Ukraine is a beautiful
country bordering the Black Sea,
between Poland, Romania, and Moldova in the west and Russia in the
east. Having a population 
of
over 50 million people, Ukraine
is the largest of the former Soviet Republics which
gained its independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union,
and achieved statehood in 1991.
An area rich in
history, the inventions of ancient Ukrainians are still contributing
to the modern world – the first time man went horseback riding
happened there about 6,000 years ago, about which time trousers were
also invented in Ukraine. The oldest known map (dating to about 10,000
B.C.) in the world was also discovered in Ukraine. More recently,
Ukraine received international notoriety when a nuclear reactor at
Chernobyl experienced a meltdown.
Today, many parents are
choosing to adopt internationally from Ukraine: Since 1999, over 4000
children from Ukraine have been adopted by Americans. There is only
one legal adoption agency in Ukraine – the government-operated
National Adoption Center in the capital city of Kiev. The Adoption
Center is the only organization which may legally show photos or files
of available children and
help you identify a child for adoption.
Adopting from
Ukraine
is significantly different than adopting from
other countries
. The current structure of the child welfare system in
Ukraine
prohibits the distribution to foreign countries of information on
children available for adoption. All information about children is
kept by the
Adoption
Center
in
Kiev
. This information is made available to foreign families who
personally travel to
Kiev
after their adoption dossier is approved.
Once a family submits
their dossier, they are registered with the
Adoption
Center
and the family is invited to
Ukraine
to select a child. Children may be selected from those on file with
the
Adoption
Center
.
It is Ukraine's practice to first offer older or special needs children to each
family. At first you may be told that these are the only children
available. Please understand that this is their effort to find
families for all children. You are completely free to decline any
child and request others, Within the limits of children available at
the time, you will be offered children until you find the right child
for your family.
Once
you select your child, and the documents are prepared, you will be
accompanied to the local court where the adoption will be granted. You
will return to
Kiev
to present your documents to the Center for Adoption where they
graciously greet you and your new child. Finally, you go to the US
Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration office in
Kiev
. There you will be accompanied to the U.S. Embassy to obtain the
child's immigration visa. You will then return home with your child
