How To Adopt from Ukraine

International adoptions involve many of the same steps as domestic adoptions, there are additional rules for international adoptions; these rules vary by country. To be eligible to adopt from Ukraine, you must be at least 21 years old, and at least 15 years but not more than 45 years older than the child you are adopting, unless you are a relative. Only married couples can adopt from Ukraine. Here's how to adopt from Ukraine:

1. Find an adoption agency. Many agencies specialize in overseas adoptions, and they will be accustomed to dealing with international adoption regulations. Be sure to choose a reputable agency that has experience dealing with adoptions from Ukraine.
2. Schedule the home study. A home study is conducted by a social worker, and will show those involved in the adoption that your home life is appropriate for a child. The completed homestudy will be sent to the Department of Immigration and Naturalization Services.
3. Register with the government. Now, register with the State Department for Adoptions and Protection of Rights of the Child. This step requires a lot of paperwork; once you're approved to adopt, you'll be contacted, and can begin your travel arrangements. The form you file with this department is often referred to as Form I-600A.
4. Prepare to travel to Ukraine. Apply for a visa and passport, and get the required vaccinations and physical to fly to Ukraine.
5. Prepare your dossier. In order to adopt from Ukraine, you'll need a folder of documents, such as your proof of income and a copy of your passport. Your adoption agency can help you figure out exactly what is needed. Be sure you have everything ready before you leave for Ukraine; you certainly don't want to arrive only to find out that you are missing a vital piece of information.
6. Find a child. Once you have arrived in Ukraine, go to a local orphanage to find a child you'd like to adopt. Ask questions about the child's health and view their medical records; you may also request a physical exam or blood work.
7. Attend a court hearing. Once you've found a child who you want to adopt, the next step is a court hearing where a judge will approve or deny the adoption. Usually, the orphanage where the child was staying can give you some guidance in this process. Generally, the decision is made on the day of the hearing, but the adoption won't become official for ten days. After ten days, you become the legal parent of the child.
8. Get a new birth certificate. Your child will need a new birth certificate from the local Vital Records Office. To get this, you'll need the court decree granting the adoption, as well as your child's original birth certificate.
9. Apply for a passport for your child. In order for your child to leave Ukraine with you, he or she will need their own Ukrainian passport from the Ukrainian Office of Visas and Registrations. The wait period for a passport is usually at least ten days, so plan to be in the country for a while. In fact, the whole process usually takes about three weeks once you arrive in Ukraine.
10. Return home. Return home with your adopted child, and slowly introduce them to American life and to your friends and family.
11. Send post-adoption reports. Parents who adopt from Ukraine are required to register the child with the Ukrainian consulate and submit reports to the consulate yearly for the first three years after the adoption, and then once every three years until the child reaches 18 years old. Ukraine considers these reports very important, and has in the past suspended all adoptions from the U.S. due to too many adoptive parents neglecting to submit these reports.

International adoption is a very popular option. Though it can be a long process, it is also very rewarding. The process of adopting from Ukraine can take upwards of a year, including nearly a month spent in Ukraine.