[Katherisco]

I am curious, when you go to Russia for your last trip, when does you child officially get to be with you and released from the orphanage? I know most people take 2trips, some three, but when you arrive for trip 2(if you are only going on 2 trips), how long after you arrive does your child get to be with you full-time? I have heard different things and was wondering what everyones' experience was with that. Thanks!

[MichiAmy]

As I understand it - it not only varies by region, but it varies by baby home/orphanage. I have been told that custody is determined by the baby home director.

Some will allow custody immediately after court - and you have your child during the 10 day waiting period (assuming it's not waived). Many will grant custody after the 10 day waiting period is done.

[momofMikhail]

We were not able to get our DS until after the 10 day wait after court. We were able to visit him at the orphanage up to 3 times a day, but we were not allowed to take hime out of the orphanage until the 10 days were over.

[Kasey]

For our first adoption in Kirov, you didn't stay over night, so after court and lunch you picked up your child and got on the train back to Moscow.

Second in Murmansk, we could have brought him with us the day of court, but we opted to continue to visit him for 2 more days to ease into it, as he was 13 months old, each visit he got more comfortable, sothe day we left the baby home with him, was easier then I am sure it would have been had we not been gradual with it, given his personality.

[Pinkie]

Antonina was staying in the same hotel as me as her orphanage was located so far away. Although I was given immediate custody, between the orphanage director and myself we decided that Antonina would spend her waking hours with me but the nights with the orphanage director until she got used to me abit more. After 2 nights she was with me full time and the orphanage director left.

[proudmommyof 2]

LIke many things when dealing with Russia-when they tell you to!

With our first adoption, we came home for the 10 day wait. This was back when you only took two trips.
Court-June 11, Back to Russia, June 28, we actually brought him with us July 1

For our second adoption, first trip was in Feb., court was April 14. We went back May . The 9th was a holiday, followed by a weekend, but we begged our agency to ask them to let us have him. We got him on the 9th, but the orphanage director and doctor wouldn't meet with us, and the orphanage was angry and pretty much threw him at us.

No matter what, it will seem like forever...but you'll bring your little one home.

[beckyww]

We got Julia, then age 6, the day after court.

Here's my blog from that happy day: The Woodworth Family in Beautiful San Antonio TX

Becky

[GCS]

It does vary by region and orphanage. We went to court our 2nd day trip two and left court to go to the orphanage to pick up our kids. They spent the remainder of trip two with us. So we had them all of trip save that first day.

Good luck!
Christina

[momraine]

Our adoption was back in 99, our ten day wait was waived, we drove straight from court to the hospital where she had been moved cause she was sick and took her.

[kretzklan]

We went from court to the hotel for 5 minutes and then off to the orphanages to get our kids. They were with us within 2 hours of court!

[amy126]

From what I am understand, we had court on January 30th, and we did not have our 10 day wait waived. We go back on 2/14 and arrive in Moscow 2/15, and we get custody of him on 2/16. All week long then we have paperwork, medical, passport, visa......etc....

I have heard may different stories as well, so just like everything else, everyones experience is different.

[votemom]

depends on region and judge and all that. your agency should know.

[MamaChinch]

Region, judge, orphanage all determine when, also logistics. Our court was three hours away, so we did not get the kids until the next day. But we went first thing in the morning! (10 days waived)

[angelkisses0102]

Back in 2002 we had our 10 days waived since DD was very ill...but we did not get custody of her until we were on our way to the airport (a couple of days after court.) DD was is the hospital and they were not comfortable with us having her until the last second...but we were able to visit her several times per day. I believe this helped her transition to us as we spent about a week before and after court 'introducing' ourselves to her.

For DS in 2004, well his region was very adoption friendly at the time, so we had him within a couple of hours of court. The only reason it took so 'long' was his orphanage was an hour away and we all (four families) ran back to the hotel to change and grab our 'baby bags' before they drove us out to the orphanage. The next day DH took care of the paperwork while I cared for our little guy...who had not seen us since trip one five weeks earlier.

Both of my kids regions are now three trip regions...so much has changed.

Good luck!

[Bcelli]

With DS1 in 98, the 10-days was waived and we got him the next day after court.

With DS2 in 04, we had to wait the entire 10 days. We received him at 9 p.m. on a Monday night, but the director said we could have had him on Thursday the week before. But because we had a disruptive adoptive parent at the same hotel who was adopting a boy almost the same age from the same orphanage, we declined the early custody trasfer for fear of what this AP might have done to disrupt the process for other kids waiting for a forever family. It was a tense and bitter four extra days that we will never get back, but I have to believe that it made a difference for another child somewhere in the grand scheme of things.