Russian Program
Adoption Horizons, Inc. started a program in Russia in August 1995, later becoming the first Canadian agency accredited by the Government of the Russian Federation in 2001.
The agency works with different regions in Russia: cities in relatively close proximity to Moscow, in various parts of Siberia, Central Russia and the Far East.
Children available
Russian legislation states that prior to becoming eligible for international adoption, all children must first be registered with the Regional Databank of Children Left without Parental Care for one month in an effort to be placed locally. If no local family is found within one month of the regional registration, information about the child is transferred to the Federal Data Bank of Children Left without Parental Care for a six-month term with the intention of finding a family of Russian citizens residing within the borders of the Russian Federation.
Therefore, the minimum age of a child eligible for international adoption from Russia is at least nine months at the time of referral.
Both male and female children are available for adoption with boys significantly outnumbering girls.
Russia is a multicultural country stretching from the western part of Eastern Europe to the eastern border of Asia. As a result, children come from various ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Families are able to specify gender, racial/ethnic background and the age range of a child they wish to adopt.
Health issues typical for children in care include developmental delays (physical, language, motor), malnutrition, rickets, anemia, asthma and allergies.
Children available for international adoption are legal orphans. They reside in state-run orphanages with the ratio of caregivers to children being 1:5 or higher. All children are tested for HIV, syphilis, Hepatitis B & C and tuberculosis prior to placement.
Adoption Horizons, Inc. will arrange the medical examination of an adoptive child by a Designated Medical Practitioner approved by Immigration Canada.
Once a child is identified, the adoptive family receives a basic medical summary along with one or two photographs of the child. This information, although brief, is sufficient for a qualified medical professional specializing in international adoption to determine the overall medical state of the child. For a list of international adoption specialists, please visit the Links page.
Immigration requirements
As of December 23, 2007, children adopted abroad by citizens of Canada are eligible to receive Canadian citizenship following completion of the adoption in the country of the child’s origin. As such, prospective adoptive families now have two options: sponsorship or citizenship. Please refer to the website of Citizenship and Immigration Canada and consult with your agency to determine what option is best for you.
Travel requirements
Adoptive families must make either two long trips or three short trips to Russia to complete an adoption. The first trip, which lasts approximately seven to ten days, is intended for parents to meet and establish a connection with the child, as well as to collect all available social and medical information. During this trip, the adoptive parents visit the child at the orphanage for several hours twice each day.
This trip is also used to arrange for the adoptive applicants’ medical examination. Russian legislation requires that all adoptive applicants undergo a medical examination in Russia. The medical examination is carried out during the first trip.
The second trip, taking place approximately two to three months later, is made to finalize the adoption at a Regional Court. Both parents must appear before the Court. The trip lasts for four days but may be extended if the adoptive parents wish to spend more time with the child.
The third and final trip entails obtaining the child’s passport from his/her place of residence and continues to Moscow in order to obtain the child’s visa at the Canadian Embassy. The third trip last four to six days and takes place approximately five weeks after the second trip. However, parents may arrive earlier should they wish to spend more time with their child.
Time frame
The length of the adoption process varies on a case-by-case basis and thus, establishing a time frame is extremely difficult. Once the Application to Search for a Child is registered with the Regional Department of Education, it may take approximately two to 10 months to receive a proposal. However, each case is unique and the time frame may differ depending on the availability, age and gender of the adoptive child.
Eligibility criteria
The Russian government accepts applications from couples legally married for a length of two or more years (or recently married couples who have lived together for an extended period of time prior to the marriage), as well as single applicants. Please note that common law marriage is not recognized by the Russian government. Prospective adoptive parents must be in good physical and mental health, with no known history of cancer, depression or other mental health issues.
Step-by-step summary of the adoption process
1. Applicants contact an approved adoption practitioner to initiate the Homestudy process. A list of approved adoption practitioners in Ontario can be found online by visiting the Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services (MCYS) at children.gov.on.ca;
2. Applicants sign up for mandatory PRIDE training (Parents' Resource for Information, Development and Education);
3. Applicants contact Adoption Horizons, Inc. (AH) for a personal meeting;
4. Upon completion of the Homestudy process, the applicants enter into an agreement with AH, and the Agency submits the Homestudy package to the MCYS;
5. The MCYS reviews the Homestudy package and issues a Letter of Approval;
6. Applicants apply to Immigration Canada to sponsor a child (if they have not applied earlier for citizenship process);
7. AH prepares the Application to Search for a Child, processes it in accordance with applicable laws and sends it to Russia;
8. Regional child welfare authorities search for a child matching the criteria outlined in the Homestudy and the Letter of Approval;
9. AH receives referral information on behalf of the applicants;
10. AH relays the information to the applicants;
11. Applicants travel to Russia to meet with the child;
12. Applicants meet with their adoption practitioner to sign a Consent Notice for the MCYS upon returning from Russia;
13. Applicants collect documentation for the Court Dossier;
14. AH processes the documentation in accordance with applicable laws and submits it to the Regional Court;
15. A court hearing is scheduled;
16. Applicants travel to Russia for the second time to legally finalise the adoption at the Regional Court;
17. Applicants travel to Russia for the third time to pick up the child, obtain an entry visa (permanent resident) for the child in Moscow and return home;
18. Applicants submit post-adoption documentation to AH;
19. The adoptive family complies with post-placement reporting requirement set forth by the government of the Russian Federation (currently four post placement reports are required).