Does Russia Shut Down for the Holidays?

Are you expecting to receive a referral of a child in the next few weeks? Maybe you're far enough along to be anticipating a court date? Congratulations! But now you're probably wondering about what will happen with the holidays coming up soon. Perhaps you've even heard from someone that Russia closes down for a month over the holidays. Let's dispense with the rumor and look at the facts.

Russia does have an official holiday period, but it's not exactly aligned with the holiday period in the USA or most western countries. In Russia, the official holidays start with New Year's Day on January 1, and run through Orthodox Christmas, which falls on January 7. January 6 actually is ostensibly not an official holiday, but it's unlikely much will happen that day since the next day is an official holiday. Therefore, the entire first week of January should be considered a holiday in Russia. Don't expect a referral trip or court date during that week.

On the other hand, the period from December 24 through New Year's Day, which is normally a holiday period in the west, is a normal work period in Russia. It is possible to have a court date on December 25 (I know someone this actually happened to). It is also possible to make a referral trip during this period.

Because the adoption and immigration of a Russian-born child is affected by the national holidays of more than one country, it's a good idea to find out when the official holidays are for each country. If you are from the United States, you can find a list of the official holidays for the U.S. Embassy in Moscow here. The U.S. Embassy observes both holiday schedules. If you are planning a pickup trip after court, this will give you a good idea when the embassy will not be available for outprocessing.

So, in summary, if you are planning a referral trip or court trip, the only period officially out of bounds is Janaury 1 through January 7. In 2010, a weekend follows immediately after the holiday period, so realistically you're looking at things to get moving again after January 10. If you are planning a pickup trip, you'll be more restricted.

Some agencies may have additional limitations on their work days based on what they can support from the home office. Check with your agency to find out exactly when events can be scheduled for your particular case.