Adoption

The Russian law allows adoption of children, who are citizens of the Russian Federation, by foreign citizens, citizens of the Russian Federation, who are permanently residing outside the Russian Federation, and also by stateless persons. The procedure of adoption is subject to articles 124, 165 of the Family Code of the Russian Federation, to chapter 29 of the Civil Procedure Code of the Russian Federation, to Federal Law No. 44-FZ “On national data bank on children deprived of parental care” as of April 16, 2001, to other regulatory legal acts.

Adoption of Russian children by foreign citizens is performed in accordance with general practices, but is subject to some extra conditions. Russian laws do not provide any steep demands for foreign adoptive parents in comparison with Russian candidates and do not limit their visiting rights, independent medical examination right, registration of adoption in registry authorities and any other actions. Foreign citizens, wishing to adopt children, have the right to request information on children deprived of parental care in any regional (as usual, it is an education regulatory body of constituent entity of the Russian Federation) or federal operator of the national data bank on children deprived of parental care.

It is acknowledged by the Declaration on social and legal principles, regarding international children adoption (approved by a resolution of the United Nations General Assembly on December 3, 1986) and by article 21 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (adopted on November 20, 1989) that international adoption may be regarded only as an alternative method of childcare. It is permissible only on the two following terms: if a child cannot be adopted or to be fostered in his native country and if there is no possibility to provide some special necessary care in his native country. It is also important that the procedure of adoption should meet the requirements of the Russian laws as well as the laws of the adopting parents’ country of domicile.

Adopting of children who are citizens of the Russian Federation by the foreign citizens should be carried out in the territory of the Russian Federation. The usual practice is that foreigners come to Russia twice. During their first visit, they get acquainted with the child and file adopting documents with the court. The second visit is devoted to the court session.

Adopting documents filed with the court and registry authorities require consular legalization, if they were issued abroad (unless otherwise provided for by an international agreement, ratified by Russia). All the documents should be translated into Russian. The translation should be notarized either by the Russian Federation consular office in the country of residence of the adopting parents or by the notary body in the territory of the Russian Federation.

According to the law, the child, who is a citizen of the Russian Federation, retains his nationality after being adopted by foreigners. If the adopting parents (or one of them) have another citizenship, than the Russian citizenship of the child may be stopped on their request, provided that the child will be granted another citizenship. The trustworthiness of all the data and the procedure of granting another citizenship are controlled by the consular authorities of the Russian Federation.

The adopting parents should procure property certificates in their country of residence, certificates of no criminal record; they are also required to procure an appraisal of their living conditions and the possibility to be adopting parents (these documents are drawn up by the adopting agencies and social authorities). Adopting parents should provide the court with an entry and living permit for the child issued by the immigration authorities of the country of adopting parents, by the administration of the town or community of adopting parents’ residence, by foreign states embassy’s departments in Russia or by their consular agency.

Federal authorities of the Russian Federation have the right to make enquiries of the activity of foreign adopting agencies located in Russia. According to Government Order No. 645 “On the activity of foreign adopting agencies and organizations located in the territory of the Russian Federation and on the control of this activity” as of November 4, 2006, the reports on living and childcare conditions in the adopter’s families should be sent to the executive authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation during the first three years after adoption. Within three years after coming into force of the decision on child adoption and until his coming of age, the frequency of reports is subject to the decision of constituent entities of the Russian Federation and depends on the situation in the family.

At present, the Department of Education of the Russian Federation plans to include into the conditions of the Russian children adoption a compulsory independent psychological examination for adopting parents and an obligatory pedagogical training. Besides that, the Russian Federation and the United States of America at the presidential level decided to conclude a bilateral legally bound agreement on collaboration with regard to the international adoption. The work on the document has already begun.

More detailed information regarding adoption of the Russian children and expert advice can be found on the official website devoted to the adopting procedure.

Useful links

Adoption in Russia . The internet-project of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation (Department of youth policy, care and social protection of children). The legal framework, data bank on children deprived of parental care, the list of documents, practical guidelines. Published in five languages (Russian, English, French, Italian and Spanish).