Adopting?

[rasdave]

I cant find a decent place to put this topic and since I know adoption would require some BCIS paperwork, I'll post here...

Weve got some great friends living on the east coast and they are infertile after having 1 kid. Theyd like to adopt a chinese or a guatamalean kid, but I told them that there are so any orphanages in Russia/Ukraine they should consider adopting from there instead. Plus my wife could be their tour guide to help them out.

Im trying to get some decent info for my friends since they told me adoption costs like $20k-$50k depending on where the kid comes from. They told me their adoption agency is telling them a Russian kid is going to be close to $50k (god that makes me sick). Is this true?? Ive personally been to an orphanage in Ukraine (my wife knew an old friend who worked there) and it was jam packed.

I remember when I first started the process to get my wife here I too as told it would cost $30k to bring here here and that wasnt the case at all. Can someone with any info or knowledge guide me where to look on the net for more info about adopting in FSU? Im thinking there are BCIS forms to fill out, what else? Please help. Im trying to persuade my friends from spending a lot of money they dont have!

Thanks -Dave

[BC]

http://travel.state.gov/family/adoption/country/country_441.html

ADOPTION FEES IN RUSSIA :  U.S. citizens who have adopted from  Russia   report an average total cost of approximately US$20,000 - $30,000 (including travel, lodging and fees).

[Rvrwind]

You might want to try Nadya at LTP. They work pretty closely with some of the orphanages hereabouts & she knows some of the directors fairly well. She can probably give you a fair amount of info & if not probably point you to who can.

[rasdave]

Thanks guys! I was just looking at "travel.state.gov" for their adoption stuff about Ukraine (like your Russia link) and there is no way it would cost $30k in travel, lodging and fees. Through an agency making a profit, I can understand this. But otherwise, travel to Moscow is $600/rt in the winter, lodging.. I can get nice apt for $40/nite, and other "fees"... unless there is some mafia style payola under the table, the US government fees are only like $1000 dollars. Looks like I'll get my friends to go it on their own and save some serious $$$

[jb]

One of my co-workers adopted a Russian baby, the cost to do it was $20,000, plus 2 trips to Russia.

[William3rd]

check the regs on the Russian side of the house.

A few years ago the Russians made the regs so that only "registered" agencies could assist adoptive parents-and there were no instructions on how to get registration. Otherwise, the adoptive parents had to figure it all out themselves.

It has been a while since I researched the topic but the last information that I had was that the Russians do not allow adoption of healthy children. Children with medical problems that would normally not be treated there are allowed out. The best child to adopt used to be  a baby diagnosed with mild Downes Syndrome, And miraculously, once the child is here, the Downes Syndrome never materializes. . . . . Some of my information comes from anecdotal discussions with representatives or new parents on airplanes bringing children from Moscow or through Frankfurt on how they did it. ???

In addition, the Russian adoption process is a maze  ???that is very complex and the wheels need constant grease

There is a cost involved in accomplishing any of this -that may explain why americans pay so much. I mean-if I were doing that process, I sure would like to see my new baby before he was drafted into the Russian military

Good luck!!! I sure am glad I dont have to worry about that stuff

[Kuna]

rasdave,

Have a look at this site...  http://www.deti.zp.ua/eng/index.php

I found it when researching Zaporozhye and was surprised at the amount of information in there. I'm certain there was a little information on adoption (from the Ukr side) though that site is actually an orphanage, not an adoption agency.  There was some mention, link or contact details for a registered agency that arranges to adoptions.

Best of luck to your friends.

Kuna

[Admin]

Dave,

A very good friend of mine now runs a charity for orphanges in Ukraine - and has numerous contacts in the adoption community in Ukraine. He has helped dozens (maybe hundreds) of people adopt kids.

The charity organization is online at: http://www.BigFamilyCharity.com.

If your friends want to get in contact with him, drop me a PM and I'll put you/them in contact.

- Dan

[Mila20]

Cheers, Dan: 

  It's interesting that you referred to Big Family Charity on this website.  I have in fact been sponsoring a child through this organization for well over a year and just recently tried getting in touch with their staff regarding the adoption status of the toddler as I am very close to completing the process on the USA side. 

   Have not received a single response to my various e-mails to the BFC staff.  I found this to be rather odd since I had received various e-mails from their staff confirming receipt of packages, funds, etc. 

   Perhaps you could comment on this?             Best regards..........Mila

   

   

[ScottinCrimea]

Some people have noted that children in orphanages are commonly given some sort of medical diagnosis that may or may not be true.  This may be to get around any regulations regarding the adoption of healthy children.  I know some who have gone there to adopt and been reluctant to consider a child until they met them and saw no eviddnce of the diagnosed condition. Just a thought.

[ScottinCrimea]

I don't know the difference between the adoption process in Ukraine versus Russia but it might be something to check into.  I've heard that Russia has recently made adoption more difficult there. Ukraine might be an optin to consider. I just found an interesting website with some useful information about adoption in Ukraine.  This couple cites their total costs as around $12,000 but say they could have done it for less.  Might be worth checking out.  Apparently they adopted in Simferopol, which is where I lived for a couple of years.  I found some of their information on life in Ukraine a little off, but otherwise it has some good info.  I do know that Simferopol is a popular place for Americans to go for adoptions.

www.adoptukraine.com  You might also want to check out this website.   ukraine.adoptionblogs.com/index.php

[aikorob]

Totally anecdotal---
my first trip to Simferopol, one of my guides was Jack's guy in Crimea (Eugene?) 
He told me about some US people he had driven around to various orphanages. Law was that healthy children could not be adopted, but the child this couple had settled on had a heart condition-- after discussing the diagnosis with their doc back in US---they found out that this particular condition could be fixed with about 30 minutes of surgery--very routine. Kinda jibes with William's stories.

Another thing--N has told me she had a friend who was nurse in hospital; and several times called her up to ask "do you want a baby?" Seems that mothers gave birth to unwanted babies, and the nurses would ask around informally.

[ScottinCrimea]

aikorob,  Eugene in simferopol is a pretty good acquaintenance of mine. Just curious,  what were your experiences with him and his service?

[aikorob]

Scott--
This was maybe 3 years ago. The RW I was visiting there had to work; so she arranged for Eugene to give me a tour of Yalta, Lavidia Palace and other places in the area. Seemed like a really nice guy--knowledgeable, friendly. I would not hesitate to recommend him as a guide/driver/translator.
PS--does he still have that Ford? It was the only car I could stretch out in during my entire visit!