Ukraine Adoption Program

View children available for adoption. Ukraine adoption is a wonderful international adoption program for families desiring to adopt children (5 and above) or children with special needs ages 14 months and older. Many sibling groups are also available. The types of special needs include HIV+, cleft palate/cleft lip, club foot, cerebral palsy, vision or hearing impairments; there are also more significant needs such as alcohol-related birth defects, Down Syndrome, and Intellectual disability. Many older children with only minor (and correctable health challenges are also in need of adoption (in the 6-15 range). Children who would otherwise have little hope for a future can have a better life with the emotional and physical security that a loving family can offer, along with the availability of excellent medical care in the United States. Sibling groups of 3 or more children are readily available.

• Based on Ukrainian law, you must be married and be at least 15 years older than the child you seek to adopt and no more than 45 years older than the child. If you have any criminal background or any mental health history, please let us know so that we can determine if the authorities in Ukraine will accept your application.

1. Make application to Nightlight Christian Adoptions.
2. Begin your adoption home study and submit form I-600A to USCIS.
3. Submit your adoption dossier to DAPRC and be registered.
4. Begin to assemble your dossier while you wait for your I-600A approval.
5. Once USCIS has approved your petition, you will receive your I-600A approval notice, which will complete your dossier paperwork.
6. Your dossier will be hand delivered to the DAPRC by our coordinator. Once your documents are submitted, they are reviewed and the coordinator will be notified that your dossier is in good order or if corrections need to be made. DAPRC takes 21 business days for review process.
7. Once your dossier is accepted and registered with DAPRC, it will be at least another 21 business before your invitation to travel is received.

You select your child once you are in the country. When you arrive in Kyiv, an English-speaking representative will meet you. The next day you will go to the DAPRC, where you will be given information about a child who is the same sex and approximate age that you requested. You will see a picture of the child and his/her profile information. Once you have identified a child to adopt and met with the child at his/her orphanage, you proceed in that region with the completion of the adoption. You will go to court and meet with a judge about 4-6 weeks after you have met with your child. At this time, you will be required to have a 30-day-wait period. During this time you can go home or you can stay in Ukraine. You then receive your child, and our coordinator will help you arrange to get your child’s new birth certificate and Ukrainian passport, as well as file paperwork with the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv for your child’s U.S. visa. This process takes about 1 week to 10 days. Usually you will stay almost 8-10 weeks in Ukraine for the entire adoption process or you could make two or three shorter trips.

The in-country stay gives you time to visit your child daily at the orphanage and to begin the bonding process. It is amazing to see how children change while their parents are there visiting with them. It is quite common for a toddler to begin walking during this time and reaching other developmental milestones. The bonding process is very important, and being in the country allows your child to transition from being in an orphanage to being with you, his/her new family.

Please contact Savana Rowe, savana@nightlight.org, (502) 423-5780 with any questions.