Ukraine ADOPTION Program

 

About Ukraine

Ukraine is an Eastern European and former Soviet Union Country. It is the second largest country in Eastern Europe . It’s capital city is Kyiv. Ukrainian customs are heavily influenced by Christianity, which is the dominate religion in the country. The official language is Ukrainian, but Russian is widely spoken.

The following websites are useful places to start for reading more about Ukraine adoption and country:

•  http://adoption.state.gov/country/ukraine.html  US State Department page
• http://kyiv.usembassy.gov/amcit_adoptions_eng.html US Embassy in Kyiv
• https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/up.html  CIA World Factbook         

Who Is Eligible To Adopt

Couples who have been married at least 2 years and are 21 years of age or older, with no more than 45 years difference between the age of the child and the age of the prospective adoptive parents (PAPs).

Single women are ineligible to adopt from Ukraine.

There are no restrictions on the number of children that PAPs can already have in the home.   

Children Available For Adoption

Children available for adoption in Ukraine may be as young as 2 years old, but are most often referred by the State Department of Adoption in Ukraine (SDA) between 6 and 9 years of age and older.  The SDA acts as the Central Authority in Ukraine and handles the matching process.   It has established four main age groups of children available for adoption; 2 to 6 years, 6 to 9 years, 9 to 12 years, and 12 years and older.  It is highly recommended that PAPs who are considering this program be open to adopting a child 6 years of age or older.   

Length of Process

The length of the process is unknown at this time due to the newness of the program.  Political unrest, age and health preferences, as well as other factors may affect the length of the process.

Travel

Prospective adoptive parents are required to travel to Ukraine once to complete the adoption process.  The trip is estimated to be four to six weeks.  A New Beginnings representative and coordinator will be available to facilitate all adoption related in country activities.     

Post Adoption Requirements