This is a list that I have compiled over the past few weeks. Not sure how many are considering Russian Adoption but if so here is a list of people that are going through the process/have already adopted. Some information was on blogs and some was not listed. I have also listed a link to this post on the side for anyone who wants to go back at a later date. If you have anyone that I have missed please leave a comment and I will get them added.
Also information on how it all works.


Common Abbreviations
  • CSS= Catholic Social Services
  • 171H= Official permission to bring child/children into the country. NOTHING happens until this paper is in your hot little hand, Notice of Favorable Determination Concerning Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition
  • I 600A= Form requesting permission for us to bring a child/children into the country to adopt and become a citizen, Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition
  • MOE = Ministry of Education (in Russia)
  • PAP= Potential Adoptive Parent
  • CHI=Children's Hope International
  • IA= International Adoption
  • Paper Chase - Collecting documents needed for the HS, Dossier, I600A and I171H
  • HS - Home Study
  • SW - Social Worker (person doing our HS)
  • Dossier - Legal documents requested by Russia (birth certs, home study, background checks, marriage license, financial statement, photos, and MUCH more!)
  • Apostille - Legalization of a document for international use
  • USCIS - US Citizenship & Immigration Services
Info
How does the Russian adoption process work?
There are several phases to the adoption process. This is a much simplified summary. I'll break these down into Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork, waiting, travel, paperwork, travel and paperwork.

Application to adoption agency - Send an application to adoption agency. This states the basic facts to ensure you are eligible to adopt in a specific country.

Home Study - The home study can be one by the adoption agency if it licensed in your state. You can use a local agency to complete this if your agency in not licensed there. The home study includes several interviews and an inspection of our home. The social worker will create a report to be included in the dossier.

Dossier - The dossier is the package of documents that goes to Russia. This includes the home study and various other letters and document that need to be notarized and apostilled. It is then sent to Russia to be translated and then you are assigned a particular region in Russia where you wait for a referral.

Referral - After the dossier is submitted to Russia, you wait for a child to be assigned to you. The child is assigned based on your request and the child's needs. This is the longest part of the adoption process and can take up to 18 months as of now. Once you receive the referral you will receive a picture and brief medical report. You will have the opportunity to reject the referral if the child has any issues that you could not properly take care of.

Travel, Trip 1 - Once you accept your referral you will arrange for your first trip to Russia. This is a short trip of 6-8 days where you meet the child and request a court date in Russia for the official adoption.

Waiting for Court Date - When you get back to the U.S. you will have to update any dossier documents and get new medical exams. Once a court date is assigned you will arrange travel for the second trip.

Travel, Trip 2 - Trip two will last approximately 3-4 weeks. You will go to meet the child and appear before the Russian court stating your case for adoption. If approved there is a ten-day waiting period and then you can finally pick up your child for good! You then travel to Moscow to have an appointment at the embassy to finalize any citizenship paperwork.

Arrive home, post-placement reports - You will have periodic visits by the social worker so they can send reports back to Russia. This allows the Russian government to keep track of its citizen (child will have dual-citizenship) and also fosters a good relationship between the agencies and future adopters.
Lots of Blogs

Received Child (if more than 1, final adoption date, agency, part of Russia, state live in, adoption length)
http://2008russia.blogspot.com/ (July 08) (Wide Horizons for Children) (Bryansk) (NH) (13 mths)
http://3fromrussia.blogspot.com/ (twins-Kemerovo-Dec. 08 + 2-Rostov-on-Don-2003) (23 mths)
http://adopt2fromrussia.blogspot.com/ (CA)
http://adoptingcolby.blogspot.com/ (Feb. 09) (Wide Horizons) (Kamensk) (17 mths) (CT)
http://adventuretohaylie.blogspot.com/ (Jan. 08) (Kemerovo) (KY)
http://adventureswithbearcub.blogspot.com/ (July 07) (Vladivostok) (FL)
http://a-leapof-faith.blogspot.com/ (Jan. 07) (Lighthouse Adoptions) (Moscow) (CA)
http://babytruestory.blogspot.com/ (May 09) (CHI) (20 mths)
http://cheeriosinmyshorts.blogspot.com/ (April 08) (Catholic Social Services) (CHI-original) (Moscow) (TX) (9mths)
http://chrisanddanica.blogspot.com/ (twins) (Dec. 07) (Alliance for Children) (Perm) (CO)
http://child-of-mine.blogspot.com/ (Aug. 07) (Childrens Hope International) (AL)
http://comeundone.typepad.com/come_undone/ (Alliance for Children) (St. Petersburg) (NY)
http://cravensadoptionstory.blogspot.com/ (May 08) (Catholic Social Services-originally with CHI) (Moscow) (MN) (16 mths)
http://daisraelfamily.blogspot.com/ (Nov. 08) (Childrens Hope International) (Moscow) (FL) (21 mths)
http://finding--emily.blogspot.com/ (April 08) (International Assistance Group) (Moscow) (CA) (6 mths)
http://findingrfamilee.blogspot.com/ (Oct. 08) (Childrens Hope International) (Vladivostok) (UT) (18 mths)
http://goeppneradoption.blogspot.com/ (2) (Feb. 08) (Kras) (FL)
http://ginsbergsrussianadoption.blogspot.com/ (Kemervo) (TN)
http://hearttohome.blogspot.com/ (2), (2004, Nov. 06), (Adoption Options), (Kirov, Murmansk)
http://hishersandours.blogspot.com/ (Aug. 07), (Smolensk), (TX), (25 mths)
http://homesweethome-patti.blogspot.com/ (July 2008), (Astrakhan),(15 mths)
http://janesbiroadoption.blogspot.com/ (2), (Sept. 07), (changed agencies), (Birobidzhan), (TX), (33 mths)
http://jeffanddawn.blogspot.com/ (March 09), (Wide Horizons for Children), (Ekaterinburg), (9 mths)
http://joelandclarion.blogspot.com/ (2), (Sept. 08), (Childrens Hope International), (Vladivostok), (MO)
http://journey2rfamily.blogspot.com/ (3), (2005, 2006, 2008), (Murmansk)
http://journeytohotdog.blogspot.com/ (2), (Jan. 2004, Nov. 2005), (Childrens Hope International), (Astrakhan), (south)
http://journeytomax.blogspot.com/ (June 07), (Agency), (Vladivostok), (SC)
http://journeytoparents.blogspot.com/ (Feb. 08), (Agency), (Novosibirsk), (FL), (10 mths)
http://katiedustin.blogspot.com/ (2), (Mar. 06, June 06), (Kemerovo, Chuvash), (TN)
http://kimabraham.blogspot.com/ (Dec. 08), (Novokuznetsk), (TN), (21 mths)
http://kourifamily.blogspot.com/ (2), (Mar. 2006, Feb. 2008), (AWAA), (Chelyabinsk), (22 mths)
http://laurenandmarco.blogspot.com/ (March 07), (Alliance for Children), (Moscow), (MD), (9 mths)
http://www.lisarenniadoption.blogspot.com/ (2) (Alliance for Children) (Perm) (TX)
http://little-llama.blogspot.com/ (Apr. 2008), (Moscow), (15 mths)
http://markysinzi.blogspot.com/ (Mar. 08), (Catholic Social Services), (Moscow), (AZ), (8 mths)
http://marymargaretmaybe.blogspot.com/ (July 08), (CHI), (St. Petersburg), (TN), (19 mths)
http://mike-mary2russia.blogspot.com/ (Apr. 09), (Agency), (Moscow), (TX)
http://miraculouslyourown.blogspot.com/ (July 09), (Adoption Associates), (Kaliningrad), (MI), (11 mths)
http://nrbfamily.blogspot.com/ (2004), (Final agency-Lighthouse Adoptions), (1st-CHI, 2nd-Adoption Ark) (Novokuznetsk, Kemerovo), (OK)
http://oneal-ourfamilyblog.blogspot.com/ (April 08), (Childrens Hope International), (Tver), (TN) (19 mths)
http://our-journey-to-parenthood.blogspot.com/ (June 07), (Childrens Hope International), (Vladivostok), (12 mths)
http://ourlittlesuperhero.blogspot.com/ (Nov. 07), (Informed Adoption Advocates), (Novosibirsk), (CA), (18 mths)
http://ourrussianangel.blogspot.com/ (May 09), (Ekaterinburg), (CA)
http://ourrussianchildren.blogspot.com/ (more than 1), (July 08), (Moscow), (MI)
http://overstreetjourney.blogspot.com/ (May 09), (CHI), (Vladivostok), (IL), (14 mths)
http://pathtoparenthood.blogspot.com/ (2), (Oct. 08), (CHI-original, Adoption Associates-agency), (Arkhangel'sk), (TX), (10 mths)
http://peteandme.blogspot.com/ (2), (March 09), (Krasnoyarsk), (IL), (17 mths)
http://pisarikadoption.blogspot.com/ (2), (Jan. 07), (Christian World Adoption), (Volgograd), (OK)
http://prudhomme-family.blogspot.com/ (private) (1 + 1 (in process), (2005), (Christian World Adoption), (Volgograd), (MO)
http://rileyadoption.blogspot.com/ (Oct. 07), (Childrens Hope International), (Petrozavodsk), (MN), (10 mths)
http://russianadoptionchronicles.blogspot.com/ (#), (Feb. 08), (Families through International Adoption), (Novokuznetsk), (IN), (15 mths)
http://russianpeanut.blogspot.com/ (July 08), (CHI), (Moscow), (16 mths)
http://siberiabrands.blogspot.com/ (2), (July 08), (Novosibirsk), (WA)
http://smilesandtrials.blogspot.com/ (God's Waiting Children), (CA)
http://solnichkababies.blogspot.com/ (2), (Cradle of Hope Adoption Center), (Khabarovsk), (VA)
http://stacypatandaidan.blogspot.com/ (Apr. 08), (Bethany), (Krasnoyarsk), (VA), (18 mths)
http://thebaersdengrows.blogspot.com/ (Feb. 08), (Adoption Options), (Kirov), (FL), (11 mths)
http://www.thebierbaumsadventure.blogspot.com/ (2), (March 07), (Adoption Options), (Orenburg), (CA), (9 mths)
http://thecareyadventures.blogspot.com/ (3), (Sept. 2003, Mar. 2006, Sept. 2007), (Adoption Options), (Pskov, Samara, Orenburg), (FL), (length)
http://thediapermonologues.blogspot.com/ (Feb. 08), (World Assoc. for Children & Parents), (Vladivostok), (WA)
http://www.thegebhardtfamily.blogspot.com/ (Apr. 08), (Childrens Hope International), (Vladivostok), (IL)
http://www.thejergerjourney.blogspot.com/ (Apr. 08), (America World Adoption), (
Krasnoyarsk), (30 mths)
http://themorganmemo.blogspot.com/ (July 08), (Kids First Adoption Services), (Ekaterinburg), (IN), (14 mths)
http://thesandersfamilyjourney.blogspot.com/ (Apr. 08),(Krasnoyarsk), (TN)
http://thesmiths441.blogspot.com/ (Nov. 08), (Childrens Hope International), (Krasnoyarsk), (NJ), (22 mths)
http://threegirlsandarussianboy.blogspot.com/ (Dec. 08), (Beacon House), (Kemerovo), (13 mths)
http://torussia-withlove.blogspot.com/ (Mar. 09), (Lighthouse Adoptions), (Vladivostok), (MI), (10 mths)
http://tourtobeafamily.blogspot.com/ (May 09), (Adoption Options), (Kirov), (PA)
http://tiger-kar.blogspot.com/ (May 08), (Catholic Social Services-2nd), (VA), (8 mths)
http://trayloradoption.blogspot.com/ (Mar. 09), (Childrens Hope International), (Vladivostok), (FL), (14 mths)
http://vodkaandcaviar.blogspot.com/ (2), (Oct. 05, Mar. 08), (Ekaterinburg, Balashikha), (CT)
http://waldenfamilyadoption.blogspot.com/ (June 09), (Tomsk), (TX), (10 mths)
http://web.mac.com/jmartin7100/Adoption_Site/Welcome.html (2), (Oct. 08), (Childrens Hope International), (Novokuznetsk), (29 mths)
http://www.webchrissy.com/ (May 09), (Adopt a Child),(7 mths)
http://welcomevictor.blogspot.com/ (Nov. 07), (Childrens Hope International), (Vladivostok), (FL), (13 mths)
http://wolffamilyadoption.blogspot.com/ (Nov. 08), (Nizhny Novgorod), (CA)

In Process (# of children, date started, agency used, Region of Russia, state in)
http://2009russia.blogspot.com/ (Jan. 08), (Wide Horizons for Children), (Bryansk), (CT)
http://alexandrafaithkneiding.blogspot.com/ (Aug. 08), (Kaliningrad), (MI)
http://becomingamommy.blogspot.com/ (July 07), (Adoption Associates), (Cheboksary), (NJ)
http://crburbee.blogspot.com/ (Feb. 08), (Izhevsk), (MO)
http://curranadoptionjourney.blogspot.com/ (Aug. 08), (World Association for Children and Parents), (Vladivostok)
http://frogssnailsnpuppydogtails.blogspot.com/ (May 08), (Perm), (Calgary, Alberta)
http://fromtxtorussiawithlove.blogspot.com/ (May 08), (Kaliningrad), (TX)
http://gemsforglory.com/AJCQuest/ (Nov. 07), (America World Adoption)
http://hope-ourbabygirl.blogspot.com/ (Jan. 09), (Lighthouse Adoptions), (FL)
http://jellemasjourney.blogspot.com/ (Oct. 08), (Alberta Child Services), (Vladivostok), (Alberta)
http://juliannalydia.blogspot.com/ (Apr. 08), (FTIA), (adopted 1 from Novokuznetsk in March 07)
http://mattiesbabybrothersisterfromrussia.blogspot.com/ ((World Horizons for Children), (Ekat), (MA)
http://maurailise.blogspot.com/ (Mar. 08), (Kemerova), (MI)
http://merzdn.blogspot.com/ (Gladney Center for Adoption), (Kaluga), (VA)
http://michaelandhunterann.blogspot.com/ (Aug. 08), (Vladivostok), (WA)
http://prudhomme-family.blogspot.com/ (private) (Christian World Adoption), (Volgograd), (MO)
http://pupekfamilyjourney.blogspot.com/ (April 08), (World Horizons for Children), (Yekaterinburg), (NY)
http://steveandkate.wordpress.com/ (Christian World Adoption), (OH)
http://theroadtomax.blogspot.com/ (Aug. 07), (Vladivostok)
http://thesmiths441.blogspot.com/ (Jan. 07), (CHI), (Krasnoyarsk), (NJ)

4 comments:

beth ewing said...

wow girl. remind me to come to you whenever i need to do research of any kind...you are thourough. we were hoping to adopt from russia but since hubby had to deploy 10 months after we started the process, we knew it would never happen. maybe oneday.

www.adventureswithaidan.org said...

This is fantastic! Add our friends, the Jergers: www.thejergerjourney.blogspot.com. They adopted 1 girl from Krasnoyarsk April 2008. We were with them. Good job on this compilation! Wish I'd seen something like this when we were in the process!

Stacy Harrison

www.adventureswithaidan.org said...

This is fantastic! Add our friends, the Jergers: www.thejergerjourney.blogspot.com. They adopted 1 girl from Krasnoyarsk April 2008. We were with them. Good job on this compilation! Wish I'd seen something like this when we were in the process!

Stacy Harrison

Amber said...

Thanks for the addition I have added them to the list!

Beth-I love to research everything that we do because I want to know everything:)