General Information

ADOPTION OF UKRAINIAN CHILDREN

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U.S.citizens, who intend to adopt a child from Ukraine, must submit a written Declaration to the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine requesting their placement on a list of candidates for adoption. (Address of the Ministry: Kyiv, 8/10 Esplanadna Street, tel.: (+38044) 289-5448)

Such Declaration should be accompanied by the following documents:

1. Declaration (Home Study) executed by the U.S. authorities which confirms the candidate's capacity to be registered, including his status as a homeowner or lessee of an acceptable residence, background information, current marital status - whether married, for how long, with how many children and their age, other relevant personal data. In case the declaration is made by non-governmental authorities, a copy of the authorization issued by the competent US governmental authorities granting approval for the adoption should be attached.

Please note that according to the Ukrainian legislation, it is illegal in Ukraine to conduct business related to adoption through an intermediary organization or facilitators.

2. Permit of the competent US governmental authorities where a prospective parent or parents reside allowing to adopt and to bring a child for legal residence to the USA.
3. Document regarding receipts, annual income (bank statement showing the annual income of the family) (Home Study)
4. Medical Records (Statement) of each prospective parent being registered.
5. Marriage Certificate (required for married couples).
6. Copy of passport of each prospective parent being registered.
7. Criminal background check (police clearance) by the competent Law enforcement authorities for each prospective parent being registered.
8. Letter of Obligation to register a child within one month with the Consulate General of Ukraine in San Francisco and provide the Consulate with the annual updated information (post placement reports) on a child's development. According to the Ukrainian Law the Consulate is bound to supervise and visit the adopted child. The Ukrainian Law on Citizenship envisages that the child shall remain a citizen of Ukraine until he/she comes of age.

The above mentioned documents should be stamped with "apostille" and translated into the Ukrainian language. The signature and seal of the translator must be authenticated by the "apostille" as well.

State Department on Adoption and Protection of the Children's Rights of the Ministry of Family, Sports and Youth of Ukraine examines the adoption documents presented by the prospective adoptive parents, places candidates on a waiting list, gives them necessary information regarding the children available for adoption, including all information which would be necessary for adoption and then schedules an appointment for prospective adoptive parents to visit an orphanage in order to meet and select a child qualified for adoption.

All issues regarding completion of all procedures relating to adoption of a child from Ukraine should be addressed to the State Department on Adoption and Protection of the Children's Rights of the Ministry of Family, Sports and Youth of Ukraine.

At the time foreign citizens seek to finalize their application for the adoption of a specific child, the State Department on Adoption and Protection of the Children's Rights of the Ministry of Family, Sports and Youth of Ukraine examines all necessary materials and gives written permission to begin adoption proceedings or, at that time, a written denial in a detailed form.

Adoption of the child, who is a citizen of Ukraine, by foreign citizens, is effected by the decision of the city (region) Court only.

No payments are to be made by candidates for the adoption of a child except those related to covering incidental office expenses.

No person acting in an introductory or intermediary capacity is allowed to accept any kind of payment for having facilitated the adoption of a child.

Consular Registration of Adopted Ukrainian children

Dear Adoptive Parent(s)!

In accordance with Ukrainian Law, the Consulate General of Ukraine in San Francisco should include your child (children) adopted in Ukraine, into the list of Ukrainian citizens permanently residing in the USA.

In order to process appropriate paperwork you should mail to the Consulate the following documents:

Completed registration form ;
Your child(ren)'s original passport(s) (Travel document of a child);
A copy of the Ukrainian Court's Decree on adoption (in Ukrainian).

Please include a return self-addressed postage-paid envelope.
For FedEx Account number is required. Credit Card number is not acceptable.

In case you change your place of residence, you are also requested to inform the Consulate.

Please be advised that you should send your application to the Ukrainian Consulate that has jurisdiction over the district of your residence by mail.

IMPORTANT: The Consular District (the area assigned to a Consular Post for the exercise of consular functions - Article 1 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and Optional Protocols, 04/24/1963) of the Consulate General of Ukraine in San Francisco includes States of Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada , New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming.

Please be sure to send your child's Registration Form to the appropriate Consulate:

Embassy of Ukraine
(3350 M St., NW, Washington, DC 20007,
tel. (202) 333-7507, fax (202) 333-7510)

Consulate General of Ukraine in New York
(240 East 49th Street, New York, NY 10017
tel: (212) 371-5690; fax: (212) 371-5547).

Consulate General of Ukraine in Chicago
(10 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL, 60611
t el: (312) 642-4388; fax: (312) 642-4385 ).

Passport Renewal of Adopted Ukrainian children

Dear Adoptive Parent(s)!

Please be informed that to apply for a new Ukrainian passport for your child(ren) you must mail to the Consulate General of Ukraine the following documents:

Child's original passport (Travel Passport of a Child);
Completed application form;
2 color passport-size pictures;
Photocopy of the child's birth certificate;
Photocopy of the child's Social Security card and Green Card;
Return self-addressed postage-paid envelope.
For FedEx Account number is required. Credit Card number is not accepted.

Annual Report on Adopted child from Ukraine

The Ukrainian legislation requires that adoptive parents provide the Ukrainian Consulates with annual reports on adopted child (children).

Please be so kind as to send annual reports to the Ukrainian Consulates once a year for the first three years after adoption, and then once every three years until the child reaches the age of 18.

The Consulate General of Ukraine in San Francisco will be grateful for your detailed reports about adopted child's (children's) living conditions and development and pictures of your family.