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This program is offered through Buckner Adoption and Maternity Services, an affiliate of Dillon International.
Russian Supreme Court Letter on Implementation of Federal Law No. 272-FZ
January 25, 2013
On December 28, 2012, President Vladimir Putin signed into law Federal Law No. 272-FZ. This law went into effect on January 1, 2013. It bans the adoption of Russian children by U.S. citizens, bars adoption service providers from assisting U.S. citizens in adopting Russian children, and requires termination of the U.S.-Russia Adoption Agreement.
On January 22, the Deputy Chairman of the Russian Supreme Court issued a letter to city and regional courts explaining the implementation of Federal Law No. 272-FZ. The letter states that for adoption cases in which court decisions involving U.S. citizen parents were made before January 1, 2013, (including those that entered into force after January 1, 2013 following the 30-day waiting period), the children should be transferred to the custody of their adoptive parents.
Note: the original letter in Russian can be found at http://www.supcourt.ru/Show_pdf.php?Id=8403; an unofficial English translation is available at http://moscow.usembassy.gov/adoptions-supreme-court.html.
We understand that several U.S. families have already obtained final adoption decrees in accordance with this guidance. The Department of State continues to strongly encourage U.S. families, in cooperation with their adoption service providers, to seek confirmation from Russian authorities that their adoptions will be processed to conclusion, prior to traveling to Russia.
The United States continues to urge the Russian government to allow all U.S. families who were in the process of adopting a child from Russia prior to January 1 to complete their adoptions so that these children may join permanent, loving families. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Consular Section at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow continue to process Forms I-600, Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative, and immigrant visa applications for children whose families have obtained all required documents as part of the adoption process.
U.S. families in the process of adopting a child from Russia may continue to contact the Office of Children's Issues at
RussiaAdoption@state.gov. The Office of Children's Issues will reach out directly to families as additional information becomes available. Further information regarding intercountry adoption from Russia will also be posted on
http://adoption.state.gov.
Adoption Notice: Russian President Vladimir Putin Signs Legislation to Ban Intercountry Adoption by U.S. Families into Law
December 28, 2012
On December 28, President Vladimir Putin signed Federal Law No. 186614-6 which prohibits the adoption of Russian children by U.S. families. This law will go into effect on January 1, 2013.
The Department of State remains actively engaged with the Russian government to determine how this will impact the resolution of adoptions by U.S. families in various stages of the adoption process. In keeping with the spirit of the current U.S.-Russia adoption agreement, we have urged the Russian government to ensure that U.S. families in the process of adopting a child from Russia will be able to complete their adoptions so that these children may join permanent loving families.
The Department continues to encourage U.S. families in the process of adopting a child from Russia to provide information regarding where they are in the adoption process to the Office of Children's Issues using the subject line "Intercountry adoption in Russia – family update." An email address has been set up for this correspondence: Russiaadoption@state.gov.
Those families that have already provided information to AskCI@state.gov do not need to resend their information. As more information is obtained we will reach out directly to families that have provided their contact information. Further information regarding intercountry adoption from Russia will also be posted on
adoption.state.gov.
Note: This notice was originally posted here on the U.S. Department of State website.
Buckner Adoption and Maternity Services, Inc. has been working in Russia since 1995 and has developed excellent relationships with several well-run orphanages in St. Petersburg, Arkhangelsk, 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 and Maternity Services, Inc. has worked for the past 16 years to improve the lives of older children from Russia who were being overlooked for international adoption and to increase their chances of successful adoption placement. Children in orphanage care today live in state-of-the-art facilities within family group environments that 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.
Children Eligible for Adoption from this Program:
• Children ages 12 months and older
• Single children and sibling groups
• Children with special needs
• Urgent need for families for children ages 3 years and older
For information on Russia’s eligibility requirements for prospective families, an outline of the adoption process and overview of the fees and expenses, please download our Adoption Guide.
