ADOPTION FROM RUSSIA

In accordance with the Russian law a child bearing citizenship of the Russian Federation, when adopted by foreign citizens, maintains his/her citizenship of the Russian Federation. Russian citizenship of the child adopted by foreign citizens can be terminated following proper general procedure (stipulated in the Federal Law “On Citizenship of the Russian Federation”) upon request by both adoptive parents under the condition that the child should not as a result become a person without citizenship.

The Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Houston within its consular district provides assistance/information with regards to the adoption from Russia in the following areas:

Consular registration of the children adopted from Russia

Foreign citizens (or Russian citizens permanently residing abroad) must register their children adopted from Russia at the corresponding consular office of the Russian Federation in the country of their residence. The registration must take place within three (3) months from the date of child’s entry into the adoptive parents’ country of residence.

In order to register your adopted child with the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Houston, please prepare and submit (either in person or by mail – specify on the envelope “Attention: Adoption Registration”) the following documents:

• Application for consular registration of the adopted child.

• Consular registration form filled-out in the child’s name and with the child’s passport-size photo attached in the designated area.

• Child’s original Russian passport for international travels.
  (Once the Consulate General receives all required documents a registration stamp will be placed in your child’s passport as a confirmation of registration with the Consulate General. After that the passport will be returned to you).

• Russian Court Decision on adoption, or a copy of it duly notarized in Russia.

• Child’s Birth Certificate (issued after adoption), or a copy of it duly notarized in Russia.

• Adoption Certificate, or a copy of it duly notarized in Russia.

• Passports of both of child’s adoptive parents, or their duly notarized copies.

• State ID cards of both of child’s adoptive parents, or their duly notarized copies.

• Copies of all of the above original documents (Court Decision, Birth and Adoption Certificates, personal IDs) you wish to be returned to you.

• “Money Order” or “Cashier’s Check” in the amount of $50-00, payable to the “Consulate General of Russia” (no other methods of payment, including cash, are accepted).

• (if applying by mail) Prepaid self-addressed return envelope.
  (For your document safety we recommend using certified and traceable mail and courier services. In such instances the applicant should fully complete the respective shipping document/airbill for return delivery, having pre-arranged payment with the service provider and marking him/herself on the shipping document/airbill as both shipper and recipient regardless of the delivery address. The Consulate General should not be featured in any manner on the return shipping document/airbill and should not have to call the service provider to schedule a pick-up. At current location the Consulate General is serviced daily by USPS, FedEx, UPS, DHL and Airborne Express.).

The Consulate General upon request can issue Certificate of Consular Registration. The fee is $35-00 payable by “Money Order” or “Cashier’s Check” to the “Consulate General of Russia”.

Processing time for documents submitted in person is one (1) business day, provided documents' compliance with the requirements. Processing time for documents submitted by mail is no more than ten (10) business days from the receipt of all the required items.

Adoptive parents must inform the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Houston of any subsequent changes in their residence address and – should the new place of residence be within a different consular district – re-register the adopted child with the consular office with respective geographic jurisdiction.

For additional information you may contact the officer in charge of adoption matters by e-mail, by telephone – (713) 337-3300 – ext. 504, or by fax – (713) 337-3305.

Issuance of new Russian passports to the adopted Russian citizens

(expired passport replacement)

Expired Russian passports cannot be renewed. They have to be replaced. For that purpose the adopted child must be registered with the Consulate General (see above).

In order to obtain a new Russian passport for your adopted child, please prepare and submit to the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Houston (either in person or by mail – specify on the envelope “Attention: Passport Desk”) the following documents:

• (for children under 14) Application for an expired passport replacement.

• (for children 14 and over) Application for an expired passport replacement filled-out and signed by the child.

• Expired passport.

• Two (2) identical passport-size photos of the child.

• “Money Order” or “Cashier’s Check” in the amount of $100-00, payable to the “Consulate General of Russia” (no other methods of payment, including cash, are accepted).

• (if applying by mail) Prepaid self-addressed return envelope.
  (For your document safety we recommend using certified and traceable mail and courier services. In such instances the applicant should fully complete the respective shipping document/airbill for return delivery, having pre-arranged payment with the service provider and marking him/herself on the shipping document/airbill as both shipper and recipient regardless of the delivery address. The Consulate General should not be featured in any manner on the return shipping document/airbill and should not have to call the service provider to schedule a pick-up. At current location the Consulate General is serviced daily by USPS, FedEx, UPS, DHL and Airborne Express.).

Processing time for documents submitted in person is one (1) business day, provided documents' compliance with the requirements. Processing time for documents submitted by mail is no more than ten (10) business days from the receipt of all the required items.

For additional information you may contact the Passport Desk by e-mail, by telephone – (713) 337-3300 – ext. 503, or by fax – (713) 337-3305.

Issuance of new Russian passports to the adopted Russian citizens

(lost/destroyed passport replacement)

A lost/destroyed Russian passport can be replaced. For that purpose the adopted child must be registered with the Consulate General (see above).

In order to obtain a new Russian passport for your adopted child, please prepare and submit to the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Houston (either in person or by mail – specify on the envelope “Attention: Passport Desk”) the following documents:

• (for children under 14) Application for a lost/destroyed passport replacement.

• (for children 14 and over) Application for a lost/destroyed passport replacement filled-out and signed by the child.

• Police Report on the circumstances of the passport’s loss/destruction.

• Copy of the Police Report.

• Two (2) identical passport-size photos of the child.

• “Money Order” or “Cashier’s Check” in the amount of $190-00, payable to the “Consulate General of Russia” (no other methods of payment, including cash, are accepted).

• (if applying by mail) Prepaid self-addressed return envelope.
  (For your document safety we recommend using certified and traceable mail and courier services. In such instances the applicant should fully complete the respective shipping document/airbill for return delivery, having pre-arranged payment with the service provider and marking him/herself on the shipping document/airbill as both shipper and recipient regardless of the delivery address. The Consulate General should not be featured in any manner on the return shipping document/airbill and should not have to call the service provider to schedule a pick-up. At current location the Consulate General is serviced daily by USPS, FedEx, UPS, DHL and Airborne Express.).

Processing time for documents submitted in person is one (1) business day, provided documents' compliance with the requirements. Processing time for documents submitted by mail is no more than ten (10) business days from the receipt of all the required items.

For additional information you may contact the Passport Desk by e-mail, by telephone – (713) 337-3300 – ext. 503, or by fax – (713) 337-3305.

U.S. adoption agencies officially accredited in Russia by the
Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation

(highlighted agencies are located in the consular district

of the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Houston)

Useful links on adoption from Russia