BIRTH FAMILY SEARCH
Useful Information
Russian Roots association works in partnership with with several well-established organizations, including Voice of Adoptees (La Voix d’Adoptés), the Association of Parents Adopting in Russia (APAER) and the Psychological Support Program for Adoptees (DAPHA). The association also benefit from the support of Mr Alexander Orlov, who served as Russian Ambassador to France from 2008 to 2017. Furthermore, the association has been listed as an association of adopted persons on the website of the International Adoption Mission (MAI), which operates under the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. Finally, an article highlighting the activities of Russian Roots was featured in The Bear Magazine (L’Ours Magazine), and positive testimonials from people who have contacted the association have also been published on our website.
All persons adopted in Russia (as well as in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Moldova and the Baltic States), no matter where they now reside. Although Russian Roots is a French association, we receive requests from all over the world to conduct a search for their origins, particularly from the United States, Spain, Italy and Canada. Adoptive parents may also initiate searches on behalf of their adopted children, as may anyone who knows an person adopted in any of the above-mentioned countries.
Before starting any investigation, you are invited to send us a copy of the adoption records (in their original language only) and pay the annual membership fee in order to join the association. This membership – which may subsequently be renewed – is required to proceed with the review of the adoption records. The review will be completed within approximately two weeks, after which the investigator will contact you. You have two options for submitting the adoption papers:
- Upload the documents and pay the membership fee through our website;
- Schedule an appointment with the investigator who will answer your questions and guide you through the process.
⚠️ If you do not have access to your adoption records (or those of someone close to you), please click here.
To obtain a copy of your adoption records (or those of someone close to you), you may contact the Central Authority in your country of residence responsible for implementing the Hague Convention of 29 May 1993 on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption. The procedures for obtaining adoption records vary from one country to another.
In the United States, adoption matters are overseen by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs. However, requests for adoption records are generally processed through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) procedures.
In Canada, adoption matters are overseen by the relevant provincial and territorial authorities.
In Ireland, the Adoption Authority of Ireland is the responsible body.
In the United Kingdom, adoption matters are handled by the relevant regional authorities.
Today, investigations are led by Pavel Closson, a young French-Russian man adopted from Russia in 2004. Fully bilingual, he draws on his own experience of searching for his birth family, his extensive network of contacts and his knowledge of local legislation to help other adoptees wishing to reconnect with their roots in Russia and other former Soviet countries. Pavel is passionate about Russia and the post-Soviet world, he has an in-depth understanding of the cultural, geographical, administrative and legal realities of these countries, particularly Russia. Accustomed to travelling to adoptees’ places of origin, he is familiar with the terrain and can, where appropriate, organize and carry out searches in Russia alongside the adoptee. His thorough, methodical and compassionate approach has contributed to the successful outcome of numerous searches.
The birth family search is carried out in two stages.
Preliminary searches conducted remotely (first stage):
- Investigations with the relevant public authorities;
- Collection of factual information and archival records preserved in official archives.
Searches conducted in the place of origin (second stage):
- Organization of meetings;
- Collection of testimonies, retrieval of records, supporting documents and photos;
- Reconnecting adoptees with their birth parents and siblings.
👉 If they wish, individuals adopted in Russia may take part in the field investigations alongside the investigator and, whenever possible, meet their biological family. The costs, conditions and arrangements for travelling to Russia and for conducting field investigations will be discussed and agreed with the investigator.
Adoptees and adoptive parents may have very different expectations when undertaking a birth family search. The association adapts to each individual situation and the needs expressed, and offers the following guarantees:
- Strict confidentiality throughout the process;
- Transparency regarding the results;
- Assistance in preparing the official documents, powers of attorney and authorizations required;
- Support before, during and after the search;
- Written report on the results of the search.
Highly variable. The birth family search is not subject to any predetermined limits, either in terms of duration or geographical scope. Depending on each individual situation, the needs of the adoptees (or their adoptive parents), the place of origin, the information collected, as well as the attitude of the families met, the investigation may take more or less time and may extend across different locations as circumstances require. It may last anywhere from a few days to several months in order to locate documents and members of the biological family.
Yes, because the vast majority of people adopted from the countries of the former Soviet Union know at least the name of their birth mother. Once the investigator begins the field searches, they cooperate with the relevant local authorities and interviews witnesses. This enables them to obtain information that help guide and continue the investigations. The likelihood of locating the biological family, whether quickly or after a longer period of time, depends on the following factors:
- The amount of information available;
- The adoptee’s place of origin (urban or rural);
- The adoptee’s age at the time of the search;
- The quality of cooperation from local contacts;
- Whether birth relatives have accounts on social media.
The birth family search is a unique experience, filled with emotions and questions, and it is perfectly natural to feel apprehensive about the unknown: discovering unexpected truths or wondering how the biological family may react. It should not be approached with fixed expectations, but rather with the desire to find answers, establish the facts, put faces to names, gain a better understanding of the circumstances that led to the adoption and, whenever possible, rebuild family connections. Throughout the process, the investigator will guide and reassure everyone involved in order to facilitate a constructive mediation.
Yes, the birth family search may involve certain risks, both during the investigation and afterwards. The biological families met may come from very different social backgrounds, which can result in a wide range of attitudes and reactions. For this reason, Russian Roots adopts a personalized approach and initially acts as an intermediary in order to avoid direct contact between the adoptee and their biological family. If both parties wish to do so, a video meeting may be arranged and facilitated by the investigator, following which their contact details may be exchanged.
Yes, in most cases. In Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Moldova, birth family searches are carried out within a strict legal framework governed by adoption confidentiality laws. Accordingly, a power of attorney granted by the adult adoptee to the investigator, together with authorization from the adoptive parent(s) permitting the waiver of adoption secrecy, is required. These documents serve three purposes:
- To conduct investigations in compliance with the legislation of the country of origin;
- To obtain access to information and documents held by local authorities;
- To reassure the people met that the search is being conducted within a lawful framework.
⚠️ Templates for both documents, together with instructions on how to complete them, will be provided at a later stage.
👉 As every family situation is unique, exceptions may be granted on a case-by-case basis, particularly where obtaining parental authorization or a power of attorney proves difficult or impossible.
👉 As legislation governing birth family searches is generally more flexible in the Baltic States, these documents are not always required. Each case will therefore be assessed individually.
The sooner, the better. In most countries of the former Soviet Union, archived documents, particularly medical records, have a limited retention period. In Russia, for example, this period is 25 years. Even when preserved, archives may deteriorate over time and become unusable. People met may also provide valuable information that helps guide the search. However, witnesses grow older, sometimes pass away, and their memories may fade or become less reliable over the years. Likewise, members of the biological family may change their names or move away from their region of origin, making them harder to trace. For these reasons, it is strongly recommended to begin a birth family search as soon as the need arises to avoid future regrets.
Russian Roots is a non-profit organization with no profit-making objectives. It relies primarily on membership fees and donations from supporters and patrons. However, for the birth family search, the association charges a flat fee of €1,200 per search (for those under 24) or €1,500 (for those 25 and older) to cover operational costs (travel, accommodation, translation, lawyer fees, postal and facilitation expenses, etc.). This fee is applicable regardless of the investigation’s duration or location and can be paid in two installments. Additionally, membership is required to begin the review of the adoption records. The annual membership fee is €35 (for those under 26) or €50 (for those 27 and older).