Adoption Blog

January 2, 2013

U.S. Embassy in Moscow Update

U.S. Embassy in Moscow will continue to process Forms I-600, Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative, and immigrant visa applications for children whose families have obtained all required documents as part of the adoption process.

We will continue to update you as the situation develops.

December 31, 2012

Families in Limbo

Ametz Adoption Program and JCCA are shocked and saddened by the recent events in Russia which put the lives of so many children in jeopardy and the families prepared to adopt them in limbo. We will be joining all actions to try and resolve the fate of the adoptions in progress and reopen the doors to a permanent homelife for the children left behind. We will continue to update you as information becomes available.

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December 28, 2012

Putin Signs Act Banning U.S. Adoptions of Russian Children

The adoption community was hit hard today by news that Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin signed the Yakovlev Act, banning adoptions by families from the United States. Ametz has helped hundreds of families with international adoptions from Russia, from homestudies to post-adoption counseling. While it is not yet clear what the ramifications of the act have for the adoptions currently in the pipeline, Brodsky points out that "The best interests of any child is to find a permanent family." American families travel up to four times to Russia to complete the adoption, and both children and their potential families have already formed strong connections. "This is devastating," said JCCA CEO Richard Altman. "It's not even about the kids, it's all political."

Ametz is a member  of the Joint Council on International Children's Services, a coalition of more than 260 child welfare organizations that advocates for orphaned and vulnerable children worldwide. In a statement on their website, Joint Council President Tom DiFilipo calls the signing a "tragedy" and offers this advice to families alraedy on the path to Russian adoptions: "The U.S. Dept. of State requests that families currently in the process of adopting a child from Russia email the Department of State at AskCI@state.gov. Families should state the stage and status of their adoption and use 'Intercountry Adoption in Russia – Family Update' in the subject line of the email."

"People aren't going to give up on this," Brodsky adds. "The U.S. government is still fighting." Ametz offers counseling and workshops to families at all stages of the adoption process, and Ametz staff are available to talk to clients about the current situation as it develops.

To sign up for emails from Ametz and JCCA about adoption, click here.

Click here to read about the Fiebachs, a family with two adopted girls from Russia.

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