[bobb e]

Less than 24 hrs before boarding a plane the agency called and said everythings canceled. Agency stated Databank is closed.. until further notice.

[littlebigfox]

There is no rumor to the fact that my trip was just canceled! I had a court date set for Dec 23rd and we were to go in EIGHT days! It was just canceled! I was eight days away from my baby girl and now I have been told that it is indefinantly closed! My adoption agency said there is vertually no chance to travel before Jan 15th! There is no rumor about that and also no hope!

[Danas]

Our agency confirmed that there is a temporary hold as well. No time frame of when things will start up again.
This is so hard. Please say prayers for all to move along fast.

[ddahl]

Goingtorussia , did you get that statement from the old infomation that was released or today? I literally just got off the phone with our agency and it has been confirmed that Russia is NOT releasing database slips. What is the real answer? Anyone, Anyone, BEUHLER? FRYE?

[Beaglepup]

I got the same confirmation here. I'm hoping and praying that it is back up by the end of January, but who knows. This is happening at an awful time, but I'm keeping my hopes up.

[heikewould]

Just to confirm. I got a call from the director of our agency and the information is correct. No data base forms are being issued. We now are in the process of deciding whether to stay or go on our trip one. It's scheduled for this Tuesday.


Everyone needs to pray. This is the time for the power of prayer.

Thanks for reading,

Heike

[Gina3735]

From the JCICS website:

December 10, 2004 - Data Bank Temporary Suspension Confirmed

Below please find a notice from the Embassy in Moscow. It addresses the current suspension of data base releases. We have heard from several of agencies and families experiencing this problem and understand the hardship placed on families to continue to wait, especially around this time of year. JCICS will continue to maintain contact with the State Department and Embassy and will let you know of any new developments.

EMBASSY STATEMENT ON ADOPTION ISSUES

The U.S. Embassy in Moscow has learned from Russian Ministry of Education officials that the Minister of Education has directed that, by the end of December, an accreditation commission be formed comprised of representatives from the Ministries of Education, Justice, Internal Affairs, Health and Social Development. In addition, during the first week of January, governmental offices will be closed for the holidays. This reorganization and the holiday closures may mean that adoption agencies that are renewing their accreditations or applying for accreditation for the first time will not receive consideration by the new accreditation commission until it is formed and functioning sometime after mid-January. At the same time, for reasons that remain unclear, the Russian government has again temporarily stopped issuing letters of release for orphans on the federal data bank.

For this reason, adoption agencies should discourage parents from coming to Russia to complete adoption proceedings before the required release letters are available.

While we recognize the inconvenience and possible hardship this reorganization, the prolonged holidays, and temporary suspension of release letters may cause some adopting parents and adoption agencies, we do not believe that U.S. government interference in this process at this time would be appropriate or productive. The U.S. Embassy in Moscow will continue to monitor the situation and apprise the adoption community of any significant developments.