Recent Russia/U.S. Tensions May Effect Adoption of Russian Girls and Boys
The recent rise in tension between the United States and Russia is causing potential delays for American couples looking to adapt Russian babies. There are currently no U.S. adoption agencies open in Russia and officials in Moscow aren’t talking about how long it may be for the accreditation process to complete.
The Russians began tightening their procedures because on an increasing number of deaths among adapted Russian girls and boys living in America. Some Americans are concerned that the process to move forward with their adoptions could be caught up in the political arena.
Part of the problem is that adoption is a sensitive issue for Russians right now, given the demographic crisis the country is going through. That combined with the fact that relations between the two countries over ballistic missile issues, has American couples concerned about the future of adopting their child from Russia.
About 15,000 Russian children are adopted every year in Russia. Approximately half of those Russian girls and boys go out of the country and of hose, 3,706 were adopted by Americans in 2006. This is down from a high of 5,836 in 2002.
