Russia Adoption

Adoption Program
CWA has had a large and stable Russian program since 1992. CWA’s directors adopted their teen daughter from Russia. CWA has earned the favor, respect and trust of Russian government officials . We know that most parents want to adopt young children, but children of all ages are waiting in Russian orphanages. CWA is active in several regions, currently about 20. The process, timing and travel requirements vary by region. Your Case Manager will assign you to the best region for you and your adoption. Our Program Director is Russian-born and can discuss each case directly with our Russian facilitators. Our Case Managers will provide personal guidance throughout your adoption. CWA has an office in Moscow with a bilingual staff and has Russian-speaking staff in our US office. Currently adoptions from Russia can take about 12 months from the time of submitting your application until the child is home. Previous CWA parents may return to adopt from the same region they adopted from earlier if the region is open.

The Children
Both boys and girls age legally available for international adoption at 9 months of age. Currently, families can expect to bring home a boy approximately age 12 months and older, and can expect to bring home a girl approximately age 15-18 months and older. For families wanting to adopt a young child, Russia requires families’ paperwork state they are willing to adopt a child age 0-18 months. Families can adopt one child, siblings, or two unrelated children. If adopting two unrelated children, one child must be at least age 25 months or older at referral age. After you are in Russia and meet the child chosen for you, if you decide not to adopt that child, then you may ask to see another child. If a child is available within the parameters of your paperwork, you will be referred the child. Medical information on the child is limited, therefore CWA strongly encourages parents to seek advice from an American physician who specializes in reviewing and interpreting the medical information you will receive. The physician can prepare you before your travel to Russia regarding what questions to ask, how to interact with the child, what information to gather to help in the evaluation of the child, etc. You can send information back to the physician via fax or email and receive their opinion before accepting referral of a child. CWA provides clients with a list of physicians located throughout the USA. It is a myth that most Russian children offered for adoption have FAS or FAE.

Parent Eligibility
Married couples and single women may adopt. Prior divorce is acceptable, and there are no restrictions regarding the number of children in the home. Russia is quite lenient regarding the ages of parents. They consider the mother to be primary caregiver so the age of the mother is the primary factor in granting approval to adopt. While Russia can be quite lenient on the age of adopting parents, Russia does have more restrictive regulations regarding the health of adopting parents. Therefore, if you are currently taking any prescription medications, or if you have any medical conditions, please call or email our Director of Intake to discuss your specific case so we can help you determine your eligibility. If you are taking a prescription medication for any psychological diagnosis — including depression, we need to know this up front. In addition, if there is any prior arrest record or prior criminal charge, please discuss this with us. While it does not automatically preclude you from adopting, each situation is addressed on a case-by-case basis. With international adoption, all medical information and criminal issues must be fully addressed and documented in your home study as well as other adoption related documents. By fully disclosing any relevant information prior to your applying with CWA, we can hopefully help you avoid the expenditure of time, money, and emotions, only to later discover Russia might not approve you to adopt.

Travel
Russian adoption requires two trips. The first trip will be about one week. Most regions will require both parents on the first trip. The time between first trip and second trip will vary by region (averages 2–4 months). Both parents travel on the second trip and appear in court. After the court hearing one parent may return home while the other parent stays to complete the remaining legal paperwork and process. The second trip will generally last from 10-21 days, again, depending on region requirements. When families arrive in the region, our CWA staff facilitator will greet you at the airport and escort you to your accommodations. You will receive preparation for the adoption processes and what to expect while in Russia. Our facilitator will provide translation, transportation, guidance, as well as escorting you to all official appointments. You must register your adopted child with MOFA Consular Division in Moscow before leaving Russia. Your stay in Moscow on the 2nd trip will be no less than 4 business days. For most regions, parents will be required to complete an extensive medical exam in Moscow prior to the court hearing. There is an American clinic there that can provide this service. Your Case Manager will give you exact details according to your region.

Note: Due to the nature of international adoption, the adoption program information contained in this page is subject to change without notice.