Phase 1 - Pre-Adoption
1. Choose an agency (and country) and send in your initial application. As of 8/2005, families are telling me that the total cost of an adoption from Russia is between $26,000 and $46,000 (depending on the agency).
2. Start your homestudy as soon as you make the decision to adopt. This will take place with a local home study agency/social worker.
3. File your I-600 form, Approval to Adopt a Foreign Orphan, with INS (several documents and a fee are required with this form.) Ask your social worker for details about filing. The process is forever-changing! The Louisiana Office Address: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration Office, 701 Loyola Ave., 8th Floor, Room T-8011, New Orleans, LA 70113. Or call at 504-599-7909.
4. Apply for your passport if you do not have one.
5. Prepare your dossier (a set of legal documents required by the country you are adopting from). Your agency will give you an exact list of documents (and sometimes examples) that you will need. These documents will require notarization and apostilling.
6. Submit your completed dossier (takes about 2 to 4 months to complete) to your agency. Part of this completed dossier will be your homestudy and INS approval.
7. You are now entering the child referral stage (Some countries required that you travel to meet and receive your referral. Therefore, you will not receive a referral before traveling). The length of time from submitting your dossier until referral or travel will depend on the country you have chosen, and sex/age of the child (Infant girls usually have the longest wait). Russia and Kazakhstan have different modes of child referral. Also, the different regions in Russia may vary in their child referral method. This step is forever changing so ask your agency for details.
8. If you do receive a referral before travel, it is highly recommended that you send your medical report and video to one of the many doctors in the U.S. that specialize in evaluating medicals and videos. Your agency may have to send the info directly to a doctor for you. It is recommended that you also use an independent practitioners, not connected to your agency.
9. Child Acceptance - The time between acceptance of referral and travel varies according to region. For most agencies, it ranges from one to eight weeks.
Phase 2 - Adoption Travel
1. International Travel (required for most countries - two to three trips). You will be met at the airport and escorted by your agency's representatives every step of the way. Ask your agency for specific details.
2. Visit with your child
The following may be done on your second trip if two trips are required (Two to three trips are required for Russia):
3. Court Hearing (on one of the trips)
4. Medical Exam to meet the requirement of the U.S. government before a visa can be issued (on last trip).
5. Exit interview at the U.S. Embassy to obtain your child's visa.
6. Russia Only - Registration of the child with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
7. Departure
Phase 3 - Post-Adoption
1. Post-Placement Reports - Your agency will give you the details on how this will be handled.
3. File for your child's social security card (Look in the blue pages of the phone book for the nearest SS office.). You may need proof of your child's citizenship when filing so that your child is filed as a ,"US citizen".
4. U.S. Naturalization - Happens automatically, when your child enters the country. You still need to check into this to make sure everything is in order. The procedures change over time. Ask your social worker, agency or others in LEEAF.
*Adoption laws and procedures are forever changing. Always check with your agency and/or local social worker if you are unsure about something or if you have specific questions.
