Russian Adoptees Organization

Am I a Russian citizen?

Most likely, yes — if you were born in Russia (or the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, RSFSR) and adopted by foreign parents, Russian law generally states that adopted children remain Russian citizens until at least age 18.

Russian citizenship does not automatically disappear when you are adopted abroad or turn 18 — it only ends if you (or your parents, before you turned 18) formally renounced it through the Russian government.

How do I know if I am a Russian citizen?

If you have a valid Russian passport or a birth certificate with a Russian citizenship stamp, that’s the simplest proof.

If you don’t have these or they are expired, you can request a Citizenship Verification through the Russian Embassy or Consulate.

Basic steps for citizenship verification:

1. Contact the Russian Consulate responsible for your U.S. state.
2. Fill out:
   • Application for citizenship verification.
   • Questionnaire for adopted persons.
3. Provide:
   • Passport photo (35×45 mm, color).
   • Copies of any Russian or Soviet documents (birth certificate, adoption papers, old passport, etc.).
4. Pay the $65 fee (money order or cashier’s check).
5. Wait up to 2–3 months for the result.

If confirmed, you can apply for a Russian passport.

How do I renew my Russian passport?

If you already have a Russian international passport (заграничный паспорт) and it is expired or will expire soon:

1. Apply at the Russian Embassy or Consulate that serves your state.
2. You must verify your citizenship first if:
   • Your last passport expired more than 6 months ago, or
   • You changed your name in the U.S., or
   • You cannot present your most recent Russian passport.

Note:
Russian internal passports can only be renewed inside Russia at a migration office — the consulate cannot replace them.

How can I get documents translated?

Russian consular offices require official translations into Russian for any U.S. documents, such as:

• Birth certificates
• Adoption decrees
• Marriage certificates
• Court orders for name change

Steps for translation:

Have the translation certified or the translator’s signature notarized according to Russian notary requirements.

1. Get an Apostille from your state’s Secretary of State office.
2. Have the document translated into Russian by a professional translator.

How do you travel to Russia as an adoptee?

If you are still a Russian citizen:

• You must enter and leave Russia using a Russian passport.
• If you don’t have one, apply for:
  • A Russian international passport, or
  • A “Certificate to Return to Russia” (for urgent travel, issued by the consulate).

If you are no longer a Russian citizen:

• You can apply for a Russian visa using your U.S. passport.

Reminder:

If you hold both U.S. and Russian citizenship, you must follow the entry/exit rules for both countries — use your U.S. passport to enter/exit the U.S., and your Russian passport to enter/exit Russia.