Dear Adoption Options Families:

As some of you may know, we have done adoptions from Kyrgyzstan, but this program has been on hold for almost two years pending the implementation of new adoption laws and regulations.  Unfortunately, last month the government was overthrown and Kyrgyzstan is in the process of replacing its government.  We know that this delay in adoptions has caused an overflow in the orphanages.  As is consistent in all countries when the country is going through difficult times the orphans suffer disproportionately.   We have become aware of desperate plea from the Kyrgyzstan government for public assistance for food for the orphanages.  Please read:

In children’s homes and boarding schools of Kyrgyzstan shortage of a food is observed On April, 10th 2010, 17:37

CA-NEWS (KG) – In subordinated children’s homes and in the boarding schools of the Ministry of Education a shortage of food now is observed due to the lack of financial aid.

The coordinator of the social sector, public relations and mass media of the Provisional government of Kyrgyzstan, Elmira Ibraimova addresses all businessmen and people that are not indifferent to render feasible help with this problem.

As of April, 1st, 2010 the mentioned establishments have 3776 children, girls — 1617, boys — 2159, children in special needs establishments — 2521, girls — 1084, boys — 1437, children in children’s houses-boarding schools for children-orphans — 1255, girls — 533, boys — 722.

To think of children going hungry is almost beyond comprehension.  In response to this request, Adoption Options would like to sponsor a donation drive to purchase food for the children.  We are asking you to consider sending money to support this effort to supply food.  Adoption Options is in the process of arranging for food purchases in Kyrgyzstan for the orphanages.  100% of your donation will go towards the purchasing of the food.  Please send your donations to and make checks payable to:

Adoption Options, Inc.

note: Kyrgyzstan Orphan Relief

411 Camino Del Rio South, Suite 200

San Diego, CA 92108

In the meantime Adoption Options will be contacting the US State Department for assistance in assuring that we can get the relief to the orphanage.  Unfortunately, since Kyrgyzstan is so poor, we need to make certain your donations do not get intercepted and used for something else.  We appreciate your consideration of this issue.  Also please consider reaching out to others to help such as schools, churches, etc.  Let us all, who know how important these children are, offer our help to these children in need.

Warm regards,

Brent E Yoder

Executive Director

From the U. S. State Department

May 13, 2010

A U.S. interagency team held meetings to discuss an adoption agreement with their Russian counterparts on May 12.  The meetings are ongoing and will continue on May 13.  The initial talks were positive, productive and conducted in a spirit of cooperation.  Both sides are interested in taking steps to increase the safeguards for adopted children.  The discussions were technical in nature because they involve domestic laws of two countries.  There is still important work to be done and this continues to be a high priority for both governments.

It is our understanding that there has been no change in the status of on-going inter-country adoptions originating from Russia.  Many thousands of Russian children, who were not adopted by Russian families, have found loving, safe and permanent homes in the United States through inter-country adoption.  We are pleased to be discussing with the Russian government a future approach to ensure intercountry adoptions continue.

Prospective adoptive parents should be aware that in some parts of Russia, adoptions continue to be slowed down or delayed.

If you have completed an adoption in Russia and have an immigrant visa appointment at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow:
The U.S. Embassy in Moscow is continuing to schedule and issue immigrant visas for adopted children using normal processing procedures.  Contact the Embassy at MoscowConsularR@state.gov to schedule an appointment.  Please also stay in close touch with your adoption service provider.

If you have a court appointment to finalize your child’s adoption in Russia:
Many adoption cases are continuing to move forward in the courts.  We have heard of cases in which a court appointment has been postponed.  If your court appointment is postponed by the court, please provide this information to us by email at
RussiaAdoption@state.gov and MoscowConsularR@state.gov. Neither the Department of State nor the U.S. Embassy have the authority to intervene with the Russian courts on any individual case and cannot provide a letter for use in the courts.  Adoption service providers and/or legal representatives in Russia may be able to make inquiries about your case on your behalf with Russian courts.

If you do not yet have a court date to finalize an adoption in Russia, but are in the process of adopting from Russia: Please stay in close contact with your adoption service provider, and check the adoption.state.gov website regularly for current information about intercountry adoption from Russia.

The Department of State’s Office of Children’s Issues has established a special e-mail box for inquiries or comments about adoptions from Russia.  Prospective adoptive parents and others with concerns about adoptions from Russia may send their questions to
RussiaAdoption@state.gov.  Prospective adoptive parents may also provide complete contact information for themselves, including full address, phone number, and e-mail information, the name of their adoption service provider (if available) and details about the child they are planning to adopt.

From U.S. State Department

Caution About Pursuing Adoption in Nepal

May 4, 2010

 The U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu was closed on May 3 and will be closed on May 4 and 5 due to a nationwide strike.  The closure may continue thereafter, depending on whether the strike continues and what the situation warrants.  The Consular Section has scheduled back-up appointment dates as follows:  If you are scheduled for an immigrant visa interview on Tuesday, May 4^th, please come for your immigrant visa interview on Friday, May 14 at 13:00.  If you are scheduled to pick up your immigrant visa and travel packet on Thursday, May 6^th, and the Embassy is closed, please come to pick up your immigrant visa on Thursday, May 13^th at 14:00.  For additional information regarding consular services, please carefully read the full announcement that is posted on the Embassy’s website  at: http://nepal.usembassy.gov/pr-04-30-2010.html.  Please continue to monitor the Embassy website for updated information.

The U.S. Department of State strongly discourages prospective adoptive parents from choosing adoption in Nepal because of grave concerns about the reliability of Nepal’s adoption system and the accuracy of the information in children’s official files.  The Department also strongly discourages adoption service providers from accepting new applications for adoption from Nepal until reforms are made, and asks them to be vigilant about possible unethical or illegal activities under the current adoption system.

The Hague Conference on Private International Law recently released a report on its Intercountry Adoption Technical Assistance Program, based on a visit by a delegate from the Hague Conference’s Permanent Bureau to Nepal in November 2009, available at (http://www.hcch.net/upload/wop/nepal_rpt09.pdf).  This report is the result of an independent analysis of Nepal’s intercountry adoption system under the new Terms and Conditions put in place in 2008.  The report details a number of weaknesses in Nepal’s adoption system, including ongoing concern about the falsification of documents, improper financial gain, and lack of a child protection system.

Although the U.S. Embassy in Nepal has only seen a handful of adoption cases since the new Terms and Conditions went into effect, we share many of the concerns outlined in the Hague report.  As a case in point, in one of the first cases processed by the Government of Nepal after the revision of the Terms and Conditions, the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu found that the adopted child was not a true orphan and that the birth parents were actively searching for the child.

We encourage parents who have filed an application with the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare (MWCSW) in Nepal, but have not yet been matched with a child or received an Adoption Decree issued by the Government of Nepal, to consider a change of countries.  The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) allow one change of country to be made in connection with one’s I-600A application without fee.  A request to change countries should be made in writing to the USCIS Field Office where the I-600A was originally filed.  More information about how to request a change of country can be found on the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov  (Any subsequent request for a change of country would require a fee.).

Hague-accredited U.S. adoption services providers, and adoption service providers that may apply for Hague accreditation in the future are reminded that their actions in facilitating and/or processing adoptions in any country (whether Hague or non-Hague) will be evaluated during the Hague accreditation or accreditation renewal processes in accordance with the accreditation regulations (22 CFR Part 96), including whether, among other things, the provider has established and rigorously followed ethical adoption practices and operates in the best interest of prospective adoptive children. 

Prospective adoptive parents who currently have active files at the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare and who may already have an approved I-600 (Petition to Classify an Orphan as an Immediate Relative) from a USCIS Domestic Field Office may experience significant difficulties and delays.  When an I-600 is adjudicated by USCIS in the United States , consular officers must then conduct an I-604 investigation once the approved petition reaches the Embassy in Nepal to verify the child’s orphan status prior to immigrant visa processing.  Depending upon the circumstances of a case, this investigation may take up to several months to complete, even if the I-600 petition is already approved.  We generally rely upon the host government’s diligence to protect the safety and interests of their own children through careful administration of their national adoption process and use the I-604 investigation to confirm that this process has been followed.  Because the Nepali adoption process is questionable, it can be very difficult to satisfy the requirements of the I-604 investigation.  When we cannot do so, we must return the case to USCIS with a recommendation that the I-600 approval be revoked. 

Both DOS and USCIS recognize that it would be preferable for the I-604 investigations to be completed earlier in the process.  However, under current procedures, the U.S. Embassy cannot begin the I-604 investigation until the prospective adoptive parents have a signed Adoption Decree issued by the Government of Nepal, and the Government of Nepal will not issue an Adoption Decree until the prospective adoptive parents are in Nepal.  Thus, prospective adoptive parents are currently faced with the need to either make two trips to Nepal or to spend an extended period in-country while awaiting the results of the I-604 investigation.  DOS and USCIS are currently in discussion about possible ways to revise the procedures under U.S. Government control to mitigate this problem.

The U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu continues to meet with officials within the Government of Nepal and with other foreign missions concerning the current status of adoptions in Nepal.  The February 25, 2010 joint statement issued by the International Adoption Working Group (an ad hoc group of Embassies in Nepal who have an interest in intercountry adoption issues) http://nepal.usembassy.gov/pr-2-24-2010.html.  

Adoptive parents may contact the Embassy at adoptionsnepal@state.gov if they have questions about the status of their case.

The Russian news today reported the DUMA (Russian Parliment) voted to continue adoptions to Americans.  The Russian authorities decided that they did not want to stop these adoptions as most of them are successful.  They recognize the majority of adoptions have both happy parents and happy children.  They indicated that they are concerned about the welfare of the children.  In order to protect children they indicated that both countries should promote more openness.  A commitment was offered to work on removing some of the barriers that protect privacy of important information on children so that important information will be fully disclosed to adopting parents.  Russian officials are very pleased with the meeting that occurred last week with the US State Dept.  and indicated that the next meeting on May 12^th will only be for additional discussion and that an agreement will take several months to formalize.We are moving forward with your adoptions.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

Warm regards,

Brent E Yoder

Adoption Notice: Russia

April 20, 2010

From: U. S. State Department

We have received no official notification that adoptions of Russian orphans by Americans have been suspended, but it is clear the recent controversy has slowed down adoptions in some parts of the country. 

Volcanic ash prevented the U.S. delegation from traveling to Moscow over the April 17^th weekend.  The talks in Moscow between U.S. and Russian officials are now rescheduled for April 29 and 30.  The United States plans to emphasize the importance of this issue, and will discuss our mutual concerns about how to better protect the welfare and rights of children and all parties involved in intercountry adoptions.  Many thousands of Russian children have found loving, safe and permanent homes in the United States through intercountry adoption.  Families in the United States have adopted more than 50,000 children from Russia. 

If you have completed an adoption in Russia and have an immigrant visa appointment at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow: The U.S. Embassy in Moscow is continuing to schedule and issue immigrant visas for adopted children using normal processing procedures.  Contact the Embassy at MoscowConsularR@state.gov to schedule an appointment.  Please also stay in close touch with your adoption service provider. 

If you have a court appointment to finalize your child’s adoption in Russia: Many adoption cases are continuing to move forward in the courts.  We have heard of cases in which a court appointment has been postponed.  If your court appointment is postponed by the court, please provide this information to us by email at RussiaAdoption@state.gov and MoscowConsularR@state.gov.  We will work with the Russian authorities to try to resolve any problems.

If you do not yet have a court date to finalize an adoption in Russia, but are in the process of adopting from Russia:  Please stay in close contact with your adoption service provider, and check the adoption.state.gov website regularly for current information about intercountry adoption from Russia.

The Department of State’s Office of Children’s Issues has established a special e-mail box for inquiries or comments about adoptions from Russia.  Prospective adoptive parents and others with concerns about adoptions from Russia may send their questions to RussiaAdoption@state.gov.  Prospective adoptive parents may also provide complete
contact information for themselves, including full address, phone number, and e-mail information, the name of their adoption service provider (if available) and details about the child they are planning to adopt.

April 15, 2010

From: U.S. State Department

United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) regulations in 8 CFR 204.3(d) require that, in order for Petition to Classify an Orphan as an Immediate Relative (Form I-600) filed by prospective adoptive parent(s) to be approved, the prospective adoptive parent(s) must provide proof of a full and final adoption or custody of the child for emigration and adoption abroad in accordance with the laws of the foreign-sending country. 

The Government of Uganda advised the U.S. Embassy in Kampala on March 16, 2010 that legal orders for guardianship issued by Ugandan courts that do not contain specific language authorizing emigration and overseas adoption should not be construed as sufficient to allow Ugandan children to depart Uganda to be adopted abroad.  In the past, the U.S. Government has treated Ugandan guardianship orders that did not contain such language as sufficient to underpin the approval of the I-600 petition and immigrant visa, but based upon this clarification from the Government of Uganda, explicit language authorizing emigration and adoption abroad must now be included.  Effective immediately, if an I-600 is filed with a guardianship order that does not include authorization for emigration and adoption abroad, the petition will be noted as not clearly approvable and forwarded to USCIS in Nairobi for further adjudication.  However, we understand from USCIS that if the court order does not contain the required language, the petition would not be approved.

Many of you have probably heard the news today that Russia has suspended adoptions to Americans.  We have been notified this morning that the news was aired by mistake, and there has not been an offical announcment about suspension of adoptions in Russia. The delegation from the U.S. State Department is still scheduled to come and discuss the current situation in the Russia Federation next week.   We will be following this situation and will update you as we get further information.  For more information, please go to 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36543759/ns/world_news-europe/

April 14, 2010
Dear fellow FRUA members:

The National Board of Directors of Families for Russian and Ukrainian Adoption, Including Neighboring Countries, is taking the unusual step of contacting you twice in one week because of the potential repercussions of the extraordinary decision by an American parent to return her adopted child to Russia. The incident prompted some top Russian officials to threaten to put a hold on adoptions of Russian children by U.S. families. Sue Gainor, FRUA National Chair, has conducted many media interviews in recent days and has emphasized FRUA’s concern that this one incident could jeopardize the chances of thousands more children in Russian orphanages to join ”forever families” and to thrive, as the overwhelming majority of adoptees have to date.

Below is a Call to Action issued by the Joint Council on International Children’s Services, whose members include many of the adoption agencies authorized to operate in Russia. The FRUA Board wants to make you aware of the initiatives embodied in the Call to Action in the event that you would like to participate in any or all of them. The message in the petition is consistent with FRUA’s general support for measures to avert a suspension of adoptions. The Tell Your Truth request for adoption stories echoes the Love Letters campaign that FRUA sponsored several years ago. Those poignant stories were well-received by Russian officials and media alike.

FRUA will continue to emphasize that our families feel fortunate to have our children and are grateful to their birth countries for entrusting them to our care.

From: Joint Council of International Children’s Services

We Are The Truth

A Campaign and Call to Action

The outrageous treatment of Artyem by his adoptive family has rightfully resulted in outrage by the Governments of Russia and the United States and all who care about children.  The tragedy has cast a light on intercountry adoption that says it is not safe, the system failed and adopted children cause insurmountable problems.  The heartbreak of Artyem Saviliev’s abandonment has once again elevated a singular incident to a level which may result in the suspension of intercountry adoption.  Suspending adoption, even temporarily, will only cause thousands of children to suffer the debilitating effects of life in an orphanage.

You, the community of adoptees, adoptive parents, adoptive grandparents, child welfare professionals and child advocates know that the outrageous and indefensible actions of one parent are not indicative of how children are treated by adoptive families.  You know that families who encounter difficulties do not simply abandon their child.  You know that help is available, that solutions are found and that families can thrive.  And you know that suspending adoption does not protect children but only subjects them to the depravity of an institution…and an entire life without a family. 

You, the adoption community know the truth.  You live the truth.  You are the truth.

Join our campaign to bring the truth to light and help children in need find a permanent and safe family.

What You Can Do

1)      Sign the letter to President Medvedev and President Obama: The letter asks both Presidents to ensure that intercountry adoption continues uninterrupted and to aggressively investigate and prosecute anyone involved in the abuse of children.  You can sign anytime, but doing so before Tuesday night would help us get the letters to both Presidents before President Medvedev leaves the U.S.   To sign the letter, click here.

2)      We Are The Truth – an adoption blogger day: To ensure the world knows about every successful adoption, on Thursday, April 15, 2010 blog about your adoption or the adoption of someone you know.  It doesn’t matter if your adoption is with Russia, domestic or otherwise international.  Let the world know your truth! 

3)      Tell Your Truth with Video – make sure the world sees, hears and feels the thousands of successful adoptions from Russia by:

1. Send Joint Council your successful Russian adoption video via email to alexa.m@jcics.org. 
   • Video should be a maximum of 3 minutes.
   • A release must be sent to Joint Council or we cannot accept your video. For a copy of the release, click here. 
2. Joint Council will translate the video into Russian and post it on our YouTube Channel. 

4)      Tell Your Truth with Words and Photos

1. Send Joint Council your successful Russian adoption story via email to alexa.m@jcics.org.  Send us your stories through:
   • Photos (please do not send more than 10) 
   • Essays (maximum 500 words)
   • A release must be sent to Joint Council or we cannot accept your story and/or pictures.  For a copy of the release, click here. 
2. Joint Council will then compile the stories and pictures, translate them into Russian and post them on our website and/or blog.

5)      Share Your Truth

1. Joint Council will post, forward and share your stories via Facebook, Twitter, and blogs.   Joint Council will be updating our YouTube Channel and Facebook page as the stories get compiled and translated, please subscribe to us on YouTube, Twitter and Fan us on Facebook.
2. You do the same by posting on your Facebook, Twitter, blog and website!

Want to help more?

• Are you willing to speak to the media about your Russian adoption?  If so, please email betheanswer@jcics.org with the following:
  • Your name(s)
  • City, State of residence
  • Contact Phone Numbers
  • Contact Email
  • Short 4 sentence bio about your adoption
• Do you speak Russian?
  • We are in need of individual volunteers who can help our staff translate the videos and text quickly.   If you are interested in helping, email Joint Council at intern@jcics.org.
• Do you live in the Alexandria, VA area?
  • Joint Council is in need of short term volunteers over the next two weeks, email rebeccah@jcics.org if you would like to volunteer.

Dear Families:

As all of you likely know there has been a call for a moratorium on adoptions from Russia to Americans as a result of this woman in Tennessee, who sent her child back to Russia.  Many of you have asked what you can do to promote continuation of the adoptions.  Please see the link to the petition that is being supported in the US promoting this cause.  I encourage all of to review this and if you agree to sign this petition. I have received multiple inquiries from families that have completed their adoption asking what they can do to support the continuation of adoptions.  This brought an outpouring of support. 

On another positive note yesterday in Russia one of their major TV channels aired a panel discussion in regards to this proposed moratorium.  The panel was led by the person in charge of all international adoptions for Russia.  The ultimate conclusion of the panel was supportive.  The head of adoptions was clearly recommending continuation of adoptions to Americans.  This is a very powerful statement supporting our cause.

Please let me know if you have any questions.  I will keep updating you as I gather more information.

Warm regards,

Brent E. Yoder, LCSW

Executive Director

http://www.gopetition.com/online/35485.html

Adoption Options is aware of Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov’s recommendation to put a freeze on adoptions to American families until Russia and the USA sign an international agreement on the conditions for adoptions.  This urging from the Foreign Minister comes after the news that an 8-year-old adopted Russian boy was sent alone on a one-way flight back to Russia with a note from his adoptive mother saying that she was returning him due to severe psychological problems. 

Despite these events, adoptions were completed on Friday and today and Russian adoptions have not been officially closed.  We are monitoring the situation closely and will update all of you if anything changes. 

Our Executive Director, Brent Yoder, met with the KUSI San Diego local news team to discuss the situation in Russia. The segment will air today at 6pm and at 10 pm on KUSI Channel 9.