cited concerns for the wellbeing of adopted children. Following the ban, many adoptions that were in progress were never completed.

To find more information on Russia and the status of U.S. adoptions, see the sections below.

Russia Adoption Updates

As of January 2013, U.S. citizens are prohibited from adopting a child in Russia. Future updates on the status of adoption in Russia will be provided here.
To learn more about adoption in Russia, you can also visit one of the following:

• S. Embassy in Moscow
• S. Department of State
• Adoption in Russia
• Adoption.com