If you read the mainstream press, you'd come away with the idea that Russia has shut its doors to adoption. As I've said before, it hasn't, and if you want proof you need look no further than the posts and blogs about the referrals, trips and court dates that prospective parents are getting right now. Yes, right now.

Before you jump to the conclusion that something nefarious is going on, remember this: While the accreditations of adoption agencies have expired, making it impossible for them to do their work until their status is renewed, Russia has not banned independent adoptions. So some agencies are simply helping their parents go to Russia as independent adopters, mostly to wrap up adoptions that were well under way before accreditations expired. It's a strategy that has been used before, during previous slowdowns in reaccreditations.

How does it all work? Think of that when a door closes, a window opens analogy (do you understand my choice of art now?). Some regions are continuing the adoption processes, issuing court dates and invitations to travel, and this is being communicated to prospective parents through adoption agencies. The parents will go to court, and other official meetings, with an interpreter but without their agency rep.

How many people are traveling now? Not many, but more than you might have thought. According to the National Council for Adoption, U.S. Embassy officials in Moscow have been issuing about 160 exit visas a month. That is about one third the volume that was happening when U.S. adoptions from Russia were at their peak, but not bad for a country that has supposedly halted all adoptions. (I'll just point out the obvious, which is to say that even if adoptions go back to their former pace for the rest of the year after the accreditations come out, we are still on track for another dismal total for adoptions from Russia for 2007.)

Who is traveling and who is helping them travel? Call me superstitious, but I'm not going to name names. It's not going to help the parents or the agencies, and if you are just beginning the process of adopting from Russia, you should not pick an agency solely because they can get through the red tape now. The most important criteria for any agency in the future will be accreditation: Alina Levitskaya, the Ministry of Education official I wrote about earlier this week, has been very clear that she believes that all independent adoptions should end and that everything should go through accredited agencies.

If you are one of the lucky ones now, congratulations. We all hope you get home safely and soon.