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Intercountry Adoption > Country Information > Russia Intercountry Adoption Information
Reissued after periodic review with minor edits.
Do not travel to Russia due to the consequences of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russian military forces. U.S. citizens may face harassment or detention by Russian security officials, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, limited flights into and out of Russia, and the possibility of terrorism. The U.S. Embassy has limited ability to assist U.S. citizens in Russia. The Department has determined that there is a continued risk of wrongful detention of U.S. nationals by Russian authorities. U.S. citizens residing or traveling in Russia should leave immediately.
The U.S. government has limited ability to help U.S. citizens in Russia, especially outside of Moscow. The U.S. Embassy is operating with reduced staffing, and the Russian government has restricted travel for embassy personnel. Furthermore, all U.S. consulates in Russia have suspended operations, including consular services.
There have been reports of drone attacks and explosions near the border with Ukraine as well as in Moscow, Kazan, and St. Petersburg. In an emergency, you should follow instructions from local authorities and seek shelter.
Russia may refuse to recognize your U.S. citizenship if you are a dual U.S.-Russian citizen or have a claim to Russian citizenship. Russia has denied consular officers visits to detained dual U.S.-Russian citizens. The Russian government has forced citizens with dual nationality to join the Russian military and prevented them from leaving the country. In 2022, the Russian government mobilized citizens for its invasion of Ukraine. Military conscription continues.
In Russia, the rights to peaceful assembly and free speech are not always protected. U.S. citizens should avoid protests and taking photos of security staff at these events. Russian authorities have arrested U.S. citizens who joined protests. Moreover, there are many reports of Russians being detained for social media posts.
U.S. citizens should know that U.S. credit and debit cards no longer work in Russia. Due to sanctions, sending electronic money transfers from the U.S. to Russia is nearly impossible.
Commercial flight options are minimal and are often unavailable on short notice. If you wish to depart Russia, you should make independent arrangements. The U.S. Embassy has limited ability to assist U.S. citizens in leaving the country, and transportation options may suddenly become even more restricted.
Click here for Information for U.S. Citizens Seeking to Depart Russia.
U.S. Embassy staff generally are not allowed to fly on Russian airlines due to safety concerns. Recently, the FAA downgraded Russia's air safety rating from Category 1 to Category 2. Additionally, the FAA banned U.S. flights in some Russian areas, including the Moscow Flight Information Region (FIR), the Samara FIR (UWWW), and the Rostov-na-Donu (URRV) FIR within 160NM of the boundaries of the Dnipro (UKDV) Flight Information Regions. Check the FAA's Prohibitions, Restrictions, and Notices for more information.
Country Summary:
Russian officials have interrogated and threatened U.S. citizens without cause. This includes former and current U.S. government and military personnel and private U.S. citizens engaged in business. U.S. citizens may become victims of harassment, mistreatment, and extortion.
Russian authorities may not notify the U.S. Embassy about the detention of a U.S. citizen and may delay U.S. consular assistance. Russian security services also target foreign and international organizations they consider “undesirable.”
Russian security services have arrested U.S. citizens on false charges, denied them fair treatment, and convicted them without credible evidence. Furthermore, Russian authorities have opened questionable investigations against U.S. citizens engaged in religious activity. U.S. citizens should avoid travel to Russia.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has destabilized security in southwestern Russia. In October 2022, the Russian government declared martial law in the following border areas with Ukraine: Bryansk, Kursk, Belgorod, Voronezh, Rostov, and Krasnodar. Under martial law, authorities can set curfews, seize property, and restrict movement. The Russian government may detain foreigners, forcibly relocate residents, and limit public gatherings. U.S. citizens should avoid all travel to these areas.
Russian authorities have questioned, detained, and arrested people for “acting against Russia's interests.” Local authorities have targeted people for posting on social media or supporting "anti-Russian" groups and punished individuals for criticizing the government or military. The Russian government's current "LGBT propaganda" law bans discussion of LGBTQI+ related topics. In November 2023, the Supreme Court labeled the so-called "international LGBT movement" as extremist. This decision effectively made it a crime to support the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons in Russia.
Terrorists continue to plan attacks in Russia. The March 2024 Crocus City Hall incident proved they can strike suddenly. Terrorists may target tourist areas, transport hubs, and markets. They may also target government buildings, hotels, clubs, restaurants, and places of worship. Parks, events, schools, and airports are also potential targets. U.S. government employees under Embassy (Chief of Mission) security responsibility are not permitted to travel to the North Caucasus, including Chechnya and Mt. Elbrus. U.S. citizens should avoid travel to those areas.
The international community does not recognize Russia’s annexation of Crimea and does not acknowledge Russia’s purported annexation of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhya. Russia staged its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in part, from occupied Crimea and there is a heavy Russian military presence in these areas. There is intense fighting across these regions and Russian authorities there have abused both foreigners and locals. Authorities have specifically targeted individuals who are seen as challenging Russia’s authority.
The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv administers consular services to U.S. citizens in Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhya. However, the conflict limits the Embassy's ability to help U.S. citizens in these areas.
Read the country information page for additional information on travel to Russia.
If you decide to travel to Russia:
Russia is not party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention). However, under the Intercountry Adoption Universal Accreditation Act of 2012 (UAA), which became effective on July 14, 2014, the requirement that adoption service providers be accredited or approved, and therefore meet the accreditation standards, which previously only applied in Convention cases, also applies in non-Convention (“orphan”) cases under section 101(b)(1)(F) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The UAA requires that an accredited or approved adoption service provider act as the primary provider in every non-Convention intercountry adoption case, and that adoption service providers providing any adoption services, as defined at 22 CFR Part 96.2, on behalf of prospective adoptive parents be accredited or approved, or be a supervised or exempted provider. See additional Department of State guidance and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) guidance for limited situations when a primary provider may not be required. Intercountry adoptions of children from non-Convention countries continue to be processed under the Orphan Process with the filing of the Forms I-600A and I-600. However, adoption service providers should be aware of the information on the USCIS website on the impact of the UAA on Form I-600A and Form I-600 adjudications, including the requirement that all home studies, including home study updates and amendments, comply with the home study requirements listed at 8 CFR 204.311, which differ from the orphan home study requirements that were in effect before July 14, 2014. Please see the USCIS adoption webpages for more information about the orphan adoption process.
U.S. citizens interested in adopting children from Russia should contact the adoption authority of Russia to inquire about applicable laws and procedures. U.S. citizen prospective adoptive parents living in Russia who would like to adopt a child from the United States or from a third country should also contact Russia’s adoption authority. See contact information below.
Russian Federal law No 272-FZ remains in place banning the adoption of Russian children by U.S. citizens.
This law entered into force on January 1, 2013. It prohibits the adoption of Russian children by U.S. citizens, prohibits adoption service providers from assisting U.S. citizens in adopting Russian children, and terminated the 2012 U.S.-Russia Adoption Agreement. The Russian Supreme Court issued a letter to city and regional courts on January 22, 2013, explaining the implementation of Federal Law No. 272-FZ. The letter states that adoptions of Russian children by U.S. citizens may be completed only in cases in which adoption orders were made before January 1, 2013 (including those that became final after January 1, 2013, following the 30-day waiting period). The 2012 U.S.-Russia Adoption Agreement terminated on January 1, 2014.
Additionally, on July 2, 2013, Russian Federal Law No. 167-FZ entered into force banning the adoption, custody, or patronage of children by same-sex couples and single individuals living in countries where same-sex marriage is allowed. Please see the USCIS adoption webpages for more information about the non-Convention (or orphan) adoption process.
Caution: Although U.S. citizens generally must follow the orphan adoption process to adopt a child from a non-Convention country, the Family-Based Petition Process (Form I-130) may be an option for U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to petition for their adopted child. There are significant differences between the orphan and the Family-Based Petition Process. For more information about specific Form I-130 requirements for adopted children, see the USCIS website and the USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 5.
The Government of Russia requires children adopted from Russia register with either the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) before they leave Russia or with the Russian Embassy or Consulate once they arrive in the United States.
Russia requires four post-adoption reports to provide information regarding the welfare of children adopted by U.S. families. We strongly urge parents with children adopted from Russia to comply with Russia’s post-adoption requirements in a timely manner. Your adoption agency may be able to help you with this process.
Reports should be prepared in accordance with the requirements established by the Russian government and as agreed to during the adoption process. All reports should be translated into Russian. Reports may be submitted either to the Ministry of Education and Science at the following address or to the regional authorities where the adoption was completed. The Ministry’s address is below. For contact information for the regional authorities, please see our Russian Regional Authorities Contact List.
Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation
Department of State Policy for the Protection of Children’s Rights
51 Lysinovskaya St.
Moscow, 115998
RUSSIA’S ADOPTION AUTHORITY:
Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation
Department of State Policy for the Protection of Children’s Right
Address: 51 Lysinovskaya St.
Moscow, 115998
U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Russia
Bolshoy Deviatinsky
Pereulok No. 8
Moscow 121099
Russian Federation
Phone: +7 (495) 728-5000
Fax: 728-5090
Internet: ru.usembassy.gov/
Office of Children’s Issues
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
SA-17
Washington, DC 20520
Tel: 1-888-407-4747
E-mail: Adoption@state.gov
http://adoption.state.gov
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
For questions about a pending Form I-600A application, Form I-600 petition or related supplement:
USCIS
Tel: 1-877-424-8374 (toll free); 1-913-275-5480 (local); Fax:1-913-214-5808
Email: NBC.Adoptions@uscis.dhs.gov
For other USCIS-related questions:
USCIS Contact Center
1-800-375-5283 (TTY 1-800-767-1833)
Internet: uscis.gov
U.S. Embassy in Russia
Address: #21 Novinsky Blvd.
Moscow, Russia 123242
Tel: 728-5000 switchboard
728-5567 (orphan visas)
Fax: 728-5247 (orphans only)
Internet: ru.usembassy.gov/
Russia’s Adoption Authority
Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation
Department of State Policy for the Protection of Children’s Right
Address: 51 Lysinovskaya St.
Moscow, 115998
Embassy of the Russian Federation
Address: 2650 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20007
Tel: 202-298-5700
Fax: 202-298-5735
Internet: https://washington.mid.ru/en/
Russia also has consulates in: New York and Houston
Office of Children’s Issues
U.S. Department of State
CA/OCS/CI, SA-17A, 9th Floor
Washington, D.C. 20522-1709
Tel: 1-888-407-4747
Email: Adoption@state.gov
Internet: adoption.state.gov
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
For questions about filing a Form I-800A application or a Form I-800 petition:
USCIS National Benefits Center (NBC):
Tel: 1-877-424-8374 (toll free); 1-913-275-5480 (local); Fax: 1-913-214-5808
Email: NBC.Adoptions@uscis.dhs.gov
For general questions about immigration procedures:
USCIS Contact Center
Tel: 1-800-375-5283 (TTY 1-800-767-1833)
Internet: uscis.gov
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