[bumppy]

We are just starting the process to adopt from Russia, and I was wondering if anyone can give me some feedback on an agency to use. We are so confused right at this point because with everything going on with the Russian goverment we don't know if we should start the process.

Please if anyone can advise us, we have our home study first meeting on Wed. June 7th.

Thank you for your help.
Maribel

[kimber413]

Hi Maribel,
It's a difficult question to answer. Normally, I would say be careful to choose an agency that is accredited in Russia, since the rules are changing and you pretty much can't adopt independently or with an unaccredited agency anymore (umbrellaing most likely won't be allowed anymore). However, since the majority of agencies had their accreditation expire in May or will have it expire next week, soon there will be very few accredited agencies working in Russia. There is an additional registration they must do now, and the Russian government has yet to iron out exactly what the process is to complete that registration.

So, with that said, if it were me starting out in the process I would go ahead and complete my home study for adopting from Russia and then start interviewing agencies. They should have a better grasp of where they stand with accreditation by then, and you should be able to make an easier decision on which agency to go with. It won't add that much time to your adoption, since the thing that seems to take the longest is getting that home study report completed. Most agencies are still accepting applications for Russia, but I don't know if I'd start that part of the process right now.

Best of luck to you in making your decision.

[waitinginnj]

I think that Kimber's advice is on target - start the dossier documents and homestudy and wait for an accredited agency that gets through this latest process with the Russian officials. Hopefully that will be soon.

Good Luck

[Horseygirl]

I would second those above. Look at the jcics.org website or the department of state website. Both will give you the list of accredited agencies. Don't consider using one not on the list. Using an agency that "partners" with an accredited agency can cause problems. I've had experience in that.

[cathvash]

There is a current slowdown that may or may not affect your choice of an agency, and with luck it will only be a few months. It is good that your HS is scheduled - No need to sit on your hands during the wait! You can also move ahead to submit your initial immigration papers (for the child) prior to selecting an agency. This is the I-600A form and you can download it from the website(What is it we're calling them this week? - Dept. of Homeland Security?) In the spot on the form where they ask which person/agency is assisting you, just write "to be determined". They will want a copy of your homestudy and some other accompanying documentation as well . Once the form is submitted, they will mail you fingerprinting appts. After that, the timeline varies depending on the offce, but seems to average around 4-6 weeks to get your approval. Most agencies will require you to have this in place prior to receiving a child's "referral" or being allowed to travel to meet them, so it's a good idea to go ahead and get this moving, and then you'll be close to "ready" once the muddy water clears a bit.

[torussiawithlove]

We had chosen an agency that has support groups. We were able to meet with families that have completed the process as well as families that were currently in various stages of the process. I don't know how we would have made it this far without an agency. They have been so much help with all of the paperwork. Our agency is among those whose accreditation expired 5/17/06, they fully expect to be re-accredited as soon as their NGO status is approved. My advice is to find an agency that is known to be reputable and involved throughout the entire process. Good Luck and welcome to the journey. Chase your dreams as far as they may take you.