What Are the Key Steps To Adopting a Child in Ukraine by Foreigners?

There are some peculiarities and differences between the procedures for adoption of Ukrainian children by residents and foreign nationals. And anyone wishing to adopt a child from Ukraine shall learn them.

In this material, we will elaborate on the algorithm of actions that foreign nationals shall take to adopt a child from Ukraine in 2020. In general, this process takes much more time than a similar procedure for Ukrainian citizens, and therefore, you should think through all your steps ahead.

What documents does a foreign national need to adopt a child from Ukraine?

First of all, potential candidates for adoptive parents shall gather a certain package of documents in the country of their origin:

- An application for registration as candidates for adoption (certified by a notary), which shall specify the applicant’s residence address (if there are several places of residence - the address of each of them), passport data, telephone number and e-mail;

- 4 copies of the foreigner’s passport or other identification document;

- 3 copies of the conclusion about the possibility of candidates to be adoptive parents, issued by the authorized body of their country. This document shall specify:

• The address and living conditions of the applicant (e.g., a detailed description of the room that will be used for the child);
• Details of the family history of the potential adoptive parents.

The conclusion shall not contain any recommendations regarding the adoption of a particular child, the exceptional situation will be the adoption of brothers and sisters of the child that was previously adopted. It shall also specify recommendations for adapting the adopted child to the new environment (language study, education, socialization, etc.). We wrote in more detail about the conclusion for this opinion in the following article: Adoption Of A Child In Ukraine: Where To Start?

The complexity of this stage is that both the application for registration and the conclusion must be executed in the form required by the Ukrainian state authorities. We can provide you with samples and templates of documents and advise how best to fill them out.

The next stage will be the submission of the prepared package of documents to the Ukrainian competent authority - the Ministry of Social Policy.

Related article: Adoption By A Foreigner In Ukraine In 2019: Where to Start?

Steps to adopting a child in Ukraine that shall be personally taken by a foreign national 

Now you are proceeding to the big stage, during which you get to know your future child and apply for his/her adoption. This stage consists of several steps.

1. Interview. Adoption applicants must be personally present at the interview. They shall come there with a certified interpreter, whose presence is also mandatory.

During the interview, candidates will be able to consider the children’s candidacy and receive a letter of referral to meet a particular child.

2. You can meet a child on the day or following the day you receive a letter of referral. The presence of an interpreter is also mandatory at this stage. If contact with the child is eventually established, the next step is to submit an application for adoption.

3. Writing an application for adopting a particular child. Since the application must be written in Ukrainian, we will help you write it. During the application and the documents review period, which amounts to 10 business days, potential parents have the opportunity to periodically meet with the child (two hours daily).

If a special commission makes a positive decision, candidates for adoptive parents will need to get a conclusion about the expediency of adoption. Candidates shall personally obtain the conclusion.

Submission of documents to the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine for obtaining consent to the adoption of a child by a foreigner

A package of documents, including a child’s biography, is prepared by the Service of Children Affairs and handed over to the candidates. The received documents can be submitted to the Ministry of Social Policy by candidates in person, as well as by an authorized person.

The Ministry of Social Policy considers this package of documents within 10 business days. After that, they issue consent to the adoption of the child. This consent can’t be obtained by authorized persons.

Related article: Where To Go Through The Necessary Formalities For Adoption Of A Child From Ukraine And What Is Required For This?

What is the final stage of the procedure for adopting a child from Ukraine?

The last step in Ukraine will be to apply to a court for the decision on adoption of the child. The application shall be made in the Ukrainian language. We will help you prepare it.

In addition to the application, the applicants shall submit to the court a package of documents, which shall contain:

• A marriage certificate;
• A Physician’s Medical Report on the applicants;
• A certificate from the placement of work on the salary (a copy of the income declaration can be submitted);
• A document confirming the right of ownership (or use) of the residential property;
• A document confirming a permission of the Ministry of Social Policy to child adoption;
• The conclusion on the possibility of being adoptive parents issued by the competent authority of the country of origin of the adoptive parents;
• Permit for the child’s resettlement and permanent residence in the country of future parents.

Please note! All the documents that are attached to the application must be legalized in accordance with the laws of Ukraine and the foreign country of origin of the candidates for adoptive parents.

The presence of candidates is mandatory during the adoption case consideration. If the court decides to declare the foreign candidates as adoptive parents, such decision will also specify the obligation of the respective Civil Registry Office to make changes in the child’s birth certificate.

The last step at this stage will be to apply to the Administrative Services Center for issuing a travel document for the child. Our specialists will also be able to help you with this.