[GraceK]

I am interested in adopting a child of mixed Asian/Caucasian blood. Does anyone know how often this comes up here? I know there are lots of mixed breeds in the country all over, just don't know how often they come up.

Also, what is the truth about the health of these children? I went to an info meeting at an agency and they mention that you must be wiling to accept a child with health issues.

Is there an age cut off for parents who want an infant?

Does anyone have an agency suggestion for me? I live in NYC.

[Aphi86]

Have you checked out Kaz? Many have Asian features and I think it is way easier!

[mcanvasback]

I have my dossier is Russia and Kazakhstan. there is an age cutoff in Russia, but none in Kaz. You may want to check out my thread "starting over"on the 2nd page and email me - I'll give you the name of my great agency.

[Vicki H]

It does happen, but I am not sure how often. If you specify it may take longer to receive a refferal.
I agree with the other posts, Kaz might be a good option for you.
If you want PM me and I can give you the name of my agency, they do Kaz also.


Vicki

[momm2be]

I think there are many mixed ethnic kids around.
I am sure you will not be turned away for asking for this. A good number of Russian citizens are of asian origin. It shouldn't be a hard match.

[Javalita]

The opinion there is that all adoptable children (to foreign citizens) have health problems. Therefore, to adopt, you must be willing to accept a child with health problems. That could be perinatal ecephalopathy, which almost all referals have noted under health concerns.

Our son is mixed Korean-Russian. We didn't specifically request an Asian child, but in our area there is a good sized Asian community. Also, Vladivostok has a large Asian population.

Good Luck!

[waitinginnj]

Also - you do not have to use a local agency. Many of us use agencies that are far from our homes. It is important to find an agency that you click with, that you fully understand their process and that you check out as legitimate.

There is some debate about using accredited and non-accredited agencies. The climate in Russia has been somewhat challenging lately and there is talk of only accredited agencies being able to work in Russia and the talk of eliminating independent adoptions. Granted this could all be rumor, but you should take that into consideration as you narrow down the list of agencies.

[kimber413]

You can indeed get an Asian/Caucasian child there. That's what we went for, since my husband is Chinese and I'm caucasian. However, be prepared to have a longer wait, since it's a very specific request that will involve only a few regions. Also, be prepared to fall in love with a child that might not be Asian at all. That's what happened to us. They sent a referral, with an apology. She was the only girl available in our age range at the time, and she was classified in Russia as half Asian, but she was in reality half Chechen. But my husband fell in love with her as soon as he saw her, and there was nothing for it but to adopt her.

The health? Well, you may see lots of scary diagnoses on the medical for the child, but you have to remember that in Russia, they assume everything is wrong with the child, and then rule it out. They view being born as a medical issue. That's why you should employ a really well respected doctor that specializes in international adoption to review the medical information for you. There are many of them, and you can get suggestions when you get to the point of having a referral.

There is an age cutoff for infants in Russia and Kazakhstan. In Russia, at least one parent must be under the age of 50 in order to adopt a child 18 months or younger. In Kaz, it's not really a cutoff but more of a preferential treatment. It's more likely you'll get an infant for referral if you're both under the age of 50.

You can pm for agency info. There's a list at the very top of the Russia forum that has folks who are willing to give out info, and which agency they use. You can also start narrowing down your choices and post them here for feedback. As someone else said, it's not necessary that the agency be near you, but more important that you feel comfortable with the agency you choose. Your homestudy can be conducted by any licensed social worker in your area, and doesn't have to be done by the facilitating agency.

Best of luck to you on your decision to adopt. If you want more info on the Asian-Caucasian aspect, please feel free to pm me.

[angelkisses0102]

For our second adoption we requested a Euro-Asian girl...we ended up with the perfect child for us...a white blond, blue eyed BOY!

The children of mixed race are amost never domestically adopted in Russia...that's why we requested that for the 2nd adoption.

You will find larger Asian populations in the south and far east of Russia...so when deciding on an agency, make sure they deal in these regions.

Health is relative...both of our referrals were listed as 'healthy', yet neither was. For our daughter, we knew of her issues prior to her adoption...for our son, we did not. However, both are now 'healthy.' You will need to prepare yourself for what is acceptable to you prior to getting a referral...many of the issues are correctable.

It is my understanding that the age that is now looked at...this is very, very recent and may be an agency 'policy'...is the mother's only. But it was stated that due to all of the recent 'issues', the mother's age is all that is looked at. So, ask this of the agency.