There are two ways to adopt a child from Russia: 1) through an accredited agency or 2) independently, through the Russian Ministry of Education. Adoption Pros facilitates independent adoptions and will assist you with submitting your registration packet, dossier preparation, translation and filing, travel, etc. In other words, we will guide you through your independent adoption process.

It's a requirement that families travel two times to Russia before they finalize their adoptions. This rule applies to all cases -- "independent" or "accredited". During the first short trip, a child is identified and the documents are filed with the court. During the second trip from 7 to 14 days, adoption is finalized in a court of law and the child receives a U.S. visa to come home.

Children available for adoption are of all ages, but rarely under 12 months. Sibling groups of 2 or 3 children are also available. Children live in orphanages controlled by regional administrations which make key decisions in adoption. All adoptions are finalized in courts. Families hoping to adopt from Russia need to be flexible in the type of child desired and able to cope with many ups and downs in the process. Patience is essential once a commitment is made to pursue an international adoption.

Requirements:

• Single or Married
• No restriction on length of marriage
• No upper age restriction
• Parents have to be at least 15 years older than the child
• Unrelated children allowed
• Pre-court physical exam for parents is done in Moscow
• No income requirement (must comply with the USCIS guidelines)
  

Cost

Adoption Pros Program Fee: $10,000

Foreign Fee: $8,000

US CIS Fees:

$545 with I-600A
$70/person for fingerprinting
$350 child’s visa in Russia
$100 Pre-visa physical exam for child

Other Fees (estimated):

Travel: $2500/person
Lodging: $100/day
Miscellaneous: $500
Home Study: $1500 - $2500
Post-placement reports: $0 - $300