Adoption Process

Heart for Orphans partners with local missions and churches in Ukraine to share Christ with kids in orphanages and support those who have graduated from the orphanage.

rescued orphansAdopting from Ukraine: Details about the Adoption Process

The US Embassy in Kiev website maintains current requirements for Ukraine adoptions.

What is the process to adopt from Ukraine?

  1. Seek US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS; formerly INS) approval to adopt – The USCIS requires submission of the following documents prior to approving an application.
    1. Completed and signed USCIS (INS) form I-600A 
    2. Birth Certificates
    3. Marriage Certificate
    4. Divorce Certificate
    5. Cashier's check or money order for the USCIS application plus fingerprint fees for each person living in the home over age 18
    6. FBI fingerprint and background check
    7. Completed homestudy - the homestudy requires the following:
      1. Tax Returns
      2. Personal References
      3. Birth Certificates
      4. Marriage Certificate 
      5. Divorce Certificates (if applicable)
      6. Autobiographies
      7. Police Clearance Report (state level will be required for Ukraine dossier)
      8. Medical Statement
      9. Employment Statement
      10. Other documents required by your home study agency
  2. Compile a Ukrainian Dossier - The required forms listed below make up your Ukrainian dossier.  You should obtain updated forms from your agency or facilitator as these change periodically.  The forms are very specific and you should obtain the correct, current ones before producing them for a Ukraine dossier.
    1. Petition for adoption
    2. Letter of obligation
    3. Power of attorney
    4. Home study (provided with up-to-date license of social worker)
    5. USCIS approval
    6. Passport copies
    7. Employment letters
    8. Medical reports
    9. Proof of marital status (marriage certificate)

      All of the above papers should be notarized.  Be sure the notary's commission is good for at least one year from date of notarization.

      An apostille (an apostille is a special seal applied to a document to certify that a document is a true copy of an original) for each document in the dossier is required.  The dossier is then translated into Russian and submitted to the National Adoption Center.
  3. Submit Dossier to Ukrainian State Department of Adoption (SDA)
    1. The SDA approves the dossier, registers the adoptive parents, and provides a registration number.
    2. Adoptive parents submit a request for an appointment
    3. SDA informs the adoptive parents of the appointment date in Kiev.
    4. On the appointment date, parents appear and meet with an appointed psychologist to discuss reasons for adoption. Psychologist asks if you have a preference in gender, age, location and health status of a child(ren).  Provides binders of files for review. Will contact orphanages to determine availability of selected child(ren).
    5. Refers the adoptive parents to the local inspector (near the orphanage).
    6. Local inspector provides letter of approval to the orphanage director.
    7. Orphanage director introduces the prospective parents to the child(ren).
  4. Court Hearing
    1. Appear before the judge for your court hearing.  Usually the adoption is approved pending the 10 day appeal period.  During this appeal period you will be updating documents, such as the child’s birth certificate and passport, and prepare to return to Kiev.
  5. Return to Kiev
    1. Your child(ren) is required to have an immigrant visa physical examination, including a vaccination report..  This is usually performed by physicians at the American Medical Center or Clinic of Oil Industry of Ukraine in Kiev.
    2. US Embassy.  An orphan investigation Form I-604 Report on Overseas Orphan Investigation is required in all orphan adoption cases and serves to verify that the child is an orphan as defined by U.S. immigration law. A consular officer at the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine conducts this investigation and completes this questionnaire at the time of the immigrant visa interview. The consular officer reviews the Ukrainian documentation and adopting parents’ knowledge of the circumstances of the adoption and health of the child.
    3. Immigration Visa - U.S. law requires that the adopted child, regardless of age, be brought to the Embassy for a personal appearance before the consular officer at the time of the interview for the immigrant visa.
  6. Congratulations – You may go home with your new family!