Adoption Voices

Russia’s Children
Dillon International is proud to be affiliated with Buckner Adoption & Maternity Services for the placement of children from Russia with loving U.S. families.  Buckner Adoption & Maternity Services, Inc. has been working in Russia since 1995 and has developed excellent relationships with several well-run orphanages in St. Petersburg, Arkhangelsk, Murmansk, Krasnodar and other regions.  Buckner Adoption & Maternity Services, Inc. has been accredited by the Russian Federation since 2008 and is one of the few U.S. adoption agencies still working in Russia.

Russian children of all ages up to age 15 are available for international adoption. Many children who are available for adoption are younger than 3 years old.  The children come from a variety of ethnic backgrounds including Caucasian, Roma, Asian and Eurasian decent. 

According to a recent UNICEF report regarding vulnerable children in Russia, there are more than 750,000 children and teenagers residing in Russian institutions.  At age 16, Russian children age out of being able to live in an orphanage and suddenly find themselves out on their own.  Some 10,000 of these vulnerable teens depart from the state-run orphanages every year.  At least 40% of these young adults eventually end up in prison or in prostitution and one in ten will commit suicide while struggling to survive on the street. 

In light of such staggering statistics, Buckner Adoption & Maternity Services, Inc. has worked for the past 16 years to improve the lives of these older children from Russia, who were being overlooked for international adoption, to increase their chances of successful adoption placement.  Children in orphanage care today live in state-of-the-art facilities within family group environments which better facilitates potential bonding and attachment with an adoptive family.  The children have access to better medical diagnosis, care and treatment plus improved education opportunities, thus they are thriving when placed in an adoptive family's home.  [View their success stories.]

Russian children available for international adoption:

• Children ages 12 months – 36 months

• Children ages 3-15 years old

• Sibling groups

• Children with various special needs

To learn more or to speak to an adoption professional, please call 1-866-236-7823 or 214-319-3403 or email our Russia Program Director.

Requirements for Adoptive Families

• Heterosexual married couples, who are between the ages of 25 - 50 years old, are eligible to adopt. 

• Single heterosexual women who are living alone and are between the ages of 25 - 50 years old are also eligible to adopt.

• There should be no more than 45 years age difference between the parents' age(s) and the age of the child whom they are adopting.

• Couples must have been married a minimum of 2 years.  Second marriages must be a minimum of 3 years.

• There may be no more than 15 years age difference between husband and wife.

• Families may not have more than 5 children under the age of 18 already living in their home to be able to adopt.

• U.S. citizens in all 50 states are eligible to adopt from this program.

Russia Adoption Process

• Families need to complete a psychological evaluation prior to completion of their home study.

• Families complete a home study and submit it with their dossier for the Russian government's approval. 

• Wait time for a referral of a child:

  • boy older than 3 years old is  6 - 9 months

  • girl older than 3 years old is 9 - 12 months

  • boy younger than 3 years old is 3 - 9 months

  • girl younger than 3 years old is 16 + months
     

• After the acceptance of a child referral, a family can anticipate traveling to Russia on the first trip in approximately 3 - 4 weeks to meet their child. 

• Families must travel and are required to make 3 trips in order to receive their child and finalize the adoption in a Russian court hearing. 

  • The first trip is 5 - 7 days

  • The second trip is 3 - 5 days

  • The third trip is 10 - 11 days
     

• Both parents are required to travel on the first two trips; however, there is the option of only one parent traveling on the third trip. 

• Single mothers are required to have a travel companion accompany them. 

• Families are responsible for their own travel arrangements to & from Russia.  Buckner Adoption & Maternity Services will arrange for all in-country travel and lodging through their Buckner in-country contacts. 

• Families will travel individually or in small groups. 

• Families will have the opportunity to visit the orphanage where their child lived and meet his/her caregivers and friends.  Families will also receive all available medical and social information on the child during the first trip. 

• Families will have opportunities for sightseeing and shopping to learn more about their child's culture and birth country, which may add additional time in-country.

• The family will register the child's adoption with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow prior to their departure home. 

• The family will register the child's adoption in the U.S. after completing 4 post-placement visits with the family's caseworker at 6, 12, 24, and 36 month intervals.

Russia Adoption Fees
Specific fees are only due after a particular service has been rendered in the adoption process and are considered non-refundable after payment has been received.  All fees are subject to change and services are charged at the rate that is current at the time of billing.

ESTIMATED RUSSIA PROGRAM ADOPTION COST:  $37,500 - $38,000
(Estimate includes agency, international, and travel fees ONLY.)

Other fees and expenses families will incur during the adoption process include:

• home study and post-placement services,

• USCIS fees,

• refundable deposit*, and

• out-of-pocket expenses related to the family's state of residence and the country adopting from.

Dillon International and Buckner Adoption & Maternity Services, Inc. have relationships with licensed home study providers across the U.S. and can assist families living outside our service area in locating a licensed agency near them for these services.  For families living in Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and southern California (counties of Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego, and Imperial), Dillon International will provide their home study and post-placement services.  Dillon International's home study & post-placement fees for non-Hague countries is $2,900 and for Hague countries, it is $3,150 (in California these fees are slightly higher).  For a complete breakdown of expected fees and services for the Russia program (through our affiliation with Buckner), please see the Explanation of Fees and Services in Dillon's adoption application packet which can be downloaded from our website.

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*Each family adopting with Dillon International and/or Buckner Adoption & Maternity Services, Inc. will also be required to pay a $500 Refundable Deposit which will be returned in a lump sum after the family provides Dillon/Buckner with the following:
1) proof of a will
2) proof of their child's U.S. final adoption decree/ registration
3) copies of their child's in-country adoption documents (exception for Korea)
4) proof of their child's Social Security Number
5) proof of their child's U.S. Certificate of Citizenship
6) submission of all post-placement reports required by their child's birth country
Families must provide this documentation within three (3) years after their child arrives home in order to receive their refund.

Russia Post-Placement Reports

The follow up reports, as well as pictures, are required for Russia at the following intervals:

• six months after placement

• one year after placement

• two years after placement

• three years after placement

Monthly medical and progress reports are also required during the first six months of post-adoption support.  Your home study provider will make the following face-to-face contacts during the six month period, depending upon the needs of the child and/or family:

• Infants to 2 years -- 2 visits

• 2 years to 15 years -- monthly visits for the first 6 months

Dillon Post-Adoption Services

• Dillon International believes that post-adoption support fosters an overall positive adoption experience for both adoptee and adoptive family

• Our long-term experience has shown us that adoptees develop a better sense of identity, purpose, and boost in their self-confidence from an understanding and appreciation of their birth heritage

• The agency provides a variety of activities and events to allow an adoptee and his/her family to celebrate his/her birth heritage

• Dillon International also provides counseling and assistance to young adult adoptees who want to search for additional background information about their adoption or their birth family

• For adoptees and/or their families who are struggling with questions or concerns relating to adoption, Dillon International provides individual and family counseling services through one of our licensed adoption professionals

• For more information on specific heritage events and services, visit the post-adoption section of Dillon's website

Russia Families Testimonials

	Video: The Jenkins Family The Jenkins family went from an empty nest to parenting two teen girls adopted from Russia. Though their days aren't always drama-free, this family loves each other. (Click to watch)
	Video: The Potts Family The Potts family has adopted three older children from Russia. They believe parents and adoptive children both have baggage. They also believe both sides can overcome their baggage, because all children deserve a chance to be in families. (Click to watch)
	Video:  The Wilkins Family Russian orphans, upon graduating from orphanages, receive their ID card stamped with the word "Orphan."  the Wilkins adopted two older children from Russia, giving them a new start, an opportunity to thrive and a chance to lose the stigma of being an orphan in Russia. (Click to watch)
	Video:  Natasha Votyakova, Country Director Children older than 7 in Russia have almost no chance of being adopted by Russian families, but these children can be an excellent fit for adoptive families in the U.S. for several reasons, according to Natasha Votyakova, country director for Buckner Adoption & Maternity Services in Russia.  (Click to watch)

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July 13, 2011 . . . Adoption Notice: Russia 

Secretary Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov Sign Adoption Agreement 

The Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security announced today, July 13, 2011, that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov signed a bilateral adoptions agreement that will strengthen procedural safeguards in adoptions between our countries. This Agreement will provide additional safeguards to better protect the welfare and interests of children and all parties involved in intercountry adoptions.  Under the Agreement, only adoption agencies authorized by the Russian government will be able to operate in Russia and provide services in adoptions covered by the Agreement, except in the case of an adoption of a child by his or her relatives.  This will largely eliminate independent adoptions from Russia and create a better defined framework for intercountry adoptions between the United States and Russia.  The Agreement also includes provisions designed to improve post-adoption reporting and monitoring and to ensure that prospective adoptive parents receive more complete information about adoptive children's social and medical histories and anticipated needs.  The United States is committed to working with the Russian Federation on implementing the provisions laid forth in this Agreement as soon as it enters into force.  The Department of State will publish criteria, procedures, and clear guidance related to the Agreement on adoption.state.gov prior to the Agreements entry into force. For additional FAQs on the agreement, please visit adoption.state.gov.

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MOSCOW  [April 15, 2011] -- Officials with Buckner Adoption and Maternity Services say they have not received any official notification about the suspension of adoptions from the Russian Ministry of Education, the arm of the government that oversees international adoptions.  

According to Buckner’s Russia staff this morning, international adoptions are continuing without interruption. Andrei Pukhlov, director of the Buckner program, said there “has been no official announcement from the Ministry of Education regarding the suspension of adoptions.” 

Numerous stories in the media today announcing the suspension of adoptions quoted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However, that agency of the Russian government does not oversee the adoption program and according to other sources, does not have the authority to suspend adoptions. 

“While we have not received any official word, we are watching the situation closely and we will be in touch with our families waiting to adopt from Russia," said Felipe Garza, vice president at Buckner.  

Buckner began adoptions from Russia in 1995. More than 250 Russian children have been placed with families through Buckner in the past 15 years. 

Recent news events surrounding the status of Russian adoption to American families has centered on the case of a 7-year-old boy who was sent back to Moscow alone last week by his adoptive mother in Tennessee. The case of the boy, who was named Artyom in Russia before he was adopted last year, has caused widespread anger here, and Russian officials said new regulations had to be put in place before adoptions by Americans could proceed. 

The U.S. State Department in Washington is sending a high-level delegation to Moscow to hold talks on reaching an agreement, and both countries have expressed hope that the matter can be resolved quickly. 

Officials at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow said they had not received official notification of a suspension and were seeking more information from their Russian counterparts. 

Russia was the third leading source of adoptive children in the United States in 2009, with 1,586, after China and Ethiopia, officials said. More than 50,000 Russian children have been adopted by United States citizens since 1991, according to the United States Embassy. 

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