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Requirements

First, couples have to be married. Common-law couples cannot adopt, however single men and women may apply. There is no restriction on the number of years a couple must have been married. Likewise, there is no upper age limit for applicants who wish to adopt from Russia.

The Children

There are approximately 200,000 children available for adoption in Russia, with ages ranging from infants to 18 years. The majority of children are over one year of age at the time of placement. Both boys and girls are available, however there are on average more boys than girls. CHOICES facilitates adoptions from several regions in Russia, including Perm, Nizhniy Novgorod, Pskov, Vladivostok, Khabarovsk, and Saratov. While the majority of children from Russia are Caucasian, the vastness of the country and the regions from which we adopt allow for some cultural and ethnic diversity in the children. The children live in orphanages and are generally well cared for. However, due to living in an institution, some children have some developmental delays. The child proposal information comes with a complete medical history and updated information on the child's overall health.

Estimated Cost

Please contact CHOICES to discuss fees for this program.

Time Frame

Two trips are required to Russia, with approximately 4-6 weeks between trips. Post placement reports are completed by your social worker at 5 months, 10 months, 22 months, and 34 months after the adoption date.

Process

When your documents have been approved, your dossier will be sent for translation, and then for authentication and legalization by the Russian Embassy in Ottawa. Following this, the dossier will be sent to the region you have selected, and a child will be matched with your homestudy. Once a child has been identified, an introduction letter, medical information, and photos will be sent to you. You will then travel to Russia for your first trip, where you will meet the child, the orphanage director, and have a medical completed on the child. Once you accept the proposal and decide to proceed with the adoption, CHOICES will request a Letter of No Objection from the Ministry of Children and Family Development in BC or in the adoptive parents' province of residence. This is required for completion of the adoption and for immigration back to Canada. CHOICES will assist you in making travel and accommodation arrangements while in Russia. The finalization of the process takes place in Russia, where you appear in court to complete the adoption on your second trip.

Required Documents

For a complete list of required documents, please see the enclosed information, or speak with your facilitator. Intercountry adoption procedures are subject to change, so please stay in regular contact with CHOICES throughout the process.

For more information about our Russia Adoption Program, please contact Rachel Warren, Social Worker, at 1-888-479-9811.