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Ukraine Adoption Process

The adoption process from Ukraine can appear overwhelming initially. However, it is a step-by-step process and KAS can guide you through each step.

The Steps to a Ukraine Adoption

The first step in adopting from Ukraine is to have a home study conducted by an agency licensed in your state of residence. The home study agency you choose should be familiar with International adoptions. Kentucky Adoption Services, Inc. will contact the agency that you have chosen to give them the specifics on what the home study should include - the home study must be signed by a Masters Level Clinician.  KAS can provide home studies for Kentucky residents.

The second step, that can be done concurrently, is to file your Immigration and Naturalization Paperwork: the I-600A. Kentucky Adoption Services or your home study agency can tell you how to fill this out. It is important that one of these two entities be either with you in person while you are filling it out or be on the phone with you. The second page of the I-600A can be confusing and it is important that it be filled out correctly.

The next step is to prepare your Dossier. The Dossier is a compilation of documents that require various seals at different levels of government.  These documents will be notarized (if required by your state), certified by the appropriate county court or agency, and Apostilled by the Secretary of State from the state the document originated. Your documents will then be sent to Ukraine to be translated. KAS, Inc. will provide adopting families with exact directions about how to prepare their Dossier and an up-to-date Dossier document list when they have chosen to adopt from Ukraine.  Don't be overwhelmed - we'll help you with this, and KAS, Inc. can even manage dossier preparation and domestic and international mailing! Families should begin collecting these documents early to help the process move as efficiently as possible. Once your dossier is ready to submit, your documents will be reviewed and prepared to enter the Ukrainian legal system.

The Referral

In Ukraine, you do not receive individual referrals on children available for adoption. Instead, you travel to the country and select the child in person from the orphanage after visiting the State Department for Adoption and Protection of Rights of the Child (SDA). There are usually more boys than girls available for adoption in Ukraine and the most common ages being adopted are between 3-4 years old or older. There have been several infants adopted, but there are no guarantees. You should expect to travel within about 3-6 months after your dossier has been submitted to the SDA for approval.
 

Please note that according to the new Family Code of Ukraine (Article 213), if several candidates wish to adopt the same child, preference will be given first to a Ukrainian citizen and then to foreign couples who are married. Although they can still submit their adoption dossiers to be registered with the State Department for Adoptions and Protection of Rights of the Child, the waiting time for an appointment is unknown and may exceed validity of the documents.

Travel

Adoptive parent travel is required and both parents must travel. The estimated time you will spend in Ukraine to complete your adoption is between three to five weeks, with four to five weeks being the average. We have seen families complete their adoptions as fast as 12-24 days from arrival to departure of Ukraine; however, it is best if you prepare yourself for at least the "average".