Americans adopt Russian orphans

5209 Russian orphans moved to the US to their new families for permanent residency in 2003.

According to a new US State Department report, this is the world's second largest indicator, reports ITAR-TASS.

China still remains the number one country, where Americans adopted a total of 6859 for the past year alone. As a result, the United States acquired quite a few new residents in 2003.

After having banned its quotas on International adoptions and expanding staff of the government's organization dealing with the issue, National Adoptions Council (NAC) in China welcomes such actions of the US and considers them humane. NAC also thinks highly of the way Russia, Kazakhstan and several other post-Soviet states approach the issue. In particular, Azerbaijan appeared among the first twenty countries of the world based on a number of kids sent to the US for adoption.

The organization seems to have certain problems with Romania however. Not so long ago, Americans used to visit the country regularly for adoptions. However, while going through the logistics of Romania entering the EU, Bucharest had to significantly reduce such practice. Nowadays, Americans lament over “shattered hopes” of kids in Romanian orphanages.

Also, number of kids adopted by the US in Ukraine has decreased from 1106 to 702 (in 2003). However, according to the National Adoptions Council this year’s number in expected to rise, since the American Embassy in Kiev began issuing visas itself. Thus, foster parents will no longer have to travel to Warsaw for a visa.

In 2002, Ukraine used to be number five on the list of countries considered by Americans for adoptions. In 2003, the country's position has been moved by Kazakhstan with 825 formal adoptions.