Who May Be Adopted
Adoption is permitted only with respect to children for whom:
- both parents have died or have been declared missing
- the parents have consented to the adoption
- the parents have been declared legally incapacitated
- the parents have had their parental rights terminated (not sooner than 6 months after the court’s ruling)
- the parents have not resided with the child for more than 6 months and have evaded parental responsibilities
Who May Adopt
Russian citizens have priority. Foreign nationals may adopt a child only if, within a period of 12 months, it was not possible to place the child with a Russian family.
The Dima Yakovlev Law
Federal Law No. 272-FZ (2012) prohibits U.S. citizens from adopting Russian children and bans the activities of American adoption agencies on Russian territory.
Current status by applicant type:
| Applicant | Adoption |
|---|---|
| Russian citizen | ✅ Permitted |
| U.S. citizen | ❌ Prohibited |
| Russian/U.S. dual national residing in Russia | ✅ Permitted |
| Russian/U.S. dual national residing in the United States | ❌ Prohibited |
Guardianship and Custodianship
Unlike adoption, guardianship (opeka) has no citizenship restriction — with one important exception.
The following individuals may not serve as guardians:
- Persons whose parental rights have been terminated
- Persons with criminal convictions for offenses against minors
- Persons without specialized training (with the exception of close relatives)
- Citizens of countries in which same-sex marriage is legal, if they are unmarried or are in a same-sex union
This means: a single national of any country where same-sex marriage is legally recognized may not serve as a guardian of a Russian child.
Guardianship is established when living parents are temporarily unable to care for the child: due to illness, employment abroad, or other circumstances.
Taking a Child Abroad
Adoptive parents hold full parental rights. A guardian is the child’s legal representative. As a general rule, one parent or guardian is sufficient to travel abroad with a child; however, some countries require written consent from the other parent.
Read Also
- Russian Adoption Documents with Apostille: How We Helped a Canadian Family Without a Trip to Russia
- Registering or Dissolving a Marriage with a Foreign National: Legal Guidance
Planning an adoption or guardianship arrangement? The process is complex and contains many potential pitfalls. We assist foreign nationals in navigating it correctly from the outset.