# Adopting from Russia



## paddi (Feb 28, 2003)

Hello Girls

Can I join you on this board.

After 6 ivf's, 1 Fet and three Mc last year..even though we still have five frozen we have decided to knock the whole IVF thing on the head and concentrate on adopting.

We are hoping to adopt from Russia...as there are plenty of babies and have decided on an agency...it is costly but we are guranteed a baby. (3 months after you get your UK clearance for a boy..and 9 months for a girl..)

Have had our Social Worker up and tommorrow we have ou first bit of our course. And next week we submit our Application..

So we have started our journey....I feel I have put all the misery behind us, accepcted that I will never give birth but I am going to be a MUM....Yippeeeee

We are just back from a holiday to Australia....none of the usual baby making pressure or heartache of a previous failed IVF attempt..it was bliss to just go on holiday and enjoy ourselves.

I dont think anyone else is doing an Overseas Adoption...if there is would love for you to drop me a line.

Looking forward to getting to know some of you

Love Paddy


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## Natasha (Sep 21, 2004)

Hi Paddy.
Sorry to read your sad news but i'm pleased for you that your are going to get your child 
I haven't had any for of IVF but have suffered with 4 mc so i can sort of understand how you feel.
How did you go about overseas adoption?
Are there any websites that i could look at?
Hope it all works out well for you
Love Tasha


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## KarenM (Jul 30, 2002)

Hi Paddy

Welcome to the board.  It will be interesting to see the differences with your journey to those of us doing adoption from home.  I will add you to our list.  We all tend to post updates on the "Starting the journey or going through adoption" thread.

I was intrigued by your post, why is there the difference in timescales for boys and girls.  Are you going for just one or a sibling group?

Good luck with the process and I look forward to following your journey.

Karen x


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## tinkerb (Aug 12, 2003)

hi paddi and other girls,

my dh and i have just made the decision to move on to adoption after 3 failed ivf cycles. i felt as though i had found out quite alot about donor eggs but now find myself back at square one (knowledge wise) with adoption. i have spoken to a social worker but have to wait 6 mths before we can begin. from previous experience i have found it does not pay to sit and wait but to ask loads of questions. 

so we would be really grateful if you could give us any info into how adopting from russia works. which agency are you using and how much does it cost...any thing you can tell us we would be very grateful for.

thanks hun

tracey


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## Angelsmama (Dec 5, 2004)

Paddy,

I don't know if you are still following this thread, but my hubby and I have just decided to knock the fertility treatments on the head after 3 years of various problems and are looking to adopt from either Russia or China.

Our situation is that my dh's grandparents came from Russia and I have a degree in Russian HOWEVER (!!!) we will be limited by cost.  I was wondering if you have any idea of how much it would cost to adopt from Russia - we know that we will have to pay £5,000 just to go through the approval process which we can just about find as we had the money saved up for the IVF but I was wondering what the costs would be the other side of this?

I'd be really grateful if you could share what you've already found out.  Hope the process is going well for you - I'd love to know how you are getting on.

Angel
x


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## fiona1 (Feb 2, 2005)

we are just starting to think about adoption and have looked into Russia, We have a 3 year old and would love to be able to adopt a child under the magic 12 months.

We have made an appointment for a SW to visit us after Easter to get the ball rolling.

Glad i found this link will be back


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## HHH (Nov 13, 2004)

So Paddi


Do you have to go through the approval process here in the UK and then once approved go through the overseas agency?

I'm just wondering if this could be an option for us, once we are approved?

HHH


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## jess p (Sep 25, 2004)

Hi,

I hope you don't mind me posting on here.  We are going to try ivf at the end of april but I need a "Plan B"!  

I am really interested in adopting a baby from Russia but don't know how to go about finding an agency.

I've tried searching on the internet but the agencies I've found are all American.  Are there any UK or even European based agencies I could contact?

Would be really grateful if someone would kindly IM me.

Many thanks,

Jess x


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## fiona1 (Feb 2, 2005)

Jess,

OAH is a UK charity that give you info on adopting abroad. If you type overseas adoption into your search engine their sire should come up. It says they are doing their site up at the moment so i haven't been able to get any info but it may be worth you keeping an eye on their site for when it is up and running again.

Good Luck

Fiona


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## van (Sep 18, 2004)

Hi
I'm so glad to see posts about adopting from overseas.  we are just heading down that route at the moment and had our initial meeting with the agency last week!

We're probably looking to adopt from China.
We had thought of Malawi - as I was born there and spent time there as a child, but having looked at it on the internet it doesn't seem possible.  With hindsight it was never going to be possible.  Russia was mentioned as a popular country to adopt from. We were told that you will need a minimum $40,000 to the Russian agency.....on top of the money to the UK agency..... which makes it quite costly.

Jess - another agency which deals with overseas adoption is PACT (parents and children together).  you can register your interest online with them and they'll send you their great booklets about both domestic and international adoption.

It's funny, but since we made the decision to go for adoption I feel like a total weight has been lifted off my shoulders - I just feel so much more positive about it all!  Funnily af arrived today and I was totally surprised by it...it's not early or late, but for the first time in about 10 years (apart from when I had ds) I had no idea where abouts in my cycle I was.  A wonderful feeling.

I hope we can help each other in this other route to adoption

Love to all and a happy easter
Van
XX


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## fiona1 (Feb 2, 2005)

Glad this thread is up and running again. My SW is off sick till end of April. He will then come out and chat to us about the process. I need to work out how much $40,000 is in £.

Will be in touch as i get more info. I will look into PACT.

If anyone has anymore advice please let me know.

Thanks
Fiona


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## van (Sep 18, 2004)

Hi Fiona

I'd definitely be keen to keep a thread going about international adoption. I know I'm not going to Russia, but I'm sure we can benefit from the approaches we are each taking and support, etc.

Anyway - I thought I'd give you PACT's email, as I remember I got confused when I first started searching for it as there seems to be another PACT site relating to adoption!

http://www.pactcharity.org/
is the one we are using. I had problems using their online form so sent my request by an email, but that was January and they may have mended it by now

all the best
Van
XX


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## fiona1 (Feb 2, 2005)

Van

Will PACT only help people who live in their area do you know.

Thanks for your advice, i have been on the internet tonight and got loads of info on Russia.

Fiona


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## van (Sep 18, 2004)

Fiona

I'm not sure...sorry...as we are in their defined area.  

We asked our GP who pointed us in their direction.

You could always give them a call and ask if they'd help you or if not I'm sure they must know the other UK agencies who deal with international adoption and be able to point you in the right direction.  Their website says something like them being only one of 4 agencies in the UK able to deal with UK adoptions, so they should know who the others are!

Love Van
XX


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## jess p (Sep 25, 2004)

Thanks for the info!

$40 000 sounds a bit out of our price league!  Nevertheless, I'm sure there must be other possibilities.

Thanks again & good luck to everyone else.

Jess x


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## jess p (Sep 25, 2004)

Thanks Mrs G for pointing out to me that it's not 40 000 US $ but 40 000 roubles which is apparently a little short of £800!

Now that sounds a lot more promising!  

Jess x


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## **Tashja** (Jan 13, 2005)

Just realised it might be US$ but I assumed as you are paying a russian agency it will be in roubles ??

Fiona1 is it US$ or Russian Roubles   

Tashja xx


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## fiona1 (Feb 2, 2005)

i don't know the cost i read about it on one of these threads i worked out that $40,000 is a huge amount of money and i doubt people could or would do it at that cost.

If and when i find out i will let you know

Fiona


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## van (Sep 18, 2004)

Hi

I was told the $40,000 figure at a meeting we went on recently with a sw at the agency re commencing the adoption procedure.... she did emphasise that a lot of money was required to adopt from Russia! 

But, when you think of the amount of money we are willing to put into IVF, with no certain outcome, it isn't a large amount at all.  We've certainly spent that amount in tx... and more!  

Van
XX


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## van (Sep 18, 2004)

I just thought I ought to have a look about it.

this website http://www.adoptivefamilies.com/russia_adoption.php

puts the costs of adopting at between $25,000 - $35,000 and then when you add the £5,000 uk cost on top....and flights.......oh dear 

I know it is a USA site, but it does seem to have some useful information if you are choosing to adopt from Russia.

Van
XX


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## Bower (Oct 19, 2004)

Hi everyone!

Hope you don't mind if i join you on this thread.

Our situation is after 2 ivf's and 1 m/c we have decided to stop any further tx and concentrate on adopting and it was our original intention to adopt 1 child anyway as i am adopted myself.

We have had our initial interview and attended our preparation day and are waiting for all our references, searches,medicals etc to come back so we can be allocated a s/w. We have also been given dates for our 3 training days which are all in April- so things are really moving on.

Our agency is trying to find out from dfes whether we need to use a US agency in Russia. all the research i have done on the net suggests that we do and the costs of this range from about $17,000 to $40,000 depending on the agency and there are only a few that will deal with the UK. Our homestudy will cost about £5k and then there are flights, notarisation of docs, visa's etc- so it will not be cheap.

If anyone has any info/advice about Russian adoption, we would be most grateful! 

Looking forward to joining you all on this journey!

Regards,

Maureen.


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## skyrocket (Apr 9, 2005)

Hi Paddy
I read your posts last night and wondered how you were getting on with adopting a child from Russia.
For me personally if I get no joy with ttc our own baby then I think I will probably go the same route as you are rather than trying IVF. I have seen the devastation caused to couples if it doesn't work out and I don't think I am strong enough to put myself through that. I have nothing but respect for couples who do.
Have you found an agency in Russia that is reputable?
Also did you find out about the costs? Was it $40,000 or 40,000 rupees?
Is that on top of the £5000 you have to pay this end to have assesments etc.?
Sorry for all the questions, I am very interested in how you are getting on cos it could be me next year!
Sky xxx


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## bilbo1 (May 10, 2005)

Dear Paddy.  I am new to this board, and I don't know how to use all the little icons.  We are considering adoption from Russia and are at the early stages of trying to find out how long/how much etc.  I have been told that the process takes two years.  I would be very grateful for the name of your agency that appears to have much shorter waiting lists.  We are trying to decide whether to try more IVF (through egg donation this time) or whether to abandon and go straight for adoption.  Obviously the length of time it takes to adopt is very important. Thank you for any help you can give me.

Rosy.


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## fiona1 (Feb 2, 2005)

Rosie,

I am a little further on than you, but not much. I have spoken to OAH and they gave me the name of 2 american adoption agencies which are licienced to help Uk families, one is called Cradle of Hope and i can remember the other as i am at work at the moment.

OASIS is another organisation which may be able to help.

cradle of hope have a conference in London this Sunday which i would have loved to attend but can't.

2 years is about the time frame we have been told to. Your local authority
should also be able to give you info.

Russia is a non designated country which means you will have to adopt the child in the UK once you have returned home with them in a designated country you adopt the child while you are out in their counrty China is designated.

It would be cool to have soneone to go on this journey with as this thread has bee quiet.

We have put in to start the assessment process which will start in about 6 months once we have finished treatment.

good Luck with what ever journey you take

Fiona


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## tinkerb (Aug 12, 2003)

hi!

does anyone here know why adopting from russia is so expensive and what the fee includes? i would be a bit worried if this was for profit. the prices i have seen here range from £13,500 - £21,700. this seems extortianate to me (that spelling doesnt look right!  ) it also puzzled me why there is such a difference in the prices.

thanks 

tracey


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## petal b (Feb 4, 2005)

hi,just wanted to say that i went to ireland this weekend and saw a couple there who had adopted a littie girl from russia,and she is lovely,they got her when she was one and she is now two and they are all so happy it had me in tears.i am now thinking about doing this in the future,my dh and i had never thought we could do it,but after meeting them and talking to them about it we have now seen for ourselves that it is so great.they said that it is alot of money and the country is very poor and not sure were the money goes but the children are very much loved by the people who look after them.you have to go on a course for 6 months and lots of interviews etc.but they said that they would do it again.the fee includes travel,staying in a hotel while you are their.you also have to go to court and that is in with the money,they did say that you could do it alot cheaper,but they found that you got alot in with the money(sounds bad i know but thats the way that it is)you also get a person who goes through it all with you, travels with you and helps you all the way.hpe tis helps and will post again wih some more info.just my meeting them by chance,it has changed my whole outlook on adoption,because i was worried about alots of things but they put my mind at rest about it all

hope this helps luv petalb


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## fiona1 (Feb 2, 2005)

Hi All,

Just to let you know i went to the Cradle of Hope adoption information in London on Sunday, it was really intresting. If anyone would like info please contact me.

Fiona


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## Lauren (Jul 2, 2004)

Hi Fiona

I would love to know more about Cradle of Hope and the conference on Sunday.  I had really wanted to go myself but wasn't able to get there.  Me and my dh are right at the start of our journey, in the process of contacting la's and are attending a OAH consultation day in June.  We haven't decided which country to adopt from yet but have shortlisted Russia, China and Guatemala.  I went on Cradle of Hope website and see they deal with all three countries.  

Where abouts are you in your journey?  I notice you said on one of your earlier posts you are starting assessment in 6 months time.  Are you still tx at the moment?  Or have you finished tx and are having to wait 6 months before you are allowed to start process?  I finished my last cycle in April and am wary about contacting la in case they make me wait.  Also slightly worried about what they will ask me on the phone.  We did contact them last summer when are 3rd icsi failed and she put my dh right on the spot on the phone by asking him to tell her exactly why he wanted to adopt and why specifically overseas!  He was totally able to handle it but not sure about myself!

Anyway enough waffle, would be really interested to hear more about the day on Sunday.

Lots of love
Lauren xxx


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## fiona1 (Feb 2, 2005)

Lauren,

If you e-mail me e-mail address removed and IM sent to Lauren - Karen (Adoption Mod) and give me a fax number i can fax you all the info i got.

Basically, it will cost about £20,000. Cradle only deal with Russia and Guatamala because the UK has it's own links with China.

It is a 2 year process.....but with a definate result.

if you would like to have a chat over the phone let me know. There is so much info maybe too much to post here.

The laws in Russia have just changed and children need to be registered for 6 months before they are free for adoption, this means you would be unlikely to get achild under 12 months.

Fiona


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## fiona1 (Feb 2, 2005)

Karen,

Sorry i didn't realise i couldn't put my e-mail address in. Thanks for moving it. I follow your threads and your family sound fantastic.


Fiona


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## Milktray (Jun 12, 2005)

Hi Fiona

I have sent you a PM - I hope you don't mind.

We are just starting on our journey to adopting hopefully from Russia.

T x


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