America World works with an agency accredited in Russia for the placement of children. Working in coordination with in-country staff of a accredited in Russia agency, America World assists families in providing services throughout the adoption process including home study, assistance with dossier preparation, assistance with travel, and post placement.
With a population of 142 million, Russia is one of the largest countries in the world today. Because of the vast area of land it encompasses, Russia’s cultural heritage is remarkably diverse. Although most people imagine Russian physical features to be light-skinned and fair-eyed, this is far from inclusive. Many regions of Russia have fair-skinned children, but there are ethnic minorities throughout the country whose physical characteristics can range from tan-skinned Slavic to Eurasian.
There are estimated to be over 700,000 orphans in Russia, the majority of which are social orphans whose parents are unable to provide for them. Most cities have several orphanage facilities, with baby homes holding children from birth to approximately 4 to 5 years of age. Other facilities, often referred to as boarding schools, house the older children. Russian orphanages normally hold between 50-250 children, with 5-15 children per caregiver.
Russian adoptions are estimated to take 12- 18 months. It is necessary for the adoptive family to make two trips to Russia before the adoption is finalized. You begin the process by assembling and Apostille certifying a preliminary set of documents called the initial dossier, which, once completed, will be sent to Russia. The first visit is scheduled after the initial dossier has been processed and a preliminary match has been made. There are a number of factors (such as age, sex, ethnicity and availability) that can impact how quickly you are matched with a child. The more flexible you are on these factors, the faster you can expect to receive a referral (information regarding a specific child) or travel date.
The Russian adoption authorities require this initial trip to allow you the opportunity to meet the child you are referred and determine if the match is a positive one for you as well as for the child. If you feel confident with the match, the adoption will proceed. However, if for any reason you feel the match is not a good fit, you will be given the opportunity to be matched with another child before you leave the country. This first trip normally can be completed in 4-6 days. Upon your return to the states, you must then complete the process of Apostille certifying the regional-specific documents in your Dossier. Once your regional documents have been completed and your court date has been granted, you will return to Russia to finalize the adoption. Although the estimated wait time to be granted a court date can vary widely from province to province, the second trip can usually be scheduled within about 2-3 months of the first trip. Families usually expect to stay in Russia the second time for about 14-21 days. Almost all regions require a 10 days waiting period prior to the court decree going into effect.
We work very closely with our families and are sensitive to the needs of both the family and the child throughout the entire adoption process. We believe that nothing happens by accident, and are confident that God will place just the right child (or children) in your home.