Ukraine for Colorado families

Adoption Alliance has networked with a number of agencies and worked with families adopting independently from Ukraine. For Colorado families wishing to adopt from Ukraine, Adoption Alliance will provide your local services, including writing your home study, helping you to meet parent preparation training requirements and following up with post-placement services.

Family requirements:

Couples and singles may apply. Ukraine is flexible in their age requirements for adoptive parents.

Children:

Children in Ukraine must be listed on their national databank of available children for a year. This allows time for Ukrainian national families to adopt the children. If children are not adopted during that time period, they then become available for international adoption. The children are usually 18 months and older when they become available for adoption to U.S. and European families. Some children with medical conditions may be available at younger ages. Children are cared for in orphanages. There are boys and girls available, including siblings groups and school-aged children.

The Process:

You will need to complete your home study and parent preparation education, apply to CIS and put together your dossier. You or your adoption coordinator submits your dossier to the Ukrainian government and waits for a registration number. After receiving your registration letter, you can then request an estimated travel date. Considering your request, Ukraine assigns a travel date. You arrive in Kiev and meet with adoption officials to review children's profiles. Once you choose a child to visit, you travel to meet the child. After committing to the child, you must attend an adoption court hearing. Ukraine has a 30-day waiting period, which can be waived if the child is in need of medical care or if there are other extenuating circumstances. Once the final adoption decree is issued, additional paperwork and a passport for your child are processed. You will then complete the U.S. Embassy paperwork to receive your child's U.S. visa.

Ukraine asks that families register their child with the Ukrainian Consulate when they return home. Families must also complete annual reports regarding their child and submit them to the Ukrainian Consulate.