U.S.-Russian Adoptions Agreement Enters into Force

U.S. Embassy Moscow Press Office | November 1, 2012

The Agreement between the United States of America and the Russian Federation Regarding Cooperation in Adoption of Children (the Agreement) entered into force on November 1, 2012, following the exchange of diplomatic notes between the U.S. and Russian governments.

The Agreement provides additional safeguards to better protect the welfare and interests of children and all parties involved in intercountry adoption. Over the years, thousands of Russian orphans have found loving homes in the United States; since 1992, Americans have adopted over 60,000 children from Russia. The Agreement ensures that the success story of adoptions between Russia and the United States will continue with increased safeguards for children. To learn more, please see the Agreement Text (PDF, 857KB) and the Department of State's FAQs (PDF, 53KB).