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Visas
International Adoptions in Russia
General Information
DISCLAIMER: The information in this circular relating to the legal requirements of specific foreign countries is provided for general information only. Questions involving interpretation of specific foreign laws should be addressed to foreign legal counsel.
GENERAL: The following is a guide for U.S. citizens who are interested in adopting a child in Russia and applying for an immigrant visa for the child to come to the United States. This process involves complex foreign and U.S. legal requirements. U.S. consular officers give each petition careful consideration on a case-by-case basis to ensure that the legal requirements of both countries have been met, for the protection of the prospective adoptive parent(s), the biological parents(s) and the child. Interested U.S. citizens are strongly encouraged to contact U.S. consular officials in Russia before formalizing an adoption agreement to ensure that appropriate procedures have been followed which will make it possible for the Embassy to issue a U.S. immigrant visa for the child.
AVAILABILITY OF CHILDREN FOR ADOPTION: Recent U.S. immigrant visa statistics reflect the following pattern for visa issuance to orphans:
| Fiscal Year | IR-3 immigrant visas issued in Moscow to orphans adopted abroad |
IR-4 immigrant visas issued in Moscow to orphans adopted in the U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| FY-2003 | 5681 |
33 |
| FY-2004 | 5829 |
20 |
| FY-2005 | 4594 |
11 |
| FY-2006 | 3693 |
8 |
| FY-2007 | 2761 |
12 |
RUSSIAN ADOPTION AUTHORITY: The government office responsible for adoptions in Russia is the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation.
Tverskaya ul., 11
125993, Moscow GSP-3