Adoptees from Russia.
Resource Corner
Добро пожаловать! (Welcome) Are you adopted from Russia? Take a look at some of our resources right here that can assist you with, Citizenship Questions, Passport Renewal and Advice on Searching for Birth Families/Relatives.
Updated Feb 2025
Russian Language Resources
We know for those adopted from Russia, learning Russian is an important piece of your birth culture and identity.
We have added some links below to help you with some beginner steps with learning the language. Got anything to add? Let us know!
LANGUAGE APPS:
Duolingo (FREE or a pro version):
RUSSIAN LANGUAGE:
Practice Russian Alphabet:
http://www.practicerussian.com/Tests/TestAlphabet.aspx
Russian Made Easy (Podcast):
Udemy ($20.99):
https://www.udemy.com/course/the-complete-russian-language-course/
Start with the alphabet! Try to get confident in learning this first so you can read and understand the basics that will be needed when using the other resources
Be consistent and repetitive! Try to sort a plan and schedule to learn the language. Write things down yourself, create a binder, print things off as you wish.
Utilize these multiple resources! All of these apps/websites/podcasts have unique and different approaches to learning. Do a little bit of each
Practice what you learn! Speak the words you know to your dog, family, friends! Join meet ups/communities that speak that language.
Watch movies/shows in that language. This is a great way to put context together subconsciously. ( https://sovietmoviesonline.com )
Push yourself to go to the cultural places where the language will be used-food markets, restaurants, etc. This way you can pick up on things, and see where you struggle and need to learn more.
Lastly, don’t get discouraged by the triggers of not connecting right away! It will seem overwhelming at first, and will take patience along with dedication. It’s very rewarding once you start comprehending and making progress, stay with it!
Commonly asked questions from those adopted from Russia
Am I still a Russian Citizen?
Unless you have renounced your Russian Citizenship, anyone adopted
from Russia after 1992 is still considered a Russian Citizen.
Once the child is 18 years of age they can then chose to renounce
their Russian citizenship and make this choice themselves.
We recommend not going through the renounce process as adoptees
typically value their heritage and dual citizenship.
The Citizen Process for Russian Adoptees
The timeframe for the Russian Citizenship process varies for different countries and also per case.
It can be from 3 months up until two years in some cases.
After this, you then will need to apply for your Russian passport
which on-top can take an extra 3 to 5 months.
If you are a Russian adoptee, always give yourself a lot of time and research prior.
More information on the Russian Federal Laws verbatim can be found here.
Who can I contact?
If you would like us to suggest you the right Consulate to
contact for starting your process, then please contact us.
We have contacts in America, New Zealand and Russia who can
point you in the right direction or take a look below at the Russian Consulate Directories.
Passport Renewal (New Guide for Russian – New Zealand Adoptees)
We have created a guide with the Russian Embassy in NZ which is now available on their website for those people adopted from Russia into New Zealand, visit the link here. A lot of this is the same process for those who were adopted into America, but you will need to do this process (if in America) through the Embassy there.
Russian Consulate Directories
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Embassy of the Russian Federation
57 Messines Road, Karori, Wellington 6012
Telephone: +64 4 476 6113 (Chancery)
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Embassy of The Russian Federation in Australia
78 Canberra Avenue, Griffith, ACT 2603, Australia
Telephone: +61(2) 6295 9033
Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Sydney
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Please Note: The State which you currently reside in determines the correct Consulate to contact.
Consular district of the Embassy includes states and territories: Alaska, California, North Dakota, South Dakota, North Carolina, South Carolina, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Maryland, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington, Wyoming as well as the territory of Puerto-Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa and Northern Mariana Islands.
The consular district of the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in New York includes the states: Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin.
Consulate General of the Russian Federation in New York
9 East 91 st Street, New York, NY 10128
Telephone: (212) 348-0750; (212) 534-3782
https://newyork.mid.ru/ru/contacts/
The consular district of the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Houston includes the states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.Consulate General of the Russian Federation (Houston)
1333 West Loop South, ste. 1300, Houston, TX 77027
Telephone: (713) 337-3300 (Calling Hours 14:00-16:30)
https://rusconhouston.mid.ru/en/
The Russian Federation maintains Consular Offices in three locations in the U.S., with each having its own jurisdiction. Please contact your local Russian Consulate.
Embassy of the Russian Federation in the USA
2650 Wisconsin Ave., N.W. Washington, DC 20007
Telephone: (202) 298-5700
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Embassy of the Russian Federation to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
6/7 Kensington Palace Gardens, London, W8 4QP
Telephone: +44 (0) 203 668 7474
https://www.rusemb.org.uk/contact/
Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Edinburgh, the United Kingdom
58 Melville Street, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom EH3 7HF
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Please Contact us here for any further assistance or if your country is not listed.
Searching for Birth Families.
It is a big decision for any adoptee who might want to start a search for their birth family or relatives. It all depends too on what information you might already have. We can assist you in the right direction on where you can search and where, to begin with, our resources.
At the moment we can’t help with individual searches but can provide advice and assistance which can help you in the right direction.
Some resources we also have on our website can also assist you with where to begin. You can take a look at the full resource blog post here. Alternatively, you can contact us here.
Got A Resource Or Would Like To Collaborate With Us?
If you have a resource you can provide for those adopted from Russia, then please reach out to us here on our Contact page.