Visit to Alabama

AFRA

Orthodox Easter

Kick the Habit

Dual Nationality

Welcome Home

• Sunday, May 5, 2002 is Orthodox Easter in
  Russia
  
• Happy Mother's & Father's Day to all of our new parents and moms- and dads-to-be!
  
• When you travel to Russia, please consider bringing back a little something to donate to our upcoming auction. We'd like to raise as much money as possible to donate to Russian orphanages.
  

Program Update

Many of you may be wondering why this issue has been released so late. We apologize for the delay! The last several weeks have been very busy for the Russia Program.
      The Second Annual Conference on Russian International Adoption was held this year during the week of May 27. Nancy and Tanya both attended the conference, which was held by the Russian Ministry of Education (the body that governs adoption). The focus of this year's conference was the two-trip process. The forum allowed for discussion between U.S. and other country agency representatives and Russian officials. It was a good opportunity for agencies to voice concerns about the two-trip process and lack of medical information prior to travel. Although we do not anticipate any changes to the two-trip process in the near future, we can always expect some document changes after such a meeting.
      Tanya and Nancy also took some time to visit with several of the regional coordinators, who were present at the conference. Several adopting families happened to be in Moscow at the time, and Nancy and Tanya were able to accompany families to the U.S. Embassy to obtain visas for their children, and then to register their children with Russian authorities for post-placement purposes. Two changes have recently occurred regarding obtaining the child's U.S. entry visa:

If, at any time, your child tested positive for Hepatitis, you will have to take your child to a U.S. Embassy approved clinic to have an HIV test. This is regardless of whether your child tested negative for Hepatitis subsequent to the positive test. The results of the HIV test take 24 hours to process. Therefore, your trip to Russia may be extended for one business day.
      Additionally, since September 11th, the U.S. Embassy has taken steps to streamline the visa interview process so that the trip to the Embassy is as short as possible. Therefore, in most cases, your coordinator will bring your child's documents to the Embassy and will be given an appointment time for you. Later that day, you will go to the Embassy (your coordinator will not be allowed inside with you) for a very brief interview, and you will be given your child's visa. The visit is very short.
      We are pleased that our two Russia programs continue to run quickly and smoothly. Nancy has returned to the office, and Tanya will return on June 13th after a well-deserved visit with her family.

Sweet Friends in Alabama

A very special thank you is in order to our friends at Villa Hope International Adoptions in Birmingham, Alabama. On April 4th, I had the pleasure of visiting Alabama for the first time, and meeting with many families who have arrived home from Russia with their beautiful (and beautifully behaved!) children, as well as a few waiting families. It was such a treat to meet you all, and I thank you for taking the time to drive into Birmingham to visit with me. I'm sure you can imagine that meeting the children is the best part of my job. It has always been a real pleasure to work with Villa Hope staff and families, and World Child continues to be grateful for the wonderful job Villa Hope does with the Russia program.
      Special thanks to Pat and her family for their racious hospitality and tour of Birmingham.
      Now if I could just get that song out of my head . . .

      Katherine Marsh

May 5, 2002 marked the celebration of Orthodox Easter in Russia this year. Easter celebrations were forbidden in Russia for 70 years, and only in the past decade or so have Russians felt free to openly observe this and other religious holidays.
      Orthodox Easter is not quite as festive a holiday in Russia as in the U.S. However, it is a time for family and friends to gather around the table and enjoy traditional Easter food. The center of Easter cuisine in Russia is called "kulich", which is a bread (like a fruit cake), decorated in hard white icing. Often, the kulich will be marked with the letters "XB" which stand for "Khristos Voskres" or "Christ has Risen".

On Easter morning, many Russians visit church, and bring their kulich to be sanctified by the priest. Kulich is such an important part of the Easter tradition, the churches will hand out pieces of the bread to beggars and the homeless, as it is believed that no one should go without kulich on Easter day. At family gatherings, the kulich is placed at the center of the table, and often surrounded with colored eggs. The eggs are sometimes decorated with "XB" and are given as gifts to friends and family. Many Russians believe that the more eggs they give out, the more good things will come to them in the future. The egg is a symbol of the mystery of transformation of death into life.

Whether you are home with your child or are eagerly anticipating a new arrival, it's never too late to plan a special gift for your child.

This year, please consider the special gift of clean, clear air for your child. Did you know second hand smoke can cause breathing and hearing problems?
      And, consider this: Increasing your own life expectancy by kicking the habit will keep you around longer to enjoy each and every day with your child.

Quit smoking. You and your child will be happy you did!

"Dual Nationality" -- U.S. State Department Website - by Sharon Kaufman, Executive Director of Joint Council

      The concept of dual nationality means that a person is a citizen of two countries at the same time. Each country has its own citizenship laws based on its own policy. Persons may have dual nationality by automatic operation of different laws rather than by choice. For example, a child born in a foreign country to U.S. Citizen parents may be both a U.S. citizen and a citizen of the country of birth.
      A U.S. citizen may acquire foreign citizenship by marriage, or a person naturalized as a U.S. citizen may not lose the citizenship of the country of birth. U.S. law does not mention dual nationality or require a person to choose one citizenship or another. Also, a person who is automatically granted another citizenship does not risk losing U.S. citizenship. However, a person who acquires a foreign citizenship by applying for it, may lose U.S. citizenship. In order to lose U.S. citizenship, the law requires that the person must apply for the foreign citizenship voluntarily, by free choice, and with the intention to give up U. S. citizenship. Intent can be shown by the person's statements or conduct. The U.S. Government recognizes that dual nationality exists but does not encourage it as a matter of policy, because of the problems it may cause. Claims of other countries on dual national U.S. citizens may conflict with U.S. law, and dual nationality may limit U.S. Government efforts to assist citizens abroad. The country where a dual national is located generally has a stronger claim to that person's allegiance. However, dual nationals owe allegiance to both the United States and the foreign country.

      They are required to obey the laws of both countries. Either country has the right to enforce its laws, particularly if the person travels there later. Most U.S. citizens, including dual nationals, must use a U.S. passport to enter and leave the United States. Dual nationals may also be required by the foreign country to use its passport to enter and leave that country. Use of the foreign passport does not endanger U. S. citizenship. Most countries permit a person to renounce or otherwise lose citizenship.
      Information on losing foreign citizenship can be obtained from the foreign country's embassy and consulates in the United States.
      Americans can renounce U. S. citizenship in the proper form at U.S. embassies and consulates abroad. Thus, any internationally adopted child, even if he/she becomes a U.S. citizen, may continue to be considered a citizen of his birth country by the authorities of that country. That child, who will need to use a U.S. passport to reenter the U.S. after travel, may be required to use a passport of his/her country of birth when entering that country and may also continue to be subject to certain laws of that country. I figured that this was an isolated situation, especially after learning that many families with Colombian children had traveled to that country without being subject to the requirement. However, today I was asked about a report that the Russian Foreign Ministry has just announced that, henceforth, families wishing to travel to that country with a previously adopted child from there, would NOT be issued a visa in the child's American passport.
      Instead, the child would be required, until the age of 18 years old, to use a Russian passport for entering that country.

      I called the State Department for information and was told that, while the existence of this new Russian requirement was still unconfirmed, it would not be surprising. Some countries do hold the belief that a minor cannot voluntarily relinquish citizenship in his/her birth country, and that even an internationally adopted child who becomes a U.S. citizen may legitimately be considered by a foreign government as having dual nationality until such time as he/she grows up and takes specific action to renounce allegiance to his/her birth country.
      I asked my contact what the implication of this situation might be for internationally adoptive families and for the agencies that advise them. My contact indicated that agencies should advise families to be cautious when considering taking minor children to visit their birth countries, whether in the context of a subsequent adoption or for homeland tours to reinforce pride in their heritage. He indicated that some countries, such as Korea, do not treat their internationally adopted children as maintaining citizenship in their birth countries, but that some do and that families should be aware of this fact. In most cases, there will not be any consequences other than the fact that the family will need to keep a child's foreign passport up to date. However, some families may be concerned that their children could be subjected to foreign laws.
      NOTE from World Child: We strongly urge you to obtain both a U.S. Passport and the INS Certificate of Citizenship for your child. Additionally, you should re-adopt your child in the U.S. to obtain a U.S. Court Decree and Birth Certificate. If you plan to travel to Russia with your child, contact the Russian Embassy for instructions.

REMINDER: Please consider sharing personal anecdotes, adoption experiences, or other information to be included in future issues of this newsletter. You can submit your thoughts and ideas to Nancy Baker at nbaker@worldchild.com or call (703) 536-8523.

We hope to provide you with the Russian newsletter on a regular basis. If you would like to continue receiving the newsletter, but have a new, different or more convenient e-mail address, please reply to nbaker@worldchild.com and let Nancy know. However, if you would prefer not to receive this e-mail newsletter, please e-mail Nancy at the address above and your name will be removed from the newsletter mailing list.