Child adoption in Ukraine by foreign citizens

Following documents are required for submitting the case to the Ministry of Social Politics by Ukrainian citizens, who reside outside of Ukraine, and foreigners, who desire to adopt a child:

1) Notarized statement regarding getting register as adoptive parents;

2) Four (4) copies of passport or another document, which verifies the person’s identity;

3) Three (3) copies of report by competent authority, confirming ability of the applicants to be adoptive parents. Report should contain address, living conditions (number of bedrooms, existence of proper accommodations for child), biographical data, family composition (number of family members living with applicant, relationship, presence of own children), applicant’s attitude toward adoption, participation in training for acceptance and tutelage of adopted child, preliminary familiarity with requirements for adoption of orphan-child, child, who lost parents’ guardianship, in Ukraine; information about previously adopted children, their health conditions, development, tutoring, living conditions, staying in the family after completed adoption under social worker control. Report should contain recommendations regarding number, age and health conditions of the children, which can be adopted by applicants. Health condition recommendations are being outlined in the case when applicants are recommended for adoption of handicapped child, with illness, that is presented in the verified by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine list of deceases, which permit child adoption without conforming with duration of his registration in the Ministry of Social Politics, and under five (5) years old children.

Report also has to contain information about existence (absence) court decisions, which declares applicants handicapped; deprivation of parent’s rights, revocation of adoption permission or annulment of it; taking away children, and about facts when applicants refused to grow their own children or children adopted earlier.

In the case, when report has been issued by non-governmental agency following documents has to accompany this report:

A) Notarized document (for each copy of the report), which contains information about agency accreditation in the field of children adoption from foreign state (if exists);

B) Copy of certificate (for each copy of the report) for Agency to perform activities associated with adoption;

C) Notarized copy of the document, which is confirming the fact of conclusion of agreement between adoptive parents and this agency in regards of children adoption from foreign state (if exists), with stipulation of information regarding timely reporting, informing consulate or diplomatic representation of Ukraine about any emergency cases, including change in place of residence of the child, emergence of possibilities for adoption cancellation or handing over adopted child for tutelage to another foreigners, organizations for orphan-children or children, who does not have parental patronage, deprivation of adopted child from adoptive parents, violation of rights and lawful interests of the child, accidents, death of the child, and such occurrences.

4) Permission of the competent agency of the country of residence of the applicant for entrance and permanent residency of the adopted child, except Ukrainian citizens, who live outside of Ukraine, and foreigners, who live in the country, which has visa-free regime with Ukraine.

5) Notarized applicant’s commitment (two (2) copies) addressed to the Ministry of Social Politics and consulate type organization or diplomatic representational organization of Ukraine;

6) Notarized written agreement of another spouse for child adoption with designation of the reason for adoption by one spouse only (in the case of child adoption by one spouse), if another way is not stipulated by law;

7) Income statement from the place of employment for the last six (6) moths or Income Tax return for the previous year, notarized or confirm by the issuing organization;

8) Two (2) copies of notarized Marriage certificate, which was issued by the appropriate legal organization;

9) Health conditions report for each applicant in the form, that is specified in Appendix 3 of the Rules;

10) Statement for checking of criminal record for the presence or absence of previous convictions in the country of residence for each applicant, confirmed by the authorities.

11) Notarized copy of the document confirming ownership or the right to use residential dwelling with specifying full and living quarters sq. footage and number of bedrooms;

12) Two (2) copies of notarized written agreement of applicant, if he/she is a foreigner, for obtaining information about him/her from General Secretariat of Interpol and law enforcement of the country of his/her citizenship, and country of residence, for the duration of time when adopted child will be eighteen years old.

13) Three (3) copies of document issued by the authorized organization of the country of residence of the applicant or, in the case of its absence, notarized written agreement of the applicant for obtaining and processing his/her and adopted child personal data from all authorities of the country of residence for the time duration till child becomes eighteen years of age;

14) In the case of repeated adoption on Ukrainian territory, information from authorized organization of the country of residence and consular organization or diplomatic representative of Ukraine regarding timely (untimely) presentation of reports and presence (absence) of facts regarding improper performance of duties by adopted parents, which is either foreigner or Ukrainian citizen, who resides outside of Ukraine.

In the case of the adoption by one of the married couples, documents required by paragraphs 2, 9, 10, 12 and 13 of this section has to be submitted by the each of the spouses.

Notarized income statements for salary or other sources of income, presence of properties or rights to use properties, other statements do not substitute documents listed in this part of the requirements.

Case is being accepted by the Ministry of Social Politics only, if all documents specified by paragraph 33 of “Order of execution of activities for adoption and activities for oversight of abidance of rights of the adopted children” are present and original. When original of the document has to be in the hands of the organization, which produced it, then notarized copy of this document can be submitted.

Documents required by paragraph 33 of “Order of execution of activities for adoption and activities for oversight of abidance of rights of the adopted children” has to be made in the country of residence of the applicants. Foreigners, who are constantly residing in Ukraine, which is confirmed by the residence permit issued by the territorial departments or subdivisions of the State Migration Services of Ukraine, can formalize documents in Ukraine. Foreigners, who are temporarily residing in Ukraine, has to formalize their documents in the country of permanent residence.

Each document (except copy of passport or another document, which verifies the person’s identity) specified by paragraph 33 of “Order of execution of activities for adoption and activities for oversight of abidance of rights of the adopted children”, and each statement, appeal of the citizen of Ukraine, who reside outside of Ukraine, and foreigners regarding adoption, has to be legalized in the appropriate foreign diplomatic organization of Ukraine, if different is not provisioned international agreements of Ukraine, and submitted to the Ministry of Social Politics along with their translation in Ukrainian language, which is proved in the established order.

Statements and addresses of foreigners, which are lawfully present in Ukraine, are created in Ukrainian language and confirmed by the notary.

Statements, which are made with violation of requirements outlined by paragraph 33 of “Order of execution of activities for adoption and activities for oversight of abidance of rights of the adopted children”, cannot be admitted.

Documents, which are specified by paragraph 33 of “Order of execution of activities for adoption and activities for oversight of abidance of rights of the adopted children”, except those that specified in paragraphs 12 and 13 of current Order, are valid for one (1) year from the time of the issuance, unless different is provisioned by the law (which supposed to be stated in the document) of the country of issuance.

At the date of submission to the Ministry of Social Politics documents has to valid for no less than the next six (6) months.

In the case, if the validity time of the documents by the law of the country of issuance is less than six (6) months at the time of the submission to the Ministry of Social Politics the documents has to be valid.

After the case is formed, applicant shall in person or via his/her representative register for its submission. Registration is performed in the Ministry of Social Politics at the address: 8/10 Esplanadnaya St., c. Kiev, 01601; phone: +38 (044) 226-2445; fax: +38 (044) 289-0098; http://www.msp.gov.ua; and possible only with the presence of confirmation of authorized organization, that proves ability of applicants to be adoptive parents (paragraph 3 of the abovementioned list of documents). At the day of aforementioned registration applicants or their representatives are being informed about the date of the presentation of the case.

Then case is being submitted either personally by the applicant or his representative directly to the Ministry of Social Politics at the aforementioned address. Please note, that case has to be submitted in the separate folder, title page has to have country of the residence, full name of the applicant, and the back of the title page has to contain list of the enclosed documents, signed by the applicant or their representative. In the top right corner of the first page of each document has to have a number that commensurate with the list on the back of the title page.

For convenience of use and appropriate storage cases are being submitted in the folders of the specific colors: Israil, Canada – white; Spain – light blue; Italy – green; Germany – blue; USA – red; France – violet.

ATTENTION! The Ministry of Social Politics are not accepting into processing cases that arrived by mail and E-Mail.