Ukraine Adoption Overview
Ukraine is currently closed due to the war.
The adoption process in the Ukraine is unique from that of any other Eastern European country. Unlike other Eastern European countries, which allow sending pictures and medicals of children to families in America, you go to meet the child yourselves upon arrival to Ukraine. Families must first submit their adoption documents (dossier) to Ukraine. Then they are invited to travel to Ukraine to select an orphan child. You will be accompanied to each city by a bi-lingual translator, and our facilitator in Kiev will coordinate your entire adoption process in Ukraine. The good news is that the adoption process should only take four months from the successful submission of your dossier. Dossiers are currently accepted in Ukraine!
Eligibility
The adoptive parents must:
- Must be 25 years or older
- Must be at least 15 years older than the child you adopt
- Previous divorce is acceptable.
- Parents may have other biological and/or adopted children
- Must be married
- Those with certain health conditions or a history of mental health issues such as depression should contact a consultant prior to applying to check their eligibility status
Waiting Children
Once a family submits their dossier, they are registered with the State Department for Adoption and Protection of Rights of the Child (SDA) and the family is invited to Ukraine to select a child. Children may be selected from those on file with the SDA. Once you select a child to visit, you will travel to the region in which the child’s orphanage is located.
It is Ukraine’s practice to first offer older or special needs children to each family. At first you may be told that these are the only children available. Please understand that this is their effort to find families for all children. Graciously select and visit one of these children, then other younger and healthier children will be offered to you once you return to the SDA.
You are completely free to decline any child and request others. Within the limits of children available at the time, you will be offered children until you find the right child for your family.
Once you select your child, and the documents are prepared, you will be accompanied to the local court, where the adoption will be granted. There is now a 10 day appeal period following the court. It might be extended ONLY if there are serious complications, which happens extremely rarely. Then an additional 7 – 10 days is required to obtain the child’s documents. Families may choose to return to the U.S. until their adoption order is final and documents are ready. You will return to Kiev and be accompanied to the U.S. Embassy to undergo the required medical exams and receive your immigrant visa for new your child.
The Process
- Application
- Service Agreement
- Home Study
- US CIS Approval
- Dossier sent to Ukraine
- Boys and girls 6 and up to 7 and up, two or more siblings at one time
- Special needs children and siblings can be younger then 6 y.o.
- Travel invitation in 1 to 3 months
- Travel in 1 month
- Return home in 4 to 6 weeks.
Once in the region, you will be met by local facilitators who have prearranged your housing. You will be taken to visit the orphanage, where you can visit the child you have selected. If the child you first select is not the right child for your family, you may return to Kiev to select another child. The SDA will allow THREE opportunities to select children from their entire list of children.
Once you select your child, and the documents are prepared, you will be accompanied to the local court, where the adoption will be granted. You will return to Kiev and accompanied to the U.S. Embassy to undergo the required medical exams and receive your immigrant visa for your child.
Travel Information
Our facilitation team will arrange all in-country aspects of your adoption. Translations, transportation, accommodations, arrangements with dining and all other logistics will be prearranged for you by our facilitation team. Travel within the country is easy by car, train, air, or bus depending upon the distance to the region of the orphanage and most importantly – preferences of the adoptive family. A range of comfortable accommodations are available and very pleasant bilingual staff is available to assist you. Families willing to travel to the country before selecting a child will be rewarded with a choice of children. We encourage families to pursue adoption from Ukraine. There is a child waiting for you.
Once you travel to the region of adoption and select your child, and the documents are prepared, we will deliver the documents to the State Department for Adoption and Protection of Rights of the Child (SDA) for their approval. Afterwards, we will bring the approval and remaining documents back to the region for you. Then, you will be accompanied to the local court where the adoption will be granted. After receipt of court decree, we will work on obtaining new birth certificate(s) and passport(s) for your adopted child. You will finally return to Kiev to go through medical examination and U.S. Embassy interview and obtain your child’s Immigrant Visa. Then you will return home with your child.
Read more in our Travel Procedures document.